The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), have disagreedĀ over the alleged attack on supporters of the former minister of transportation, Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, at Ikwerre local government area of Rivers state last week.
While ADC is insisting that the attack was carried out by individuals loyal to the APC, the national ruling party denied the allegation and advised the opposition party to look inwards.
Some members of the Judith Amaechi Foundation (JAF), a support group of the ADC, were allegedly prevented from gathering for a rally at IgwuritaĀ town in Ikwerre local government area of the state.
In a statement issued in Port Harcourt at the weekend, the opposition party condemned the attack on its members in the state, and accused individuals loyal to the APC of involvement.
ADC chairman in the state, Leader Sampson, who signed the statement, said the premeditated act of violence on the party members was not only shameful but threat to peace and democracy in Rivers state.
Expressing regrets that Ikwerre local government, has now become a hotbed for political intimidation and unrest, Samson called on relevant security agencies to act swiftly and decisively and bring the suspects to justice.
But, speaking with LEADERSHIP in Port Harcourt yesterday, APC C
chairman in the state, Tony Okocha, said the national ruling political party was not built around violence.
“We are not aware of that. Also, our party is not built around violence. You know that within the ADC, they have intra-party dispute. They should look inward and forget about the man who is outside. An Ikwerre proverb says that a fowl will leave the man who killed it and start looking bad eyes to the old woman that put it in a pot to cook.
“They should look inwards so as to ascertain or decipher what their problem is all about. Our party is not used to violence. We are not aware and we cannot also reduce ourselves to the level of fighting a very small mushroom party,” Okocha said.
