A senior member of Nigeria’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Emmanuel Ogidi, has demanded a full-scale investigation into an assault on members of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Edo State, warning that such political violence threatens the nation’s democratic stability ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ogidi, who spoken to journalists on Thursday, characterized the incident as part of a disturbing escalation in political hostilities. He expressed specific concern over reports that prominent figures, including the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and former All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, were targeted. Describing the trend as a “bad omen” for democracy, he argued that reducing political competition to physical confrontation undermines the electoral process.
The PDP chieftain directly called on President Bola Tinubu to instruct security agencies to promptly probe the threats against ADC members and ensure perpetrators are prosecuted. He stressed the necessity of decisive action to prevent a recurrence and protect Nigeria’s political space from preventable violence. Ogidi drew parallels with other recent disruptions, citing an attack by “sponsored political thugs” during Saturday’s elections in Abuja’s Abaji Area Council, and earlier incidents involving bandits and herdsmen.
Emphasizing the broader implications, Ogidi warned that the climate of fear could deter citizen participation in future elections. He advocated for an end to the culture of “personal entitlement” in politics and urged political
