The Edo State Government has suggested that internal conflicts within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) may have played a role in the recent attack on former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Kassim Afegbua, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, disclosed this on Wednesday during an interview on Arise Television. He explained that tensions arose when some ADC members were barred from attending a party meeting, creating “bottled-up anger” among party leaders.
Afegbua said, “The ADC members who were prevented from attending the meeting may have orchestrated the attack. The crisis on Monday, which blocked access to the Government House, appears to have escalated tensions within the party.”
He added that video footage from the incident shows visible anger among party officials, with one reportedly locking a gate to prevent participation in the meeting. Afegbua suggested that these internal disputes could have triggered the violence targeting Obi and others.
The former presidential candidate narrowly escaped the attack in Benin City on Tuesday, raising concerns about political violence in the state.