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Former Labour Party(LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi, along with high-ranking political figures, survived what aides are describing as a targeted assassination attempt that occured in Benin City, Edo State on Tuesday.
The attack targeted a convoy including Obi, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; and leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The group was in Edo State to mark the formal entry of Olumide Akpata into the ADC.
According to Dr Yunusa Tanko, National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, the trouble began when armed thugs followed the delegation from the ADC Secretariat to Chief Odigie-Oyegun’s private residence.
Upon arrival, the attackers reportedly opened fire on the property, riddling the front gate with bullets and using blunt objects to smash the windscreens of several luxury SUVs in the motorcade.
Visual evidence from the scene confirmed significant property damage, though no fatalities were immediately reported.
This escalation of violence comes at a time of extreme political friction in Nigeria.
Just a day before, the ADC and the Obidient Movement formally rejected the results of the Abuja Municipal Area Council chairmanship election held on February 21.
Opposition leaders have accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of systemic failures, including voter suppression and result manipulation, after the APC candidate was declared the winner.
The incident in Edo State has raised fears regarding the safety of opposition figures and the overall stability of the nation’s democratic process.
As political actors continue to challenge recent electoral outcomes in court and in the court of public opinion, the siege in Benin serves as a grim indicator of the rising tensions between established power structures and burgeoning opposition movements.
