Crisis erupted within the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday after aggrieved party members allegedly attacked the party secretariat during a stakeholders’ meeting in Ibadan.
The incident, which reportedly caused panic and destruction of property, occurred at the APC secretariat located in Oke-Ado, Ibadan South East Local Government Area, where party leaders were meeting with aspirants ahead of preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The protest was reportedly triggered by allegations of candidate imposition within the party, as dissatisfied members accused the leadership of attempting to favour certain aspirants ahead of internal party primaries.
The protesters, who stormed the venue in large numbers, warned the party leadership against allowing financial influence and political favoritism to determine who emerges as candidates for future elections.
According to the aggrieved members, the APC leadership should instead guarantee a transparent process by ensuring free, fair, and credible primaries that would give all aspirants equal opportunities to contest.
Confirming the incident, the Oyo APC Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, alleged that the protest was orchestrated by individuals determined to destabilise the peace currently existing within the party.
Speaking in an interview with Punch, Sadare claimed that the attackers arrived armed with dangerous weapons and charms and unleashed violence on party officials and supporters present at the meeting.
He stated that the attack lasted for nearly two hours and resulted in extensive damage to both private and party property.
“The protesters were sponsored to disrupt the existing peace that the party is enjoying,” he said.
“The hoodlums who reportedly unleashed terror on members of the state executive committee, staff and others who were present at the Secretariat, were armed with weapons and charms as they came in high numbers to carry out their nefarious acts.”
Sadare further disclosed that several vehicles parked within the secretariat premises were vandalised during the chaos, while parts of the building also suffered destruction.
According to him, damaged items included vehicle windshields, tyres, office windows, doors, and other facilities within the secretariat.
Despite the violence and destruction, the APC spokesperson confirmed that no life was lost during the incident.
He described the attack as “unprovoked” and blamed it on disgruntled elements within the party attempting to create instability ahead of future political activities.
Sadare added that the matter had already been reported to security agencies, noting that investigations into the incident were ongoing.
The latest development highlights growing internal tensions within the Oyo APC as political alignments and power struggles ahead of the 2027 elections continue to intensify.
