2023: APC, LP Chieftain Speaks on Political Violence

A party chieftain of the Labour Party, Katch Ononuju and Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has accused APC’s flag bearer, Bola Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, of violence against opposition candidates in APC-controlled states.

He stated this when he appeared on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme alongside APC’s Oluwaseun Faleye on Monday.

“We are very disturbed about it. When Mr Tinubu and Shettima emerged, we knew their history with violence. Still, we were surprised when we saw the violence visited at a rally in Kaduna, also now repeating itself in Maiduguri. We are very worried, we are also aware that the APC supporters in Lagos have used violence repeatedly,” Ononuju said.

On his part, Faleye, a supporter of the former governor of Lagos State (Tinubu), however, characterised Ononuju’s accusations as false, pointing out that Lagos has a history of free and fair elections.

“They (the allegations) are unfounded, and that is just it because I don’t understand where he got that from. Historically, Lagos has been the bastion of free and fair elections without violence. Lagos is where all the states look up to the conduct of elections. Asiwaju (Tinubu) has been at the forefront of campaigns for peaceful elections,” the APC member stated.

However, the duo concurred that to deter future political violence, and security forces must bring offenders to justice.

Ononuju said LP supporters are emotional crusaders but are not violent in response to whether Obi supporters are also responsible for attacking opposition parties.

“Labour Party supporters are vehement, emotional crusaders. These supporters were on the streets before Mr Peter Obi provided a face for their struggle.

“These are not normal politicians; these are Nigerian youths, and Nigerian youths are not known to be violent. When they were protesting two years ago when this revolution took shape, the government tried to suppress them violently, but the government was not able to,” he said.

Meanwhile,  the LP chieftain has said  ‘Obidients’ had suffered more in the hands of the government than any other group of people.

“That is why we seek to build a new Nigeria that will be inclusive in the rights of citizens not to be violated and molested by the government as were the case,” he said.