Governor Monday Okpebholo has condemned Tuesday’s violent attack on chieftains of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Edo State, describing the incident as an internal party dispute that was “hijacked by outsiders” and allowed to spiral out of control.
Among those caught in the melee were former presidential candidate Peter Obi, former APC national chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and several top ADC officials. The party’s national coordinator for the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Dr Yunusa Tanko, labelled the incident an “assassination attempt” on senior figures.
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Patrick Akhere Ebojele, Governor Okpebholo expressed sympathy for the wounded and criticised what he called the “importation of thugs and miscreants” into Edo’s otherwise calm political environment.
“As peace-loving people, the importation of thugs and miscreants from outside the state under the guise of party politics remains totally condemned and will not be tolerated going forward,” the governor said.
Okpebholo, who is the state’s Chief Security Officer, pledged that “no political rivalry will be allowed to plunge Edo into chaos,” adding that he has instructed security agencies to increase surveillance around all political gatherings.
“Even though the precise motive behind this attack may not yet be fully known, I strongly believe that the ultimate objective is to discredit Edo State and undermine its reputation as one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria,” he said.
Calling on residents to remain calm, the governor insisted that Edo’s politics “must revolve around performance, engagement and earning the trust of the electorate,” not violence. He suggested that the ADC leadership “look inward” before directing blame elsewhere, hinting that factional tensions inside the party may have triggered the confrontation.
“Edo remains a peaceful state, and no one can take that away from us,” Okpebholo said. “Any attempt to foment unrest under the cover of party activities will be firmly resisted.”
Local police confirmed they are investigating the incident and reviewing security camera footage to identify the perpetrators. No arrests had been announced at the time of filing this report.
