Hoodlums set ablaze ADC secretariat in Ekiti, disrupt party excos’ inauguration

There was pandemonium in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, on Tuesday, after some suspected political thugs set ablaze the state secretariat of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The attack, which occurred in the early hours of the day, razed the party’s office located at Basiri Area of Ado-Ekiti and destroyed several valuables, including plastic chairs, canopies, sound system and office equipment.

It was gathered that the burnt canopies and chairs had been rented for the inauguration of the party’s executives across wards, local government areas, and the state level, scheduled to hold later in the day.

Several hours after the secretariat was razed, the hoodlums regrouped in large numbers and stormed the venue of the planned affirmation ceremony, disrupting preparations and attacking party leaders and supporters.

The attackers who stormed the venue in a commando-like style shot sporadically into the air, forcing several members of ADC, journalists, as well as passersby to scamper for safety.

Rauf Aregbesola, former minister of the Interior, arrived at the venue amid tight security and proceeded with the inauguration of the newly affirmed executives.

Speaking with journalists shortly after the brief inauguration of party executives, the former minister condemned the attack in strong terms, describing it as a shameful display of intolerance and a dangerous threat to democracy.

Aregbesola said that it was regrettable that individuals who emerged through democratic process could resort to violence and intimidation to suppress opposition voices.

Aregbesola also berated the security agencies for failing to protect the ADC secretariat and its members, accusing them of dereliction of duty.

“The security agencies must protect lives and property, and when they fail to do so, they are violating the Constitution. Interestingly, the security acts make it compulsory to do so, and failure to do so exposes all of them as being compromised,” he said.

Former Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Kolapo Olusola-Eleka, also condemned the incident, describing it as an act of political terrorism.

He said the incident was unfortunate and represented a dangerous assault on the democratic values and freedom of political association, lamenting that such acts of violence were creeping into Ekiti politics, a state once known for peace and tolerance.