The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied allegations that it sponsored the attack on members of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) during a town hall meeting at Classic Event Place on Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Lagos.
The meeting was disrupted by suspected political thugs, leaving several supporters injured ahead of a scheduled address by the NDC’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
The APC spokesman, Mogji Seye Oladejo, dismissed the allegation in a statement on Thursday, insisting that the party’s leaders and stakeholders were attending its 2027 election campaign flag-off in Epe when the incident occurred in Ikeja.
Oladejo described the allegation as reckless and irresponsible, accusing the NDC of attempting to implicate the ruling party without providing credible evidence of its involvement.
He said the APC neither sponsored, encouraged nor participated in any action capable of undermining the constitutional rights of political parties to assemble, deliberate and campaign for electoral support.
Explaining the party’s position, Oladejo said the entire APC political structure in Lagos, including its leaders, elected representatives, party executives, campaign officials and other stakeholders, had been mobilised for the campaign flag-off in Epe.
He said it was therefore inconceivable that the party would abandon such a major political engagement to interfere with the activities of an opposition platform.
“The entire APC political machinery in Lagos, without exception, was mobilised to Epe for this historic political engagement. Our leaders, elected representatives, party executives, campaign officials and critical stakeholders were fully committed to the success of that event.
“Against this background, it is inconceivable that a party engaged in such a significant statewide political mobilisation would abandon its own historic engagement to concern itself with the activities of a fringe political platform,” the statement read.
The spokesman maintained that the APC, as the ruling party in Lagos, had a greater responsibility to promote political stability, peaceful coexistence and respect for democratic institutions rather than engage in activities capable of undermining the democratic process.
He reiterated the party’s commitment to political tolerance, civility, the rule of law and the freedom of opposition parties to pursue their political interests without intimidation, regardless of their affiliations or ideologies.
Oladejo also accused the NDC of attempting to shift responsibility for the incident rather than establish the circumstances surrounding the disruption and identify those responsible.
He described the allegation as an attempt to substitute propaganda for investigation and blame-shifting for accountability, adding that the APC’s position as the governing party in Lagos did not automatically make it responsible for every act of criminality or political misconduct in the state.
He challenged the NDC to present any credible evidence linking individuals or groups to the attack to the appropriate security agencies rather than rely on social media allegations and what he described as politically motivated narratives.
Oladejo further expressed concern over what he called repeated threats by opposition political elements to unleash violence and make the political atmosphere ungovernable ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to him, the APC’s commitment to peaceful political engagement should not be mistaken for weakness or an unwillingness to defend democratic order, warning that the party would not be intimidated by threats or provocations.
He insisted that the APC had no reason to resort to violence, intimidation or political thuggery, stressing that its participation in the electoral process was based on political persuasion, issue-based campaigns, grassroots mobilisation and the ballot box.
The party called on the Lagos State Police Command, the Department of State Services (DSS) and other relevant security agencies to investigate the incident, strengthen intelligence gathering and take proactive measures to prevent political violence.
It also urged security agencies to take what it described as increasingly aggressive rhetoric from opposition quarters seriously and ensure that individuals or political organisations were not allowed to threaten public peace.
Oladejo warned that political ambition should not be used to justify lawlessness, stressing that opposition activities must not encourage intimidation, disorder or actions capable of undermining democratic institutions.
He reaffirmed the APC’s commitment to peaceful political competition and the rule of law, adding that the party would remain focused on governance, development and delivering democratic dividends to Lagos residents.
The spokesman urged the NDC to stop looking for scapegoats and take responsibility for its political environment, insisting that the APC would not be distracted from its campaign and governance responsibilities by what he described as manufactured controversies.