By Desire Emmanuel
Some hoodlums said to be ‘over 100’ on Saturday disrupted the Labour Party (LP)-African Democratic Congress (ADC) event in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, attacking the members.
The event was organised by the parties to officially mark the defection of LP members to ADC in the local government.
The hoodlums were said to have stormed the first venue of the event at the LP office in Idimu, and sent members, including officials, running in different directions for their lives.
The hoodlums, welding different kinds of weapons, including knives and canes, beat up anyone they caught while the mayhem lasted.
Some of the hoodlums were shouting that LP and ADC are not welcome in Lagos state.
Some party members sustained varying degrees of injuries.
Undeterred by the disruption however, officials of the two parties swiftly arranged for an alternative venue at the Eco Centre Event in Egbeda.
Recounting their ordeal. the LP chairman in Alimosho Local Government, Mr Olaranwaju Olushola, described the attack as unwarranted.
He expressed fear that most Nigerians might not be free to express themselves in the build-up to the 2027 General Election.
‘What is most painful is that most of my members sustained varying degrees of injuries. This is in spite of the hoodlums going into our party secretariat in Alimosho, destroying our furniture and flags.”
The party chairman, however, said that the members had already defected en masse, noting that what was planned on Saturday was not the official defection but a ceremony to let Nigerians know that they have moved.
He added that almost the entire members of LP in Alimosho, including its leadership, had joined the ADC and that the decision was collective.
Also speaking, the party’s Secretary in Alimosho, Mr Moses Akujuobi, explained that plans for the open ceremony of their defection was earlier stopped by the police on grounds that they did not get approval.
He said they contacted the Area M Commander, ACP Abaniwonda, who said that she did not have the power to give approval for political events in the state, adding that it is only the Commissioner of Police that could give such approval.
“Incidentally, we could not reach the CP but we informed the DSS after which we went ahead since it wasn’t a rally but a quiet defection ceremony.
”When we got to the venue this morning, we were shocked to see police vans with heavily armed policemen. They informed us that we cannot hold the event and referred us to the police commissioner.
“While we were at it, the hoodlums besieged the place and began to beat people, leading to our deserting the venue.
“We, however, began to contact our members through phones to move to the second venue which is the Eco Event Centre and everyone witnessed what took.place here.
“The hoodlums got wind of our second venue and equally attacked us, beating up our members again.”
The secretary said their decision to join ADC was informed by leadership issues in the LP and lingering litigations.
According to reports, the policemen in vans came to the second venue shortly after the hoodlums had attacked the party members and left.
