Nigerians have risen against the emerging climate of political vio­lence as the 2023 political process peaks, express­ing concern over recent attacks on candidates in Katsina and Lagos.
Some people who spoke to Sunday Independent, condemned the recent attack on Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Katsina.
Speaking on the devel­opment, a Middle Belt youth activist and lead­er, Comrade Aluh Moses Odeh, going proverbial, attributed the attack to the handiwork of the All Pro­gressives Congress (APC) supporters in the state.
Comrade Odeh, Nation­al Leader, All Middle Belt Youth Forum (AMBYF), stated: “A man invited a friend to cut meat for him. When he finished, he asked if he did the work well?
“His friend responded that he could go, and that if he invited him again, then he would know he did the first job well.
“Nigerian voters invit­ed APC for a work and now it is time the world will know if the work done by APC in the last seven years and 8 months is im­pressive as we go to the poll in less than 30 days.
“Attacking Peter Obi during his campaign in Katsina State does not speak well of the APC govern­ment at both Federal and State level, although the same attack was launched on the convoy of their own son, President Muhamma­du Buhari, which led to the death of a policeman in the Advance Team.
“That attack on Mr. Pres­ident is enough for him to have made the state more secured. But it seems there is no solution to insecurity.
“The government should wake up to its re­sponsibility by ensuring the perpetrators of these dastardly acts are arrest­ed and brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others.”
Prof. Godwin Jireh, an eminent Theologian, in his reaction, said: “The recent attack on the La­bour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, in Katsina is one attack too many.
“The only effective way to forestall further elec­tion campaign violence across the country is by prosecuting those al­ready found culpable and allow them to face the full wrath of the law without any show of partiality or favouritism.
“Those agencies sad­dled with the responsi­bility of public enlight­enment and orientation must wake up to their duties.
“Civil rights advocates and the press should keep hammering on peaceful and issue-based campaigns, while the much-respected National Peace Commission (NPC) led by the former Head of State, General Abdulsala­mi Abubakar and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, should device a way of sanctioning political par­ties that breach the Peace Accord they signed during the electioneering period.”
Rev. Dr Rexkennedy Saltlove, political activ­ist and cleric, in his re­action, said that political hooliganism leaves a lot to be desired and was an ill wind that blows nobody any good.
Dr. Saltlove, the Presi­dent/Executive Director, Citizens Rights and Em­powerment Advocacy Ini­tiative (CREMA Initiative, described the attack as un­called for.
He maintained that Pe­ter Obi had remained the most ‘civil’ of the four leading presidential can­didates, and that his cam­paign has had more issues based on his approach.