The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have traded accusations over an attack on NDC supporters by suspected political thugs during a town hall meeting in Ikeja, Lagos State. The NDC accused the ruling party of promoting political violence and attempting to undermine democracy, while the APC denied the allegation and urged the opposition party to address its internal problems.

According to the report, the disruption took place on Thursday, when hoodlums armed with cutlasses, cudgels and stones reportedly invaded the venue, scattered chairs and forced participants to flee. Some NDC supporters reportedly resisted by throwing chairs at the attackers, and later pursued the fleeing men and apprehended one of them at a car park, where a video showed young men surrounding the suspect and hitting him with sticks. The violence then spilt onto Kudirat Abiola Way, disrupting traffic, and policemen reportedly fired shots into the air to disperse the crowd.S1

The NDC National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, described the attacks on its members as unfortunate and unwarranted, and accused the APC of resorting to barbaric politics. NDC Campaign Council spokesperson, Dr Constance Ikokwu, condemned the attack as an assault on democracy and on citizens' right to political association, demanded an immediate investigation and the prosecution of those responsible, and urged Nigerians to vote for the NDC in 2027.S1

The Lagos State chapter of the APC rejected the accusation that it sponsored the attack, describing it as unfounded and alleging that the opposition was trying to shift blame onto the ruling party. The attack was reported in the Oregun area in one account and in Ikeja in another, and the meeting was described as a town hall organised by the NDC, a party whose presidential-era rivalry with the APC is now playing out at the state level ahead of 2027.S1S2