The All Progressives Congress, APC, has called on the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali to carry out a full scale investigation on the alleged violent disruption of the party’s electioneering campaign rally held recently in PortHarcourt, capital of Rivers state.
It also took exemptions to the alleged hasty report credited to the state police command to the effect that there was no detonation of Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, during the unfortunate incident.
Further, the APC authority said the attack, carried out by suspected thugs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was led by senior officials of the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area.
It also alleged that the mission of the attackers was to disrupt and disperse the rally at the traditional grounds of Rumuwoji Town in Mile 1 area of Port-Harcourt under the pretext of enforcing the draconic Executive Order 21 and 22 of the Rivers State Government enacted to stifle opposition political engagements.
The APC national spokesman, Barr. Felix Morka expressed his reaction in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja.
In clarification, Morka said the Port-Harcourt rally was convened in accordance with all applicable constitutional and legal standards of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The ruling party added that the development was a matter of national concern. And that Nigerians deserve to know and be promised that attending opposition campaign rallies in Rivers State was not akin to a journey of no return to the frontlines of illicit and orchestrated war.
It emphasized that every citizen, irrespective of partisan political affiliation, is entitled to equal protection of law and urged Governor Nyesom Wike, to offer equal protection of the law to all citizens of the State, and work with law enforcement agencies to solve this heinous crime, prevent a recurrence and bring the perpetrators to justice.
It would, however, be recalled that the controversial violent attack happened in Port Harcourt on Thursday, January 19.
