The All Progressives Congress has vowed to punish the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, for allegedly instigating thugs that attacked the leaders of the party, including the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, at the presidential rally in Abeokuta on Monday.
The crowd at the rally pelted Oshiomhole with stones and water sachets when he introduced Dapo Abiodun as the governorship candidate of the APC in Ogun State.
Other leaders of the party, including Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, were booed at the campaign, which was marred by violence involving the APC and the Allied Peoples Movement’s supporters.
The spokesman for the APC Caretaker Committee in the state, Mr Tunde Oladunjoye, had on Monday alleged that the hoodlums who disrupted the rally were sponsored by Amosun.
Expressing regrets at the disruption of the campaign, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, in a statement on Tuesday said those responsible for the “premeditated attacks” would be dealt with.
The party said the sanction would be delayed till after the elections.
The statement said, “This is one act of indiscipline too many. The APC will not condone acts of indiscipline, indiscretion and anti-party activities from any party member no matter how highly placed.
“The party will review this gross misconduct of deliberately positioning thugs to attack and embarrass the President and the party leadership. The party will take a decision on this matter immediately after the elections.
“It must be stated that party supremacy and discipline, according to our constitution, are not matters of choice but binding principles which must be adhered to by all party members.
“The APC is a party known for discipline, justice, fairness and equality hence any plan to destroy what this party stands for would be rejected. No single person will be allowed to put his personal and selfish interest ahead of the wishes of the people of Ogun State and elsewhere.”
The APC said the decision of the National Working Committee on post-primaries remained unbendable.
“Post-primaries, the decision of the National Working Committee to uphold the wishes of party members is unbendable. Therefore, whatever means being presently deployed by persons intending to undermine the wishes of the people for personal gains will not be tolerated.
“We urge our teeming party supporters and members not to be disturbed by Monday’s condemnable incident. We urge all to continue trooping out en masse for our remaining campaigns and vote massively for all and only the APC candidates in the forthcoming general elections,” the statement added.