The Edo State All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential National Assembly and State House of Assembly Campaign Council has faulted former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over allegations linking President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Governor Monday Okpebholo and the ruling party to the reported attack on Edo-based comedian popularly known as Porkupyne in Benin City.
The council described the allegations as reckless irresponsible and unsupported by evidence insisting that neither the APC leadership nor its members had been established to be involved in the incident.
In a statement by its Director of Media Mr. John Mayaki the council condemned the reported attack and maintained that the APC as the ruling party in Edo remained a major stakeholder in efforts to maintain peace security and law and order.
The statement read: ‘We read with amazement the baseless allegations by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar accusing the ruling APC in Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of being responsible for the reported attack on Porkupyne.
‘It is irresponsible and reckless of a former Vice-President to level such wild allegations against the President a sitting governor and the ruling political party without any substantial proof.’The APC as the ruling party
in Edo State remains one of the biggest stakeholders in ensuring that there is no breakdown of law and order. We have a responsibility to support the protection of lives and property irrespective of the political affiliations of those concerned.
‘Our position has always been that security agencies should be allowed to do their job and bring those found culpable in any attack to justice.
‘Those who make allegations must be able to provide evidence identify suspects where possible and leave the rest to the police and other security agencies.
‘We abhor violence as a political party. Everybody has the constitutional right to support whichever political party or candidate they choose and we do not believe that such political preferences should become grounds for violence or intimidation.
‘We do not see Atiku Abubakar or any other opposition party as a threat to the APC.
‘It is important to put it on record that our party remains confident in its prospects in the coming elections based on the achievements and performance of the Edo State Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo.
‘Our confidence is founded on the administration’s ongoing interventions in road infrastructure security healthcare and other sectors which we believe will speak for themselves when the people are called upon to assess the government’s performance.
‘Our members have no business unleashing attacks on opposition supporters. The Edo State Government remains committed to the security of lives and property of all Edo people irrespective of political affiliation.
‘We therefore find it unacceptable that Atiku would seek to hold the President the governor and the APC responsible for an incident without first presenting evidence linking them to the alleged perpetrators.
‘The fact that someone supports Atiku does not automatically mean that any attack on that person was carried out by the APC. Political affiliation is not evidence of criminal responsibility.
‘Atiku would do well to desist from needless political accusations and concentrate on addressing the substantive expectations of the electorate.
‘We thank the police for immediately responding to the incident and commencing an investigation into the reported attack on Porkupyne. We hope the investigation will be thorough establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and bring those responsible to justice.
‘Nobody should be attacked because of his political beliefs and nobody should be accused of sponsoring an attack without credible evidence.
‘The APC will continue to support peaceful political competition respect for the rule of law and the protection of every resident of Edo State’ the statement added.