APGA candidate, Ezekwugo calls for calm over botched Abuja mega rally

CYRIL MBAH, Abuja

The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) Senatorial candidate in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr Anthony Uche Ezekwugo has called for calm and understanding among supporters who planned to protest the refusal of the FCT Police Command to approve the request of the party to host a mega campaign rally in Abuja last Saturday.

Dr Ezekwugo made the passionate appeal to his teeming supporters and urged them to remain calm and conduct themselves with a high sense of discipline before, during and after the 2023 general elections after discovering that the angry members wanted to protest the Police action. 

The senatorial candidate regretted that the planned Abuja mega rally which was scheduled to take place at Area 10, Old Parade Ground last Saturday was put off for security reasons following credible intelligence by security agencies in the territory. 

In a statement issued in Abuja, the APGA senatorial hopeful advised supporters of the party to invest energy wisely by intensifying grassroots mobilisation efforts and neighbourhood contacts to effectively use the available space allotted for campaigns to garner the support of FCT voters for the party.

Dr Ezekwugo also advised APGA supporters to refrain from the use of foul language; hate speech and derogatory words against opponents as doing so would amount to playing dirty politics.

He stated that while efforts are still being made to host the campaign rally before the elections, other viable campaign options will be explored to ensure that APGA emerges victorious in the election in the six area councils.

Ezekwugo called on the candidates of other political parties to reign in and properly control their supporters appealing that those who aspire to lead the people must eschew the use of violence in the coming election in the interest of democracy.

He reminded candidates in the election of the need to respect the peace accord signed by leaders of the eighteen political parties, stressing that it would be better for politicians to play politics in the spirit of good sportsmanship.

Recall that aggrieved APGA support groups, including politically exposed non-governmental organisations, citing bias and ethnic undertones, planned to protest the refusal of the FCT Police Command to issue a permit for the APGA rally, which was to have been used to round up the senatorial candidate’s campaign before Saturday’s election.