The Workers and Youth Solidarity Network (WYSN) has called for an independent investigation into the alleged attack on the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, and members of his campaign team in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
The organisation also urged Governor Biodun Oyebanji to publicly address allegations linking government officials to the incident, insisting that anyone found culpable, including alleged sponsors, must be brought to justice.
In a statement issued on Friday, WYSN condemned the incident, which reportedly occurred at a restaurant around 1 p.m., shortly after Sowore attended an interview at MIDAS FM 90.5 in Ado-Ekiti.
According to the group, armed individuals stormed the premises, assaulted Sowore and members of his team, vandalised property and injured several people. Sowore was subsequently taken to the Police Hospital in Ado-Ekiti for medical attention.
WYSN acknowledged that the Ekiti State Police Command had confirmed the incident and ordered an investigation but noted that the police reportedly described it as an altercation, disputing initial accounts of kidnapping.
The organisation, however, said Sowore had rejected the police account, maintaining that he and his team were subjected to a violent attack.
It called for a thorough investigation into allegations by the AAC candidate that the attackers were government-sponsored thugs who allegedly came from the Ekiti State Government House, with operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) accused of providing tracking and operational support.
The group also demanded an investigation into the alleged involvement of individuals linked to the incident, including a person identified as Don Flexy.
WYSN said the development raised serious concerns about political violence, freedom of expression and the safety of opposition figures as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.
It warned against the alleged use of armed groups to intimidate political opponents, suppress dissent or undermine citizens’ constitutional rights to participate in the democratic process.
“This is not simply an attack on one political candidate; it is an attack on democratic freedoms, political participation and the fundamental rights of every Nigerian,” the statement said.
The organisation cautioned against a political environment where guns, cult groups and hired thugs replace political debate, democratic engagement and citizens’ freedom to organise.
“Nigeria belongs to all of us, not to governors, political godfathers or their hired enforcers. No political office is worth the blood, freedom or dignity of any Nigerian,” it added.
WYSN urged the governor and relevant security agencies to provide explanations and ensure that the circumstances surrounding the incident were established through a transparent and independent investigation.
