By Eric Elezuo
The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives, led by Rt Hon Ndudi Elumelu, has condemned the attack on the presidential campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna on Monday.
In a statement signed by Elumelu, the Caucus described the attack as unprovoked, reprehensible and totally against the ethics of the peace pact signed before the commencement of the Campaigns by parties’ presidential candidates, chairmen and public relations officers on September 28, 2022.
The statement also pointed accusing fingers at the camp of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the perpetrators of the attack, and urged security agencies to fish out the culprits as well as ensure adequate security at the campaign grounds.
Below is the detailed statement:
The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives strongly condemns the attack on Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Rally in Kaduna, Kaduna State capital on Monday, October 17, 2022 by thugs alleged to have been mobilized by certain interests in the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Minority Caucus is seriously concerned over the unprovoked violent act against the PDP Campaign. This attack is not only reprehensible but completely against the spirit and letter of the Peace Accord signed by political parties and their candidates in Abuja on September 28, 2022.
Such thoughtless act of violence if not immediately checked is capable of derailing the 2023 elections, truncate our nation’s democratic process as well as jeopardize our national unity and corporate existence as a nation.
It is therefore imperative that political parties and candidates must desist from such acts of desperation and embrace the course of democracy even in the face of unpopularity with the electorate.
Our Caucus calls on the National Peace Committee to investigate the attack, issue appropriate penalty on culprits and take further steps to ensure strict adherence to the letters of the Peace Accord.
The Caucus charges the security agencies to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the attack and ensure that the perpetrators and their sponsors are brought to book.
Security agencies are also urged to put all necessary machinery in place to ensure adequate security during the campaign and election period so as to guarantee peaceful, free, fair and credible 2023 general elections.
