Lagos-based businessman and a chieftain of Labour Party, LP, Mr. Akinbola Tunde has alleged political persecution, intimidation, and threat to his life.
Akinbola, who played a key role in mobilising grassroots support for the LP during the 2023 general elections, claimed that since the poll, he has been subjected to relentless harassment, including physical attacks and a home invasion, reports Vanguard.
He recounted the harrowing experience of his home invasion on March 4, 2023, while he was away in Ondo State for a wedding.
“I received a distressing call from my housemaid, Miss Adeoti Rachael, who told me that armed political thugs had broken into my home, shouting my name as they searched for me. When they couldn’t find me, they vandalised my property and brutally beat up my housemaid. She had to be hospitalised at Pillars Medical Centre,” he said.
He further alleged that on December 12, 2022, he was physically assaulted while returning home from a Labour Party campaign event in Alimosho, Lagos State, saying “I was ambushed by armed political thugs. They attacked me, and as I struggled to escape, I sustained a serious knee injury that took six weeks to heal.”
Despite reporting these incidents to law enforcement authorities, Akinbola expressed frustration that no arrests had been made.
“The perpetrators continue to act with impunity. The police have done nothing, and my family and I live in constant fear for our lives,” he said.
With the 2025 local government elections approaching, Akinbola expressed concern that threats to him had intensified, casting uncertainty over his continued participation in politics.
He called on the federal government, security agencies, human rights organisations, and the international community to intervene and ensure his safety.
“I refuse to be silenced by intimidation. I only want to contribute to the progress of my country in an environment where democracy, justice, and freedom of speech prevail,” he said.
He urged security agencies to take swift action to protect him and ensure that those responsible for the attacks are brought to justice.
