The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of acting like a terrorist organization. This follows an attack on ADC members at a church premises in Lagos last week.
According to the ADC, political thugs believed to be sponsored by the ruling party invaded the church venue, causing harm and destruction. The party described the incident as a desecration of a place of worship and a new low in the APC’s alleged campaign of violence against the opposition.
“The invasion of a church premises by government-backed political thugs is a profound act of desecration by a jittery ruling party who would stop at nothing to silence opposition voices in the country,” said Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the ADC.
The ADC warned that the Lagos incident was part of a disturbing pattern of intimidation across several states.
The party cited earlier cases, including threats to its leaders in Edo, harassment in Kogi, and attacks on meetings in Kaduna.
“With this attack on a church, no one can predict how far this APC under President Tinubu is willing to go in its desperate quest to hold on to power at all costs,” the party said.
The ADC also recalled a recent Canadian court declaration of the APC as a terrorist organization.
“If churches and other places of worship are no longer regarded as inviolable by the APC goons, how then does the party intend to prove to the world that it is not indeed a terrorist organisation? After all, attacking places of worship is what terrorists do,” Abdullahi added.
The party urged the Nigeria Police Force to remain loyal to the constitution and the Nigerian people, and to arrest and prosecute those behind the violence.
“The police have a duty to ensure that justice is served swiftly and transparently to the perpetrators of the attack in Lagos, Kaduna, Kebbi, and all other states where ADC leaders have been threatened and assaulted. Nigerians are watching, and the credibility of our institutions is on trial before the whole world,” Abdullahi said.
The ADC maintained that violence was a confession of failure by the APC. “The APC’s resort to violence and intimidation is a glaring confession of its failure. Rather than present a track record of achievements to the Nigerian people, the APC wants to bulldoze its way into another election season by eliminating opposition. This is the mark of dictatorship,” it said.
The party vowed to remain committed to peaceful engagement with Nigerians. “We will remain undeterred. We are committed to engaging Nigerians peacefully, constructively, and courageously. But we will not fold our arms while our leaders are attacked and our gatherings are turned into battlegrounds. This must stop. And it must stop now,” the ADC declared.
