CSO: Bayelsa APC deputy guber candidate should be punished for ‘inciting violence’

The Campaign for Democracy, a civil society organisation (CSO), says Joshua Maciver, deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa, should be punished for inciting violence.

Speaking at a campaign rally on Sunday evening in Twon Brass, a community in Bayelsa, Maciver said anyone who does not support APC should be “chased into the sea to die”.

A court had disqualified Maciver and Timipre Sylva, Bayelsa APC gubernatorial candidate, on the grounds that the latter has been sworn in as governor twice.

They appealed the verdict and the appellate court has reserved judgment on it.

In a statement on Monday, Olufemi Lawson, the CSO’s general secretary, said the deputy governorship candidate’s comments are deeply troubling.

“The Campaign for Democracy condemns any act of violence, hatred, or incitement to violence in the strongest terms possible,” Lawson said.

“We believe that elections should be platforms for discussing ideas, policies, and the future of our state, not arenas for fomenting discord and promoting violence.

“When a candidate engages in actions that encourage violence or disrupt the peace, they undermine the integrity of the electoral process.

“We believe that it contravenes various provisions of the laws of Nigeria, including but not limited to Section 92(2) of the Electoral Act, which stipulates sanction for offenders.

“The law expressly prohibits the use of abusive, intemperate, slanderous, or base language or insinuation campaigns or innuendoes designed or likely to provoke violent reactions or emotions in political campaigns.

“We hereby call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and relevant security agencies to enforce the applicable law(s) and immediately sanction Mr Maciver for his conduct, as evident in the video and his previous involvement in other conduct capable of inciting violence, ahead of the coming governorship election.”

The secretary added that the APC in Bayelsa must distance itself from the comments made by Maciver.