APC Kosofe assembly primary descends into violence, supporters trade blame over attack on aspirant

Violence erupted on Tuesday during the All Progressives Congress ( APC) House of Assembly primary election for Kosofe Constituency II in Lagos, leaving several persons injured amid allegations of attempted assassination, voter intimidation, and destruction of property.

The incident reportedly occurred at the venue inside Ikosi Senior High School, where party members had gathered for the accreditation, voting, and collation process.

Supporters of one of the aspirants, Hon. Femi Saheed, alleged that armed hoodlums invaded the venue and disrupted the exercise.

According to eyewitness accounts, the attackers allegedly stormed the school premises and an adjoining stadium under construction, where party faithful had assembled in large numbers ahead of the primary.

Eyewitnesses claimed that tension escalated when unfamiliar individuals, allegedly aligned with another aspirant, were seen chanting provocatively and issuing threats that heightened anxiety among supporters.

Some supporters alleged that the intruders wore caps associated with rival camp interests, further deepening suspicions of political factionalism.

Despite attempts by campaign coordinators to maintain calm and ensure order, the situation reportedly deteriorated shortly after Hon. Femi Saheed arrived at the venue. Supporters alleged that while he attempted to organize his followers into an orderly queue for the exercise, he was attacked with a sharp object in what they described as an assassination attempt.

In the ensuing chaos, a supporter identified as Mutairu Rafiu reportedly shielded the aspirant and sustained stab wounds.

The attackers were also accused of throwing stones and granite blocks into the crowd, triggering panic and a stampede as attendees fled for safety.

Several persons were said to have sustained injuries of varying severity, including head wounds, machete cuts, and fractures.

A woman reportedly suffered severe facial injuries, while other victims were rushed to nearby medical facilities, including Gbagada General Hospital and emergency centres within Ikosi and Kosofe.

The Saheed campaign team accused political opponents of orchestrating the violence to disrupt the primary and suppress voter participation in areas believed to be strongholds of their candidate.

They further alleged that despite the disruption, some actors later regrouped and proceeded to conclude and announce results at the venue.

Additional allegations of voter suppression were also raised, with claims that supporters were prevented from participating in parts of Ajegunle, Alapere, and other areas within Kosofe Constituency II.

Reacting to the development, Hon. Femi Saheed called for calm among his supporters, urging them to remain peaceful and law-abiding while the party investigates the incident. He expressed appreciation for their turnout and solidarity, despite what he described as intimidation and attacks.

He also extended sympathy to those injured during the violence, describing them as “heroes of democracy,” and called for patience as the situation is reviewed by party authorities.

Meanwhile, the camp of rival aspirant Hon. Muritala Seriki has denied any involvement in the violence.

He described himself as a strong advocate of peaceful participation in internal party elections and insisted that he consistently warned his supporters against engaging in any form of violence.

According to him, voting in his own ward was peaceful, and he maintained that he could not comment authoritatively on incidents in other locations where he was not physically present during the exercise. He further reiterated that violence should not be associated with his camp or supporters.

Hon. Muritala Seriki also appealed for unity within the party, urging all stakeholders to accept the outcome of the primaries in the spirit of reconciliation. He stressed that the APC must remain united ahead of future elections, emphasizing that there should be “no victor, no vanquished.”

Party stakeholders and affected supporters are now calling on security agencies to launch a thorough investigation into the violence, identify those responsible, and ensure accountability.

They also urged the leadership of the APC to strengthen internal conflict resolution mechanisms to prevent a recurrence of such incidents in future primaries.