The National Vice Chairman (South-south) of the All Progressives Congress [APC] Prince Hillard Atta has described the last Wednesday’s harassment and tear gassing of some of its chieftain and governorship candidate from Rivers State, as draconian and unacceptable.
In a statement issued on Friday by his Media/Publicity Assistance, Mr. Bassey Ita, the party demanded that the police personnel who tear-gassed the APC chieftains be made to offer apology or be sanctioned by the police authorities to serve as a deterrent to others.
Atta said the party would not accept such overzealous and draconian tendencies by security personnel, especially now that the new dispensation had declared an intolerable position against corruption and lawlessness of whatever dimension.
The statement reads in part; ‘’The South South office of the All Progressives Congress[APC] considers as draconian and coming from overzealous minds, last Wednesday’s visit of assault occasioned by the
tear-gassing of some very revered and responsible party leaders and candidates from Rivers state who were at the INEC headquarters.
According to it,’’ much as the APC government at the centre has indicated its commitment to the rule of law and of due process in all public engagements, “as a party we are completely averse to such show
of overzealousness by our security operatives who are naturally supposed to be protecting lives and properties of Nigerians’’
It also urged the INEC Acting Chairman, Mrs. Amina Zakari to further assert her authority as the head of the electoral body by ordering the REC to respect court decisions, especially as it pertains to the ongoing litigations over the polls in Rivers state.
The statement which observed that such fragrant violation of court orders by supposed impartial personnel like INEC officials was a dangerous precedent for our democracy however urged that judges should be more drastic in enforcing their orders on litigants so as to guarantee the protection of the electoral rights and values of Nigerians.
