A civil society organization operating under the aegis of National Youths For Governance has expressed dismay over cases of pre-election killings ahead of the governorship and state assembly election in Cross River State calling on those behind the senseless killing to halt to the nefarious act.
Religious leaders, activists and people from the academia who make up the group are particularly worried over the killing of five people during political rally in Obudu, Boki and Etung local government areas of the state.
Speaking with journalists in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, the Acting State Secretary of the group, Ikona Ikona, blamed the APC governorship candidate in state,  over allegedly viral video where he vowed never to allow Gov Ben Ayade’s  appointees  and opposition politicians in the state  hold any political activities in Etung Local Government.
“It is so sad that in times like this where leaders from other climes are warning against political thuggery and violence, our supposed leaders in the state seem to  have adopted violence as the only tool for winning elections,” the group lamented.
In his words, “as an organization committed to promoting and enhancing good governance in the state and beyond, we have watched with utter dismay how a once peaceful state has been converted in the past few months into a theatre of killings and properties destruction because of the struggle for power. It’s appalling that a state which just recently was regarded as the most peaceful in Nigeria has degenerated into this level”.
The group cautioned  politicians to avoid making inflammatory statements that were  capable of leading to outbreak of  violence.

Friday Nwagbara