By STANLEY NWANOSIKE

Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) has urged the leaderships of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and All Progressives Congress (APC) to caution their supporters against verbal attacks in Anambra.

Chairman of CLO in the state, Mr. Vincent Ezekwueme, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Sunday that an end should be put on the ongoing ‘despicable verbal attacks’ between the supporters of the two political parties.

“There should be an end to the current despicable verbal attacks to forestall and avoid the negative situation degenerating into open confrontations, unrest and blood-letting in the state,” he said.

Ezekwueme said that the political gladiators in the state should give peace a chance by calling on their supporters, praise singers, hangers-on and sycophants to refrain from making inflammatory statements.

According to him, political gladiators and their supporters should stop casting unsubstantiated aspersions and spreading fake news against perceived or imaginary opponents of their principals and leaders.

He noted that there had been political tensions in the state recently, following the verbal attacks, insults, humiliations and abusive words between supporters of APGA and APC.

“Constructive, corrective and patriotic criticisms are the beauty and essence of democracy and democratic governance, while the absence of them is a great threat to democracy.

“Hate speech and fake news are threats to democracy and democratic culture, hence the need to avoid them.

“It is noteworthy that the state has had enough of unrest, crisis and cries. It is, therefore, in dire need of peace, unity, trust, tranquility and tolerance,” he said.

The CLO chairman called on political leaders to always ensure that their supporters conduct themselves in civil manner and respect the views and interests of perceived opponents of their principals and toe the path of constitutionality, rule of law and social justice.

“Our political leaders and their supporters should think before they speak to avoid unnecessarily heightening the political tension and acrimony in the state.

“It is too early to discuss, canvass or campaign for November 2025 governorship election, as the incumbent governor has not spent half of his four-year tenure.

“They should rather rededicate themselves to the service of God and humanity and provide the much-needed dividends of democracy. (NAN)