The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned the burning of its Ekiti State office in Ado-Ekiti, describing it as a calculated act of political intimidation aimed at silencing the opposition.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said the attack occurred just hours before its scheduled “Reconfiguration and Affirmation Ceremony.”
Abdullahi alleged that the incident was a deliberate attempt to terrorize opposition voices ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in the state, calling it “criminal, undemocratic, and a disgrace to anyone who claims to believe in democracy.”
He revealed that this was not an isolated attack, noting that ADC offices and members had been targeted in Kaduna, Lagos, Kebbi, Kogi, and Edo States since the Opposition Coalition named the ADC as its preferred platform in July.
“These repeated incidents form a dangerous pattern that should worry every lover of democracy,” Abdullahi warned, accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating the attacks out of fear of the ADC’s growing popularity.
According to him, the fire in Ekiti further confirmed that “the APC is afraid of the rising wave of the ADC,” adding that more Nigerians were embracing the party as an alternative to what he described as the failures of the current administration.
The ADC urged security agencies to investigate the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice. It also called on INEC, civil society groups, and international observers to closely monitor the situation to prevent further acts of intimidation.
Despite the setback, Abdullahi affirmed that the planned event in Ekiti would still hold, even if it had to take place outdoors.
“Violence will not stop the ADC from moving forward,” he declared.
Comments