The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned the burning of its party office in Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State, describing the incident as a politically motivated attack aimed at silencing rising opposition voices in the state.
The fire, which occurred just hours before the party’s planned “Reconfiguration and Affirmation Ceremony,” has sparked outrage among ADC members and drawn accusations of foul play against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a strongly worded statement released on Tuesday, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, described the burning of the office as “criminal and undemocratic.” He accused the APC of orchestrating the attack out of fear of the ADC’s growing popularity, especially ahead of the upcoming governorship election in the state.
“This is not just arson. It is a desperate attempt to intimidate us and suppress the voices of Nigerians who are tired of the failure of the current government,” Abdullahi said.
According to the statement, the Ekiti office was attacked late at night, just before the party was to hold a key event meant to strengthen its structure in the state. Despite the attack, Abdullahi vowed that the event would still hold, even if it had to be conducted in the open.
“We are not afraid. We will go ahead with our programme. Even if we have to hold it in the open space, it will go on. This fire will not stop the ADC from moving forward,” he said.
Abdullahi said the attack on the Ekiti office was not an isolated event. He revealed that since July — when a coalition of opposition groups named the ADC as their preferred political platform — the party had come under increasing attack across several states.
According to him, ADC offices and members had been targeted in Kaduna, Lagos, Kebbi, Kogi, and Edo States in recent months. He said these incidents form a “dangerous pattern” of politically motivated violence that threatens Nigeria’s democracy.
“When attacks like this happen repeatedly and go unpunished, it sends the wrong signal that violence is acceptable in politics. That is how chaos begins,” Abdullahi warned.
He also criticized the silence of the authorities, saying it was unacceptable for a democratic government to look the other way when opposition parties are being attacked.
“A government that watches opposition parties being attacked without taking action is indirectly promoting lawlessness,” he added.
The ADC called on the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security agencies to investigate the incident thoroughly and bring the perpetrators to justice. The party also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), civil society organizations, and international observers to take note of what it described as targeted political violence.
“We demand a full investigation into this shameful act. We also call on INEC and international observers to pay close attention to what is happening in Ekiti and other states. Nigerian democracy is under threat,” Abdullahi said.
The party insisted that the attack was a deliberate effort to disrupt its activities and demoralize its members, but promised that such tactics would not succeed.
As of the time of filing this report, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has not made any official comment in response to the allegations. Efforts to reach APC officials in Ekiti State were unsuccessful.
The Ekiti State Police Command has also not issued a formal statement about the incident.
Political tensions have been rising in many states, especially with the 2026 general elections drawing closer. The ADC, once seen as a smaller party, has recently gained attention following its adoption by various opposition coalitions seeking an alternative to both the APC and PDP.
