Former presidential candidate Peter Obi, on Sunday, condemned the disruption of the African Democratic Congress secretariat opening in Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River State, describing the incident as “an attack on democracy itself.”
In a statement via X released on the development, Obi said the attack by suspected thugs reflected a worrying decline in democratic standards in the country.
“What occurred at the ADC office in Bakassi, Cross River State, is not merely an attack on a political party; it is an attack on democracy itself,” he said.
“When thugs can storm a party office and destroy property without facing arrest, it reflects how dangerously low our democratic standards have fallen,” he added.
Obi also warned that the erosion of leadership standards and tolerance of political misconduct could push the country towards violence.
“In the current state of Nigeria, what can we expect when leadership standards have plummeted to the extent that qualification, certification, and credibility are no longer deemed necessary for public office?” he said.
“The ability for individuals to present forged certificates for election sends a troubling message to our society. If we continue down this path, violence may become the future of our democracy.
“We must recognise that fraud and violence cannot create true leadership; they will only result in chaos. This chaos will ultimately affect our children and us.”
The former governor of Anambra State spoke following the disruption of the planned opening of an ADC secretariat in Bakassi on Saturday by suspected political thugs.
Reports indicated that the attackers stormed the venue of the ceremony, dispersing party supporters and destroying canopies, loudspeakers, chairs and other equipment arranged for the event.
A video circulating on social media showed a group of youths forcefully dismantling the setup while shouting that the ADC would not be allowed to operate in the council area.
In the footage, a man believed to be leading the group was heard ordering others to scatter the items, claiming that the party was nowhere to be found when the council area was being developed.
Confirming the incident, the Cross River State Police Command described the perpetrators as hoodlums and said officers were deployed to restore order.
The Bakassi incident comes months after Obi and some chieftains of the ADC were allegedly attacked by suspected thugs in Benin City.
The attack occurred shortly after Obi, former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, John Odigie-Oyegun, and other party figures returned from the ADC secretariat, where the 2023 Labour Party governorship candidate in Edo State, Olumide Akpata, was formally welcomed into the party.
Following the incident, the Department of State Services announced the arrest of a suspect, Udeme Sunday Stephen, believed to be connected to the attack on Obi and other ADC chieftains in the Edo State capital.
