Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in Rivers State has condemned the increasing attacks on political parties, especially the recent onslaught on All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship campaign by suspected thugs in Omuma Council.

ZLP governorship candidate, Leyii Kwanee, in a statement signed by the party’s state Chairman, Ben Ogbogbula, said they consider the attack, which left valuable properties destroyed in Umunachi community a resort to Stone Age politics by the perpetrators.

Kwanee, an ex-Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, challenged the leadership of the state assembly to emulate the courage of the 7th Assembly, who stood firm during the trying times of 2013 and 2015 crisis and brought to an end the orgy of violence that enveloped the state.

He said: “We note with regret that these attacks are a reminder of the siege on the institutions of democracy and the rule of law by enemies of democracy, peace and development of our dear state while I served as Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“These continued attacks are obviously calculated to intimidate and overawe the opposition, but its faceless perpetrators know they have failed already. Our democracy has evolved and those who still do not understand that Nigerians would not give up their democratic rights to thugs and political bandits after the supreme price paid by the heroes of our democracy in confronting the military, should wake up to the realities.

“As an opposition party, we sympathise with the APC and the Tonye Cole/Innocent Barikor governorship team over the losses incurred. We stand by them and challenge persons, whose activities constitute threats to democracy and the rule of law, to stop attacking campaign rallies in the state.”

He further urged the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Okon Effiong Okon, to prevent further attacks on political rallies by bringing to book those fingered in the cases reported so far.