LAGOS — Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi on Thursday, November 12, 2026, arrived at the venue of a scheduled town hall meeting in the Oregun area of Ikeja, Lagos State, and addressed supporters despite an earlier violent attack by suspected political thugs that disrupted the gathering.
The incident occurred around 11 a.m. at the Classic Event Place (also referred to as Classique Event Centre) along Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun. Supporters of Obi and his running mate, former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, had gathered peacefully, singing and dancing in anticipation of the event when a group of hoodlums armed with cutlasses, cudgels and stones stormed the venue.
The attackers attempted to force their way into the main hall. NDC supporters initially resisted, leading to a confrontation. Participants scampered for safety as chaos erupted. Several vehicles parked at the event centre were damaged, and some attendees sustained injuries. One suspected attacker was apprehended by party supporters in the car park area. Police later intervened, firing shots into the air to disperse crowds that spilled onto Kudirat Abiola Way, forcing motorists to make U-turns and pedestrians to flee.
Neither Obi nor Kwankwaso had arrived at the time of the invasion. Witnesses reported that some of the attackers, speaking in Yoruba, discussed overpowering the relatively fewer NDC supporters and sought clearance to bring in firearms.
Despite the disruption, a significant number of supporters refused to leave the venue. Later in the day, Obi arrived with his convoy. Footage from the scene showed supporters erupting in cheers, singing, dancing and waving NDC flags as the former Anambra State governor stepped out and entered the hall, accompanied by party leaders, to address the gathering.
Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election under the Labour Party and polled 582,354 votes in Lagos — defeating the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in what is widely regarded as an APC stronghold — is now the NDC standard-bearer for the 2027 general elections, with Kwankwaso as his running mate.
The attack is the latest in a series of reported disruptions targeting NDC activities linked to Obi in different parts of the country ahead of the 2027 polls. Party officials and supporters have condemned the violence, with some alleging political sponsorship, though no group has formally claimed responsibility and security agencies have not publicly confirmed the attackers’ affiliations at the time of reporting.
The town hall meeting proceeded amid heightened security concerns, underscoring the tense political climate as campaigns intensify.
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