The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and ex-Edo State governor John Odigie-Oyegun narrowly escaped what they described as an assassination attempt by gunmen in Benin, Edo State.
The attack reportedly occurred shortly after leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) received former Nigerian Bar Association president Olumide Akpata into the party. Eyewitnesses said gunmen stormed the ADC secretariat on Ogbelaka Street, firing shots, vandalising property, and later targeting Odigie-Oyegun’s residence on Reservation Road, where several vehicles were riddled with bullets. Some party members sustained injuries.
Obi stated, “It is time to speak up. It is time those in government act… What they allowed to happen in the country today will take its revenge on all of us and the country.” Odigie-Oyegun added, highlighting bullet-damaged property at his home, “Look at the gate, see the bullet holes… That is where our democracy has reached.”
He further revealed prior intelligence about the planned attack, which allowed proceedings to end early, potentially saving lives. “Halfway through the proceedings, we got an intelligence report… We were just barely lucky to have left there in time,” Odigie-Oyegun said.
The Edo State ADC accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating the attack, a claim denied by both the party and the state government, which attributed the violence to internal disputes. The Edo State Police Command confirmed the incident, noting that no casualties were reported and investigations are ongoing.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar condemned the attack, stating, “The violent attack on Peter Obi, John Oyegun… and other Coalition ADC leaders in Benin is utterly condemnable and unacceptable in any democracy… Nigeria must not descend into a theatre where politics is settled by violence.”
The incident has heightened political tensions in Edo State, with opposition figures warning against growing intolerance, while authorities maintain the violence stemmed from internal party disagreements.
