By Omoyeni Ojeifo
With political gatherings increasingly becoming targets of violence, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has warned politicians and supporters against actions capable of plunging the country into crisis ahead of the 2027 elections.
The council condemned the disruption of Thursday’s scheduled town hall meeting of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Lagos, alongside reported attacks at political gatherings in Edo, Cross River and Gombe.
Attacks targeting party supporters and political leaders across party lines is totally condemnable, the council said in a statement issued on Thursday, by its spokesperson, Mr. Dele Alake.
“We have observed the recent spate of violent attacks at political gatherings in parts of the country. The reported attacks in Edo, Cross River, and Gombe, and other violence targeted at party supporters and political leaders across party lines are condemnable,” Alake stated.
The APC campaign council called on political parties, politicians and their supporters to exercise restraint as electioneering activities gather momentum.
“As we proceed with the electioneering campaign, political parties, politicians, and supporters must restrain themselves and avoid acts that could create needless crisis and public disorder,” he added.
Alake also charged security agencies to strengthen their response to political violence and ensure those responsible are arrested are held accountable.
“We call on the security agencies to be more responsive and alert in preventing political violence of any type and ensure instigators and perpetrators are apprehended and punished in accordance with the law,” he stated.
He urged political parties and candidates to focus their campaigns on issues that would improve Nigerians’ lives rather than inciting violence at political events.
The APC campaign council’s condemnation comes amid growing reports of attacks and violent confrontations involving political parties, particularly supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), across the country.
PerSecondNews reports that the political violence has already claimed at least one life—Chinaza Sunday was killed, and five others were hurt, during a November 7 political procession along Nnebisi Road in Asaba, Delta State.