The National Working Committee of Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress(APC), has finally spoken up about a specific attack. Despite the number of attacks making rounds in the country so far, the ruling party has said little or nothing with regard to the violence. Recently though, there was an attack against a Mr Tonye Cole who is a member of the party. Finally, they have made a statement condemning the attack on the members of its Rivers State chapter.
Mr Cole was allegedly at the INEC office to obtain documents to lodge a petition. His complaint was against INEC’s declaration of Siminialayi Fubara as the winner of the March 18th governorship election in the state.
Supporters of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party were present to protest at the INEC office. They were also demanding a joint inspection of documents used for the March 18 governorship election. Punch reports that Tonye Cole was attacked by protesters and pelted with sachets of water and stones. But for his security details who shielded him, the APC governorship candidate could have been mobbed.
Reacting to the attack in a statement issued in Abuja, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, condemned the attack. Furthermore, he added that such barbaric acts have no place in a democracy.
He called on the Inspector General of Police to order an urgent and thorough investigation into this.
As well as previous incidents of violent attacks on leaders and members of the APC party in Rivers State. Consequently, the sponsors and perpetrators are expected to be brought to justice. One does wonder though if this outrage is reserved for APC members.
Tonye Coal has been invited by the Rivers State Police Command to explain his role in the violence that led to the death of a PDP supporter.
