Peter Obi: Cross River state governor Otu speaks on assault

Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, has condemned the assault on the convoy of the Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, throughout his marketing campaign go to to Calabar.

Otu directed safety companies within the state to establish and arrest these accountable for the incident, insisting that political violence and criminality wouldn’t be tolerated below his administration.

The governor made his place identified in an announcement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Linus Obogo, on Thursday, following the incident which occurred on Wednesday throughout Obi’s go to to the state capital.

Sympathy for Obi, entourage

Otu expressed disappointment over the assault and prolonged his sympathy to Obi and members of his entourage.

“I extend my deepest, most heartfelt sympathies to Mr Peter Obi and his team over the deeply disturbing incident that occurred yesterday during his campaign visit to our state capital,” the governor stated.

He pressured that political actors ought to be allowed to have interaction with voters peacefully and train their constitutional rights with out intimidation.

According to him, Cross River stays dedicated to peaceable political actions and wouldn’t enable people to undermine the state’s status for hospitality and peaceable coexistence.

‘Cross River remains peaceful’

The governor described the assault as unacceptable and stated it didn’t signify the values of Cross River and its folks.

“Cross River has long been cherished as the cradle of hospitality, warmth and civil decorum in Nigeria; our culture is rooted in peace, harmony and mutual respect for all people, regardless of political affiliation,” Otu stated.

He assured political events and their candidates that the state remained open to peaceable and lawful political actions forward of the elections.

Otu maintained that variations in political affiliation mustn’t develop into a foundation for violence, intimidation or disruption of marketing campaign actions.

Security companies ordered to behave

The governor stated his administration had a zero-tolerance coverage in the direction of political violence and criminality, warning that anybody discovered accountable for the assault would face the regulation.

“Let it be made unmistakably clear: our administration maintains a zero-tolerance stance against political violence and criminality in any form,” he stated.

Otu disclosed that he had directed safety companies to research the incident, establish the perpetrators and make sure that they have been dropped at justice.

“I have directed our security agencies to leave no stone unturned, until every single perpetrator of this shameful act is brought to book to face the full weight of the law,” the governor stated.

The governor’s directive comes amid heightened political actions as events and their candidates intensify engagements with voters forward of the 2027 basic elections.

Otu reiterated that Cross River would proceed to offer an atmosphere the place political events may conduct their actions peacefully and in accordance with the regulation.