.Party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary resigns
.Stakeholders worry as violence trail political campaigns
.As APC campaign council condemns attack
Suspected thugs invaded a town hall meeting organised by the Nigeria Democratic Congress in the Oregun area of Lagos State, disrupting the gathering and forcing attendees to flee.
Meanwhile, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the NDC, Abdulmumin Abdulsalami, has resigned from the party, citing alleged injustice, exclusion and interference by powerful officials.
On the Lagos incident, a video shared by TheCable on Thursday showed people wielding sticks and other objects as they stormed the venue, sending participants scrambling for safety.
The footage showed a chaotic scene inside the hall, with people pushing one another near the entrance as chairs and other furniture were overturned.
Some attendees were seen holding blue flags associated with the party as the disturbance spread through the venue.
The violence later spilled into the adjoining compound, where people were seen running in different directions around parked vehicles, including a white minibus.
Some individuals were also seen wielding sticks and chasing others, while groups dispersed along nearby roads.
The identities of the attackers and their affiliations were not immediately established.
The incident is the latest in a series of separate attacks and disruptions involving political activities linked to the NDC and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in different parts of the country ahead of the 2027 general elections.
On November 4, Obi’s convoy was attacked near Watt Market in Calabar, Cross River State, while he was heading to the party’s presidential town hall meeting.
In another incident on September 12, armed hoodlums reportedly invaded an NDC ward meeting in Obuoffia, Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, firing sporadically and injuring attendees.
The Enugu State Police Command subsequently ordered an investigation into the attack and a separate disruption of a Peoples Democratic Party rally in Agbani.
The police spokesperson, Daniel Ndukwe, said the Commissioner of Police, Mamman Giwa, had directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department to “thoroughly investigate” the incidents and ensure that those responsible were brought to book.
The NDC later named eight victims of the attack, while subsequent police investigations led to the arrest of a traditional ruler, Obiora Igwesi, a former lawmaker and others over their alleged involvement in the violence.
However, the police also arraigned a man, Ani Samuel Chidi, who recorded and circulated footage of the Enugu attack, over allegations that he published a false statement accusing another individual of participating in the violence.
The development drew criticism from the Enugu State chapter of the NDC, which accused the police of turning against a witness who recorded evidence of the attack.
Abdulsalami announced his decision in a letter addressed to the National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, through his former ward chairman in Nagazi Ward, Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State.
In the letter, titled “Letter of Resignation from the Nigeria Democratic Congress: Withdrawal from All Partisan Commitments to the Party,” he said he decided to quit after realising that his contributions to the party were at odds with the interests of some influential members.
He also cited recurring complaints over what he described as injustice and his desire to protect his peace of mind.
“As a foundation member of the NDC, ditto a critical formative leader in the party, I am compelled to voluntarily take the exit having realised that my sincere and positive contributions to the meteoric rise and success of the party are at odds with the vested interests of a few powerful officers who call the shots.
“More so, this painstaking decision serves my best interest as I prioritise my peace of mind rather than recurrent complaints at the sight of a series of injustices meted out to me,” he stated.
Abdulsalami served as the NDC Protem Chairman in Kogi State before becoming Deputy National Publicity Secretary and later Deputy National Director for Labour and Civil Society.
He thanked the party’s National Leader, Senator Henry Dickson, for the opportunities he had been given, and acknowledged the support of colleagues, civil society activists and media practitioners who worked with him during the party’s formative period..
“I am calling it quits and heading back home to avoid orchestrated melodrama of exclusion from party affairs. I love you all, but I love myself and my mental sanity most,” he said.
He, however, declined to identify the party officials he accused of frustrating his contributions.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress APC) Presidential Campaign Council has condemned the recent attacks on political gatherings across the country, calling on security agencies to arrest and prosecute those responsible.
The council specifically condemned the disruption of the scheduled town hall meeting of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, in Lagos on Thursday, November 12, 2026, describing the incident as unacceptable.
In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its spokesperson, Dele Alake, the APC campaign council expressed concern over the growing incidents of political violence, including reported attacks in Edo, Cross River and Gombe states.
It also condemned violence targeting party supporters and political leaders across party lines.
The council urged political parties, politicians and their supporters to exercise restraint as electioneering activities continue, warning against actions capable of triggering unnecessary crises and public disorder.
It further called on security agencies to strengthen their response to threats of political violence and ensure that those who instigate or perpetrate attacks are apprehended and punished in accordance with the law.
“Political parties and candidates are enjoined to campaign on issues that uplift the lives of Nigerians and not to instigate violence at political events,” the statement said.
The council reiterated the need for peaceful political engagement, urging all stakeholders to conduct their campaigns responsibly and avoid violence at political gatherings.
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