Candidates of All Progressives Congress (APC), have been urged to avoid violence and run issues-based campaign for elections in 22 of the 23 local government councils in the State on May 23.
The election will hold six days to the expiration of Governor Rotimi Amaechi-led administration.

Dr Dakuku Peterside, the party’s governorship candidate in the just-concluded elections in Rivers, gave the advice at inauguration of the campaigns in Port Harcourt on Monday.

He reminded the candidates that the party ran violence-free and issue-based campaigns in the last general elections.

According to Peterside, the minimum standard required to be a member of the APC and fly its ticket at any level is to be violence-free and issue-based in campaigns.

We have never been associated with violence and we will never be associated with it no matter the temptation from our opponents”, he said.

Peterside also charged the flag bearers to run a responsive and responsible government when elected as chairmen and councillors in the various local government councils.

“The fall of our opponents began when they started rascality in governance, so our party will only be associated with responsible government”, he said.

He admonished the candidates to be magnanimous in victory as they were privileged to emerge among the over one million party members.

Earlier, Sen. Magnus Abe, (APC-Rivers South-East), congratulated party faithful for being part of the change victory and history.

Abe said the interest of the Niger Delta was good governance and the future of the region.

He said the people had resolved to follow any party and government that would bring security, peace, progress and prosperity to the region “and APC is the answer.’’

Chief Davies Ikanya, Chairman of APC in Rivers, thanked members of the party for remaining resolute in spite of the outcome of the general elections.

Ikanya appreciated the maturity exuded by members of the party during the primary elections that produced the chairmanship and councillorship candidates.

Highlight of the event was the presentation of the party’s flags to 21 chairmanship candidates.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the primary election would be repeated in Oyibo Local Government Area.

NAN