APC condemns attack on members in Port Harcourt, calls for investigation
Joel Oladele, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the attack launched against some of its leaders and members in Port Harcourt on Monday by alleged thugs and supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Earlier reports have it that the APC governorship candidate in the State, Mr. Tonye Cole together with some party bigwigs were attacked on their way to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC’s) office to obtain the Certified True Copies (CTC) of vital documents in the March 18 Governorship and House of Assembly elections.
However, the supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were also protesting the same day to demand a joint inspection of documents used for the governorship election.
This brought about a clash between the two parties in which the APC governorship candidate narrowly escaped the mob attack through a prompt intervention of his security aides.
Reacting to the development in Abuja on Wednesday, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Barr. Felix Morka described it as barbaric and called on the Inspector General of Police for an urgent and thorough investigation.
Morka added that the attack is an attempt by PDP to frustrate the legal process being embarked on by APC to challenge the outcome of the election.
“This barbaric and unprovoked attack occurred during a visit to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s office by Mr. Tonye Cole, APC Governorship Candidate, Dr. Innocent Barikor, Deputy Governorship Candidate, Mr. Emeka Beke, State Chairman of the Party and 3 other party officials to obtain the Certified True Copies (CTC) of vital documents in the March 18 Governorship and House of Assembly elections.
“Without warning, thugs and supporters of the PDP descended on our Party officials, inflicting severe and life threatening injuries on them, and damaging personal and party properties.
“This premeditated attack by PDP thugs and operatives on our officials and members in Port Harcourt is yet another in what has now become an orgy of violence carried out with mind-boggling audacity, and with absolutely no serious investigation by the police or repercussions for the instigators and perpetrators of this serial violence.
“Ostensibly, this latest attack was aimed at frustrating the effort of our Governorship Candidate to obtain vital documents to exercise his constitutional right to challenge the declared result of the Governorship election in the state.
“For the PDP that claims to have won the election to resort to this level of violence to block a legitimate legal challenge tells a different story of a party sitting precariously on needles and pins in the face of prospects of a legal challenge by our Governorship Candidate.
“While we commend the swift response of security agencies, especially the Police and the Nigerian Army in restoring peace and order in the wake of this brutal attack, again, we call on the Inspector General of Police to order an urgent and thorough investigation into this and previous incidents of violent attacks on leaders and members of our Party in Rivers State, and to bring the sponsors and perpetrators to justice,” Morka said.
