Olumide Akpata, a previous candidate for governor, has described how he and other members of the African Democratic Party (ADC), including Peter Obi, a 2027 presidential candidate, escaped an alleged assassination attack in Benin City over the week.
Remember how Obi and others were attacked when Akpata was formally declared for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Benin City?
Speaking to reporters, Akpata revealed how they managed to survive the assault.
Regarding what transpired that day, he stated, “The movement of some of us to ADC was scheduled for 11 o’clock.
However, it occurred around one o’clock. Additionally, we received information from typically trustworthy sources that the ADC Secretariat would be attacked.
We are therefore instructed to expedite our function. We therefore made an effort to go as fast as we could. After that, we left the building and went to Chief John Oyegun’s residence in the GRA. When we arrived, we were informed that the ADC Secretariat had been assaulted shortly after we had left.
Yes, my cousins had accompanied me. My companions had accompanied me. A few of them suffered injuries. In fact, one relative had a bottle smashed on her head. Therefore, there wasn’t a situation where they said, as we say, “I have first-hand information regarding… and very, very credible from what happened that day.”
We were snapping pictures and talking outside Oyegun’s front door when we noticed what appeared to be a double drive-by. A few men drove by the home and began shooting. The entrance door and the gates are therefore somewhat of a distance apart.
The shooting was so intense that the men from the SSS and DSS who were with us had to force us back into the sitting room. We remained there for another twenty minutes until the attackers had left, at which point we went outside to examine the damage and all of the cars that were present.
“I have no doubt that people would have died if they had been seated in those cars, and you could see the gates, the bullet piercings, and everything else.” That’s what took place that day.
I disagree with your assertion that the Edo State Government said this was an intraparty issue. I don’t think many people will believe that the problems at the ADC the day before, which involved people I know personally and am quite familiar with, won’t lead to armed guys coming to the center of GRA in the afternoon and firing weapons.
“I believe that just a very dangerous message is being conveyed to the electorate: you should stay at home because you will be risking your life to participate in this process.” Because people start to be unwilling to engage, that is an attack on democracy.
