Attack On Peter Obi: Investigate Incident, Ensure Justice Is Done — SERAP To FG

Following the attack on Labour Party presidential flag bearer Peter Obi, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the federal government to probe the incident.

The incident which took place on Monday was carried out by hoodlums in Katsina and has attracted condemnation from many.

Reacting in a statement on Sunday through its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP urged President Muhammadu Buhari to instruct the Inspector-General of Police Usman Baba, to investigate the incident.

The group also expressed its desire for the IGP to probe other cases of election-related intimidation, harassment and violence across the country.

“Mr Obi was said to be on his way to the airport, when some hoodlums and political thugs reportedly attacked the car he was riding in with heavy stones from his driver’s side, causing substantial damage to the vehicle.

"Subsequently, another set of thugs also reportedly threw stones outside the stadium which damaged several vehicles.

“Gunmen also recently reportedly killed Christopher Elehu, the Labour Party (LP) candidate for Onuimo Local Government Area Constituency in Imo State.

"The gunmen also reportedly set Mr Elehu’s house ablaze and destroyed his properties.

“The police in Ebonyi State recently dispersed hundreds of supporters of the Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi who gathered for a rally in Abakaliki.

“These cases followed other growing reports of election-related intimidation, harassment and violence in several parts of the country including Abia, Lagos, Imo, Kaduna, and Kano states.

“Many state governors are reportedly suppressing campaigns by opposition parties within their states.

"The growing suppression of campaigns by state governors is an indicator of a slide into authoritarianism.

“Your government has the constitutional responsibility to take immediate and concrete actions to reverse the trend and hold state governors to account for any infractions of the Nigerian Constitution, the Electoral Act, and the country’s international human rights obligations.

“The Nigerian Constitution provides in Section 14(1)(c) that, ‘the participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution'", the statement partly reads.