Guber Aspirant Condemns Attack On Party Stalwarts

Governorship aspirant on
the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Hon Nimi Walson-Jack, has condemned the recent attacks by gunmen on some gubernatorial candidates of the party during a press conference in Port Harcourt, describing it as criminal and unacceptable. Walson-Jack, who made the condemnation in a statement made available to The Tide said the attack was a greatest disservice to the people of the state and a threat to democracy.
According to him, the attack was an early warning for the state authorities and the law enforcement agents to put their  machinery in place to ensure that party candidates and their supporters were protected. This is the time to stand up to political party stalwarts and appointees whose activities give impetus to thuggery and electoral  violence”, he said, adding that, “Every hand must be on deck to ensure that the numerous security issues associated with militancy and cultism in Rivers State are addressed, checkmated and nipped in the bud early enough.
The gubernatorial aspirant noted that although history had shown that electioneering periods in the state had largely been characterised by violence in the past , it should not be the norm pointing out that the greatest and most lethal challenge to free and fair elections in Nigeria is the dearth of democratic citizenship.   Walson-Jack stressed that attempts to silence dissent views in the politics of the state were most unfortunate, regrettable and have no place in a democracy.
He appealed to politicians to maintain the highest level of civility rather than resorting to violence, stressing  that every person has the right to freedom  of expression, freedom of association and access to the electorate.

Collins Barasimeye