The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, and supporters of the party on Thursday recited Nigeria’s former national anthem during a town hall meeting in Lagos State.
Obi, alongside the party’s Lagos governorship candidate, Funsho Doherty, and other NDC members, joined in singing the old anthem at the gathering, signalling their rejection of the new national anthem.
The meeting took place amid heightened tension following an attack on NDC supporters by suspected political thugs at the venue in the Oregun area of Lagos.
Obi arrived at the venue less than two hours after the attack, which reportedly left one person hospitalised.
Before his arrival, hoodlums armed with cutlasses, cudgels, sticks and stones invaded the meeting venue, scattered chairs and disrupted the gathering.
Videos circulating on social media showed the attackers storming the venue, forcing participants to flee.
However, some NDC supporters later regrouped and took to the streets, chanting the names of Obi and his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Obi’s convoy was subsequently received by a large crowd of supporters amid cheers.
Meanwhile, the attack has triggered a war of words between the NDC and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), with both parties trading accusations over the incident.
While the opposition party accused the APC of encouraging political violence and attempting to undermine democracy, the ruling party denied involvement and urged the NDC to address its internal problems.
The confrontation reportedly extended to Kudirat Abiola Way, disrupting traffic as some NDC supporters pursued the fleeing attackers and apprehended one suspect at a car park.
A video of the incident showed some young men surrounding the suspect and hitting him with sticks.
Policemen were also reportedly seen firing shots into the air to disperse the crowd.
Reacting, the NDC National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, described the attack as unfortunate and unwarranted, accusing the APC of promoting barbaric politics.
“The attacks perpetrated against our members in Lagos State are unfortunate and unwarranted.
“The hard-earned, ruinous APC is planning to destroy our hard-earned democracy by their desperation and demonic politics of barbarism,” he said.
Similarly, the spokesperson for the NDC Campaign Council, Dr Constance Ikokwu, condemned the incident, describing it as an assault on democracy and citizens’ rights to political association.
She said, “We strongly condemn the reported violent attack on its supporters in Lagos by suspected political thugs.
“This is an unacceptable assault on democracy, citizens’ fundamental rights and the freedom of political association. No political party or group has a monopoly on Nigeria, and no one has the right to use violence, intimidation or thuggery to silence opposing voices.
“Nigeria is not a conquered territory, and political participation is not a crime. We demand an immediate investigation, the arrest and prosecution of those responsible, and an end to the dangerous culture of the political violence we’re witnessing in some states.
“Those who believe they can intimidate Nigerians into silence must understand that democracy belongs to the people, not to political thugs and their sponsors.
“We urge Nigerians to come out in large numbers in 2027, exercise their democratic rights and vote for the NDC as part of the peaceful demand for accountable leadership and a different direction for our country. The NDC and its supporters will not be intimidated, silenced or bullied out of exercising their democratic rights.”
However, former Lagos APC spokesperson, Seye Oladejo, denied his party’s involvement in the attack, arguing that the allegation came on a day the APC was holding its campaign in Epe.
According to him, the party was preoccupied with its political activities and had no reason to disrupt the NDC gathering.
He urged the opposition party to investigate its internal affairs rather than blame the APC.
“The first thing to note is that this allegation is coming on a day we are formally having our campaign in Epe. And Epe is very far away from Ikeja. Everybody who is anybody was there – members, all our candidates, the sitting governor.
“So, we are too busy to be distracted. The APC and the NDC are not the only parties in the elections. And we are the biggest stakeholders in this Lagos and, in fact, Nigeria.
“If they are having issues, they should look within their party. They cannot continue to be blaming the APC for everything that happens in the NDC. They should get serious in the business of opposition. There is nothing to prove that the APC is involved in this. So, they should look inward at the enemies within their party,” Oladejo said.