Ruling party denies telling Nigerians to 'fight back' during Rivers election

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied telling Nigerians to retaliate when attacked by supporters of the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the forthcoming Rivers rerun election.

The election is scheduled to take place on Saturday, December 10, 2016, has got both the APC and PDP in a war of words.

In a bid to woo the votes of the electorates, some chieftains of the two major parties have resorted to making inciting statements which could cause tension. The latest being that of the Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transport.

At the APC campaign rally on Thursday, December 8, 2016, the national chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun was also reported to have told the electorates to "fight back" and "slap back" when attacked.

But in a statement by Edwin Ikhinmwin, chief of staff to Oyegun, the party described the report as false, ill-motivated, mischievous and irresponsible.

"The libellous comments are clearly a most wicked fabrication and are also at odds with the party’s zero tolerance policy for violence," the statement read.

"After a thorough review of all news reports from the mega rally which was transmitted live on television, it is curious that only the Nation Newspaper quoted the APC national chairman as having made the fabricated statements.

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"The APC is on a rescue mission in Rivers State to save the people from the blood-thirsty and oppressive regime in the state."

The ruling party says it has written to the media outfit requesting a retraction of the report.

The APC further called on Nigerians to disregard the report.