The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) has urged leadership of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and All Progressives Congress (APC) to caution their overzealous supporters to shun despicable verbal and vitriolic attacks in Anambra.
“There should be an end to the current despicable verbal attacks to forestall and avoid the negative situation degenerating to open confrontations, unrest and blood-letting in the state,” the Chairman of CLO, Anambra, Comrade Vincent Ezekwueme, said.
Ezekwueme told newsmen in Enugu on Sunday that Anambra political gladiators should give peace a chance by calling on their supporters, praise singers, hangers-on and sycophants to refrain from making inflammatory statements.
According to him, political gladiators and their supporters should stop casting unsubstantiated aspersions and fake news against perceived or imaginary opponents of their principals and leaders.
He noted that there had been high political tensions in the state recently following outrageous verbal attacks, insults, humiliations and abusive words between supporters of APGA and APC in the state.
He said: “Although, constructive, corrective and patriotic criticism is beauty and essence of democracy and democratic governance, and absence of constructive criticism is a great threat to democracy.
“Pertinently hate and fake speech is the bane and threat to democracy and democratic culture, hence the inevitable need to discard it.
“It is noteworthy that the state has had enough of unrest, crisis and cries; it is in dire need of peace, unity, trust, tranquility, tolerance and mutual sharing of burdens of life.”
The CLO boss called on political leaders to always ensure their supporters are civil and respect the views, dignity, interest and privacy of perceived opponents of their principals and toe the path of constitutionality, rule of law and social justice.
“It is correct to say that every four years elective offices become vacant; it is left for the electorate to withdraw or renew the mandate depending on the performances of the incumbent.
“Our political leaders and their supporters should think before they speak to avoid unnecessarily heightening the political tension and acrimony in the state.
“It is too early to discuss, canvass or campaign for November 2025 governorship election as incumbent governor has not spent half of his four years tenure,” he added.
Ezekwueme called on political leaders to concentrate and rededicate themselves to the service of God and humanity as well as provisions of elusive but much cherished dividends of democracy.
