NIGERIA: Gunmen Attack Peter Obi, John Odigie-Oyegun, Other ADC Leaders In Edo

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria 

Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi former All Progressives Congress National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and several chieftains of the African Democratic Congress were allegedly attacked by gunmen in Benin Edo State on Tuesday.

The incident occurred shortly after the formal declaration of Olumide Akpata as a member of the ADC. Dr Yunusa Tanko Obi’s former campaign spokesman and National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide disclosed the attack in a statement issued in Abuja describing it as a siege on Obi and the ADC leadership.

According to the statement armed individuals trailed the group from the ADC Secretariat to the residence of Chief John Odigie-Oyegun where they opened fire on the gate and destroyed several vehicles in what appeared to be a failed assassination attempt.

Photos and videos circulated by Tanko showed smashed windscreens of multiple SUVs and a gate riddled with bullets.

The statement declared that democracy is in danger amid the escalating political violence and called attention to the safety of opposition figures in the state.

The attack has intensified concerns about political tensions in Edo State coming less than 24 hours after the African Democratic Congress and the Obidient Movement rejected the results of the February 21 Abuja Municipal Area Council chairmanship election.

In that poll the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Christopher Maikalangu of the APC winner with 40,295 votes while ADC candidate Dr Moses Paul placed second with 12,109 votes.

No official statement has been issued by security agencies or the Edo State Government on the Tuesday incident as investigations are expec

ted to commence.