Tension erupted in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, on Tuesday after some suspected hoodlums set fire to the Secretariat of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The attack, which occurred in the early hours of the day, destroyed the secretariat located in the Basiri area of Ado-Ekiti and left several valuables in ruins, including plastic chairs, canopies, sound systems, and office equipment.
It was learnt that the burnt chairs and canopies had been hired for the inauguration of the party’s executives across wards, local government areas, and at the state level, which was scheduled to take place later in the day.
Several hours after the secretariat was burnt, the assailants regrouped in large numbers and invaded the venue of the planned affirmation ceremony, disrupting preparations and assaulting party leaders and supporters.
The attackers, who arrived at the scene in a commando-style operation, fired gunshots into the air, causing ADC members, journalists, and passers-by to flee for safety.
In the ensuing confusion, several vehicles and a motorcycle belonging to one of the journalists were badly vandalised, while the canopies and chairs arranged for the event were completely destroyed.
About fifteen minutes after the hoodlums fled, the ADC National Secretary, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, arrived at the scene under tight security and went ahead with the inauguration of the newly affirmed executives.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the brief inauguration of the party executives, the former Minister condemned the attack in strong terms, describing it as a shameful display of intolerance and a serious threat to democracy.
Aregbesola stated that it was regrettable that individuals who came to power through a democratic process could resort to violence and intimidation to silence opposing voices.
The former Osun State Governor noted that the beauty of democracy lies in the freedom of association and participation in open political activities without fear or coercion, adding that the attack on ADC members in Ekiti reflected a drift towards fascism.
Aregbesola also criticised the security agencies for their failure to protect the ADC secretariat and its members, accusing them of negligence.
Former Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola-Eleka, equally condemned the incident, describing it as an act of political terrorism.
He said the attack was unfortunate and represented a dangerous assault on democratic principles and the freedom of political association, lamenting that such violent acts were gradually finding their way into Ekiti politics — a state once known for peace and tolerance.
The former Deputy Governor faulted the security agencies for what he described as a disappointing response to the incident, saying the police failed to act swiftly despite receiving early reports.
“What has happened today in Ekiti state is what we call political terrorism and it is quite unfortunate this is happening in our state. This is against the principle of democracy that we are all preaching.
“We have made reports to the police through the state party chairman and let me say that we are let down by the security agencies because more than two hours after we made reports on the midnight attack on our secretariat, we observed that they were not there to protect the property and the people,” he added.
When contacted, the Ekiti Police Spokesman, SP Sunday Abutu, confirmed the incident.
He stated that the command was aware of the attack and that the Commissioner of Police, CP Joseph Eribo, had ordered a full-scale investigation to identify and arrest the perpetrators for prosecution.
