The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has strongly condemned the violent assault on its members and legal representatives at the Edo State Governorship Election Tribunal in Benin City.
This attack, which took place during the tribunal’s proceedings, is part of a troubling pattern of aggression from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since the election that saw Senator Monday Okoepholo emerge victorious as Governor.
Chairman of the APC, Emperor Jarret Tenebe, stated that they had forewarned security agencies about potential violence, yet their concerns were overlooked by the police.
During the attack, hired thugs clad in PDP-branded apparel violently confronted APC members and even assaulted lawyers from other political factions, resulting in several individuals sustaining serious injuries.
The thugs came armed with dangerous weapons such as battle axes and bottles, launching their attack without any pushback from law enforcement.
Disturbing footage of this incident has since circulated online, reminding the public of a previous tragedy where PDP operatives were implicated in the murder of Inspector Akor Onu at the Benin City Airport.
The APC believes that the lack of prosecution against those responsible for Inspector Onu’s death has emboldened the PDP to escalate their violent tactics.
In light of these attacks, the APC maintains it cannot restrain its members from defending themselves at future tribunal hearings and is prepared to take action against those identified as attackers.