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The All Progressives Congress has accused the Peoples Democratic Party of engaging in violence ahead of next months general elections, alleging that many supporters of the APC were shot by gunmen on their way to the inaugural campaign of the partys presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Tuesday.

In a statement in Abuja on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said it was not surprised by published reports that the attack was led by an ex-militant, who is a member of the PDP from the Gokana Local Government.

It believed that the PDP had resorted to violence because it had realised that it is fast losing ground in Rivers State.

The party added that the attacks, reportedly by thugs allegedly working for the PDP along the Bori-Saakpenwa Road in Bori, Khana Local Government Area, followed the same pattern of previous acts of violence directed at the APC, the partys elected and appointed officials, including Governor Rotimi Amaechi, as well as its supporters by PDP thugs in the state.

APC said the acts of violence perpetrated against its supporters, some of whom it claimed were lying critical ill in hospital, on Tuesday occurred despite assurances by President Goodluck Jonathan as well as PDP Chairman, Adamu Muazu, that next months general elections would be free, fair and peaceful.

The party said PDP officials had apparently been deceiving Nigerians that they intend to run an issue-based campaign, when their partys stock in trade is bare-faced violence and gangsterism.

APC added, The assurances by the leadership of the PDP ring hollow when thugs affiliated with the party are ambushing peaceful and harmless supporters heading to a campaign rally. It is either the leadership is not sincere in its assurances or it has lost control of the party, which will both be dangerous for the country.

If the PDP has launched a campaign of violence against the APC this early, only God knows how far the ruling party will go to physically decimate the opposition before, during and after Februarys elections. We are therefore calling on all Nigerians and indeed the international community to closely monitor the events during the ongoing electioneering and the elections themselves.

On our part, we will document every act of violence against our members and supporters, just so that we can show the world, with verifiable proof, which party is indeed the violent one.

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APC accuses PDP of engaging in pre-election violence