Suspected political thugs have attacked and allegedly abducted the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
The activist raised the alarm on Friday through a series of posts on his official Facebook page, claiming that the attack occurred inside a restaurant.
“Thugs just attacked us inside a restaurant in Ado Ekiti,” Sowore wrote in an earlier post.
In another update, a post on his Facebook page read: “Armed thugs kidnap Sowore. His current location is unknown!”
The circumstances surrounding the alleged abduction remain unclear. Efforts to confirm the incident from the Ekiti State Police Command were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
The alleged attack comes amid growing political activities and preparations for the 2027 general elections, with political parties and their supporters intensifying mobilisation across the country.
It also comes a day after Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji challenged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to secure at least 80 per cent of registered voters’ support for President Bola Tinubu in the January 2027 presidential election.
Oyebanji made the call on Thursday at the Ekiti Parapo Pavilion in Ado-Ekiti during the inauguration of the state chapter of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, where 25 campaign vehicles were presented to support Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The movement, convened by Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, is seeking to build support for the president through direct engagement with voters across the country.
The governor urged APC leaders and members to intensify grassroots mobilisation, reach undecided voters and discourage voter apathy ahead of the election.
He also asked campaigners to identify eligible voters with Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) who failed to participate in previous elections and encourage them to vote in January.
Oyebanji said Ekiti should demonstrate its appreciation for the support it had received from the Tinubu administration by delivering a strong electoral result for the president.
He maintained that federal support had contributed to his administration’s development efforts and stressed the importance of continued cooperation between both levels of government.
Recalling the APC’s performance in the last governorship election, the governor challenged party members to translate their support at the state level into votes for Tinubu.
“This is a big challenge to us in Ekiti State. If someone from the Niger Delta can put up this structure, and as of today, they have visited 19 states and are still going to visit other states before the end of the campaign, then I challenge all of us here to support the President with our votes in January.
“I have always said that in our 30 years as a state, there has been no President who has been as fair and supportive to Ekiti as President Tinubu.
“We are extremely grateful, and we assure you that your investment in Ekiti State will not be in vain. I assure you that Ekiti will perform well and record an outstanding result in January,” Oyebanji said.
Earlier, Ekpemupolo, who was represented by the movement’s Grand Patron, High Chief Kestin Pondi, said the donation of 25 vehicles was intended to strengthen its grassroots campaign across Ekiti and other parts of the country.
He urged Nigerians to support Tinubu’s second-term ambition, arguing that the administration needed more time to consolidate its economic reforms.
According to him, the reforms had improved the financial capacity of state governments, enabling them to pay workers’ salaries and pensions and execute development projects.
He cited ongoing projects in Ekiti as evidence of increased resources available to the state government, attributing the development to Tinubu’s economic policies.
Ekpemupolo also claimed that governors in the 19 states visited by the movement had highlighted improvements in their ability to meet financial obligations and implement projects.
He argued that major economic reforms required time to deliver their full benefits and called for continuity beyond Tinubu’s first term.
The convener further challenged other political aspirants to explain how their proposed programmes would improve the lives of Nigerians compared with the policies being implemented by the Tinubu administration.
He urged APC leaders at the federal, state and local government levels to work together to ensure the effective deployment of the donated vehicles for the campaign.
