Some hoodlums brandishing various weapons on Saturday disrupted the Labour Party (LP)-African Democratic Congress (ADC) event in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the event was organised by the parties to officially receive defecting LP members in Alimosho into ADC.
NAN reported that the hoodlums, numbering over 100, stormed the first venue of the event at the LP office in Idimu and sent members, including officials, running in different directions for their safety.
The hoodlums, who were seen wielding different kinds of weapons, including knives and canes, attacked anyone they caught while the mayhem lasted, causing some party members to sustain varying degrees of injuries.
Undeterred by the disruption, officials of the two parties swiftly arranged for an alternative venue at the Eco Centre Event in Egbeda.
Recounting the ordeal, the LP chairman in Alimosho Local Government, Mr Olanrewaju Olushola, described the attack on his members as unwarranted.
He expressed fear that most Nigerians might not be free to express themselves in the build-up to the 2027 General Election.
“What is most painful is that most of my members sustained varying degrees of injuries. This is in spite of the hoodlums going into our party secretariat in Alimosho, destroying our furniture and flags,” Olushola revealed.
The party chairman, however, said that the members had already defected en masse, noting that what was planned on Saturday was a ceremony to let Nigerians know that LP members have defected.
He added that almost the entire members of LP in Alimosho, including its leadership, had joined the ADC and that the decision was collective.
Also speaking, the party’s secretary in Alimosho, Mr Moses Akujuobi, said that plans for the ceremony were earlier stopped by the police on grounds that they did not get approval.
He said they contacted the Area M Commander, ACP Abaniwonda, who said that she did not have the power to give approval for political events in the state, adding that only the Commissioner of Police could give such approval.
“Incidentally, we could not reach the CP but we informed the DSS after which we went ahead since it wasn’t a rally but a quiet ceremony.
“When we got to the venue this morning, we were shocked to see police vans with heavily-armed policemen. They informed us that we cannot hold the event and referred us to the police commissioner.
“While we were at it, the hoodlums besieged the place and began to beat people, causing us to desert the venue.
“We, however, began to contact our members through phones to move to the second venue which is the Eco Event Centre and everyone witnessed what took place here.
“The hoodlums got wind of our second venue and equally attacked us, beating up our members again,” Akujuobi stated.