The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed allegations by the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) that it was behind the recent shooting incident involving members of the latter in Edo State.
In a press statement issued on Thursday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the ruling party accused the ADC of rushing to judgment by blaming it for the violence even before the conclusion of police investigations.
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The controversy stems from a shooting on Tuesday in Benin City, the Edo State capital, during a political gathering
Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi was in Benin alongside former APC National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun and other political figures to attend an event at the ADC secretariat. The rally was convened to formally receive former Edo governorship candidate Olumide Akpata, who defected from the Labour Party to the ADC.
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According to reports, suspected armed hoodlums opened fire as the politicians and their supporters were leaving the secretariat and heading towards Mr Odigie-Oyegun’s residence. Gunshots were said to have damaged vehicles and parts of nearby property.
The incident triggered condemnation across party lines, including from lawmakers.
The ADC had, in a statement dated 25 February, alleged that the APC was responsible for the shooting incident in Edo.
But the ruling party described the claim as “utterly delusional” and a breach of due process.
Describing the ADC as “its own nemesis,” Mr Morka dismissed allegations that members of the ruling party were behind the incident. He noted that the claim was “utterly delusional” and a breach of due process.
According to Mr Morka, by publicly indicting the APC without waiting for law enforcement findings, the ADC had assumed the roles of “accuser, investigator, prosecutor and judge” in the matter.
He argued that such conduct raised doubts about the opposition party’s capacity to manage national security challenges, stating that a party unable to handle an internal crisis with “maturity” could not be trusted with the complexities of governance.
He also took strong exception to the ADC’s characterisation of the alleged attack as part of “acts of terrorism by the ruling APC.”
Mr Morka described the reference to terrorism as reckless and insensitive, particularly in light of ongoing security operations across the country. He said the allegation trivialised the sacrifices of security personnel engaged in counter-insurgency efforts.
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He maintained that violence has no place in Nigeria’s political space and called for calm.
“Make no mistake, violence of any kind in our political space is unacceptable and must be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians. Our great party roundly condemns the reported shooting incident in Edo State,” the statement said, urging the police and other security agencies to conduct an expeditious investigation and bring those responsible to justice.
APC urges scrutiny of ADC
In a controversial twist, the APC suggested that investigators should scrutinise the ADC, its leaders and members as possible suspects, alleging that the party was plagued by internal leadership and factional struggles.
The statement referenced reported clashes among rival factions within the ADC over control of party structures and meetings, claiming that the opposition party was attempting to deflect from its internal disputes by blaming the APC.
“The ADC cannot smear our great party with a violent incident of its own exclusive making,” Mr Morka said.
Denying any involvement in the shooting, the APC spokesperson said the party was preoccupied with consolidating its recent electoral successes, including victories in municipal elections in the Federal Capital Territory and constituency elections in Rivers State and Kano State.
He described the ADC as a fringe platform struggling with poor electoral performance in recent by-elections.
He expressed appreciation to voters for what he called a vote of confidence in the APC and in the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, adding that the administration remained focused on delivering prosperity and stability.
