By Lanre Oloyede
National leadership of the Labour Party, LP, has condemned the alleged disruption of rally organized by supporters of its Presidential candidate, Peter Obi in Katsina State on Monday.
Reacting to a viral video making the rounds on social media where a crowd bearing caps, and other materials carrying the Labour Party logo were denied access, the party lamented the refusal of security agents to allow them to hold the rally.
The party described the disruption as “Another APC Executive lawlessness, rascality and organized political banditry on display.”
Labour Party decried excessive use of State security apparatus to oppress and suppress the right and freedom of citizens to freely associate and voice their opinions.
According to a statement issued Monday by Comrade Arabambi Abayomi, National Publicity Secretary, the party called for the immediate redeployment of the Kastina State Commissioner of police “so that he can be reminded that he is an officer of the Nigeria Police and not State Police of Kastina State.
Arabambi said: “Our party attention was drawn to a mercilessly co -ordinated assault and attacked by the military wing of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Kastina State Chapter on the peace loving Obedient political movement supporters of the Mr Peter Gregory Obi, the incoming President of the federal republic of Nigeria come may 29th 2022.
“It is fast getting very much clearer that the APC has officially adopted violent attacks on LP’s Presidential Candidate support group across the States of the Nation. LP finds this trend quite unacceptable and condemn the growing terrorism of APC in virtually some APC controlled State in the Nation.
“Once again, LP has to re- emphasis the fact that no one political party has a monopoly of crude and organized violence.
It is an irony that a sitting Governor who has earlier so pompously claimed that Peter Obi is not known beyond the South East has been caught up by retributive justice to be frustrated into violence by the share strong, heavy and frightening huge crowd of loyal willing supporters of Peter right in the center of his self – deluded political safe – zone .
” One simply hopes that the security agencies will not continue to appear helpless as this chain of planned and choreographed violence are visited relentlessly on the LP Presidential support groups all over the States under APC in the Country.”
But in a swift reaction, All Progressives Congress (APC) Chieftain, Garus Gololo, warned Obi supporters “to be cautious in choosing locations for their rallies.
Katsina State is already struggling with insecurity issues. So, it’s a wise move by the state government to stop the rally.”
He also advised, “LP should be patient. The elections are only a few months away. Then the true mandate of the people will showcase itself.
Do you see Atiku or Tinubu organizing rallies? These men know what politics is all about and they’re waiting for the right time to do the needful instead of making much noise.”
The APC Chieftain further dismissed LP Supporters as “noise makers most of whom have no Permanent Voter Cards (PVC).”
