The African Democratic Congress (ADC), has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), of behaving like a terrorist organisation following an attack on its members at a church premises in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State last week.
The attack on the ADC members was reportedly orchestrated by thugs loyal to the APC during the gathering attended by adc-as-atiku-sets-eye-on-presidential-ticket/” title=”Implosion feared in … as Atiku sets eye on presidential ticket”>party leaders, including former Labour Party governorship candidate in the state, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, who formally declared his membership of the opposition party.
National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, who frowned at the attack in a statement on Sunday, said political thugs believed to be sponsored by the ruling party invaded the church venue, spilling blood, destroying vehicles and seizing property.
He described the incident as a desecration of a place of worship and a new low in the APC’s alleged campaign of violence against the opposition.
“The invasion of a church premises by government-backed political thugs is a profound act of desecration by a jittery ruling party who would stop at nothing to silence opposition voices in the country,” Abdullahi said.
The statement warned that the Lagos incident was part of a disturbing pattern of intimidation across several states in recent weeks.
“With this attack on a church, no one can predict how far this APC under President Tinubu is willing to go in its desperate quest to hold on to power at all costs,” the party said.
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It cited earlier cases, including threats to its leaders in Edo, harassment in Kogi, the shutdown of a private radio station in Niger, attacks on meetings in Kaduna, and assault on convoys of party leaders in Kebbi.
“If churches and other places of worship are no longer regarded as inviolable by the APC goons, how then does the party intend to prove to the world that it is not indeed a terrorist organisation? After all, attacking places of worship is what terrorists do,” Abdullahi added.
The party urged the Nigeria Police Force to resist being used as an arm of the ruling party and to remain loyal to the constitution and the Nigerian people.
It called for the arrest and prosecution of those behind the Lagos violence and other attacks targeting ADC leaders nationwide.
“The police have a duty to ensure that justice is served swiftly and transparently to the perpetrators of the attack in Lagos, Kaduna, Kebbi, and all other states where ADC leaders have been threatened and assaulted. Nigerians are watching, and the credibility of our institutions is on trial before the whole world,” Abdullahi said.
“The APC’s resort to violence and intimidation is a glaring confession of its failure. Rather than present a track record of achievements to the Nigerian people, the APC wants to bulldoze its way into another election season by eliminating opposition. This is the mark of dictatorship.
“We will remain undeterred. We are committed to engaging Nigerians peacefully, constructively, and courageously. But we will not fold our arms while our leaders are attacked and our gatherings are turned into battlegrounds. This must stop. And it must stop now,” the party declared.
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