The veneer of democratic civility has been shattered in Ondo State. In a brazen display of political thuggery, the All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat in Akure was turned into a battlefield as armed hoodlums invaded a stakeholders' meeting, unleashing violence on the party’s top leadership.

The State Chairman, Ade Adetimehin, was left battered and humiliated, recounting a harrowing ordeal where he was dragged on the floor and beaten "blue-black" by thugs armed with cutlasses and guns. The attack, which occurred just ahead of the scheduled Ward Congress, has plunged the party into crisis. "They beat hell out of all leaders and members, except those who are for them," Adetimehin revealed, painting a picture of a targeted purge designed to intimidate dissenters and hijack the internal democratic process.

A Calculated Assault on Democracy

The violence was not random. According to eyewitnesses, the thugs stormed the venue claiming allegiance to Governor Aiyedatiwa, shouting that "the Governor is in charge" and threatening death to anyone who dared discuss the congress. The attackers stripped Adetimehin of his phones, money, and wristwatch, in a symbolic act of stripping him of his authority. "I spoke with Mr Governor one-on-one... He promised to caution anybody behind it. 30 minutes later, the venue was invaded," Adetimehin lamented, suggesting a deep betrayal.

However, the state government has swiftly washed its hands of the violence. Commissioner for Information Idowu Ajanaku dismissed the allegations of government sponsorship as "unfounded, false and misleading," insisting that the Governor had no knowledge of the meeting. This denial has done little to quell the rising tension, as the brutal efficiency of the attack suggests high-level coordination.

• The Victims: Chairman Adetimehin, Commissioner Otito Atikase, and former Sports Commissioner Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye were all assaulted.
• The Weaponry: Assailants wielded machetes, guns, and broken bottles, turning a political meeting into a crime scene.
• The Union Connection: Reports implicate members of the NURTW (transport union) in the assault, highlighting the dangerous nexus between politics and street gangs.

The Shadow Over Ondo

This incident casts a long, dark shadow over the upcoming congresses. If the party chairman himself is not safe within the secretariat, what hope does the ordinary member have? The invasion is a stark reminder of the "do-or-die" politics that continues to plague Nigeria's democratic experiment.

As the injured recover in hospitals and the police claim to have restored calm, the political atmosphere in Akure remains charged with fear. The thugs may have left the building, but the message they delivered—that might is right—will echo through the corridors of power in Ondo for a long time to come.