APC condemns attack on journalists in Ondo State

THE All Progressives Congress (APC), Ondo State chapter, on Monday, condemned the attack on some journalists by hoodlums in Akure on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some journalists were attacked at the venue of the factional APC state congress, following a pandemonium that ensued.

Mr Steve Otaloro, the APC state Director of Publicity and Media, who made the condemnation in a press statement, absorbed the party of complicity in the attack.

He stated that “we want to state categorically that we were busy conducting the state congress of our party, presided over by Hon. Matthew Omegara-led committee throughout Saturday.

“The attack must have been carried out by some displaced political jobbers, who have lost relevance in both the party and government.

“Those who are being sponsored by some god-fathers outside the state, are desperate to feast on the state’’.

According to him, the attackers will not succeed as the good people of the state know that the development has nothing to do with APC.

The statement blamed the attack on those, who were bent on tarnishing the image of the party and the State Government.

“They carried out this attack on the day of our congress, so as to give our party and party-led government a bad name,’’ he said.

The statement called on the police to redouble the efforts at bringing all the perpetrators to justice.

He expressed sympathy with the leadership and members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the state, especially those who were victims of the attack.

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“Journalists are the fourth estate of the realm and the voice of the masses, who work to enable the people to know what is happening around them.

“Unfortunately, these hoodlums and their masters have forgotten that newsmen give unbiased and balanced reports of the happenings in the society.

“It is established that journalists played pivotal roles in the enthronement of democratic governance in this country and that they are the watchdogs of our democracy,’’ he stated.

“We, the APC in Ondo State, hereby assure the NUJ of our support to make sure that the people behind this unfortunate incident are brought to justice.

“We are also seeking their continued support as partners in progress in the Ondo State project.

“This is to ensure accurate, unbiased reportage of events for the overall development of the state,’’ he added.