Violence broke out on Saturday at a meeting of stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area in Edo State.

The well-attended, strategic meeting, ahead of the April 24 commencement of campaigns and September 21, 2024 governorship election, was hosted at the private residence of Ikpoba-Okha LGA’s apex leader of APC, Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, a former governorship aspirant off Dumez/Sapele Road, Benin.

Shortly after commencement of the meeting, many hoodlums and thugs invaded the venue, and injured some APC leaders and members.

Some of them are said to be on danger list in hospitals in Benin while many expensive vehicles were vandalised and other valuables carted away by the hoodlums.

Agbonayinma, speaking with reporters in Benin over the sad incident, said: “The attackers vandalised vehicles, broke chairs and tables. They also carted away drinks and a generator that was brought to power the equipment for the meeting, and they destroyed the hired musical equipment.

“This is not how politics should be played. Going violent and beating up elderly persons are condemnable. My teeming supporters and I cannot be intimidated. We are marching forward, and, God willing, victory is sure for Edo APC and its governorship candidate.

“For sometime, APC’s leaders and members in Ikpoba-Okha LGA have been pleading with me to come and take the leadership position, especially to be the apex leader of APC in Ikpoba-Okha LGA, but I told them that I was not interested because of what I have gone through. I lost my grown-up son and I am still going through a lot, because of the trauma.”

Many security operatives, particularly personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) and policemen from Edo command, were later deployed to the venue before normalcy was restored.

The stakeholders proceeded with the meeting after then.

Agbonaiyinma declared that the hoodlums that invaded the venue of the meeting would pay dearly for all the valuable items they destroyed.

END.