The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Cross River State, Ambassador Nkoyo Toyo, has strongly condemned the recent reported attack on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) consultative meetings in Calabar South.
Describing the violence as a dangerous assault on democratic participation, Toyo warned that the incident serves as a troubling harbinger of insecurity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The attack, which occurred on October 2 during political consultations, involved alleged gunfire, injury to several attendees, and the destruction of vehicles.
In a official statement released through her spokesman, Mr. Archibong Eyo, Ambassador Toyo insisted that the violent disruption must not be swept under the carpet as a routine political squabble.
“The reported violence, in which gunshots were allegedly fired, persons injured and vehicles reportedly vandalised during political consultations on October 2, must not be treated as another routine political dispute,” Toyo said. “Political disagreements are legitimate; shooting, intimidation, destruction of property and the use of violence to disrupt political activities are not.”
Toyo called on the Cross River State Government and law enforcement bodies to step in immediately and take decisive measures to restore order and safeguard political freedoms.
“The Police Command must conduct a thorough, transparent and impartial investigation, identify those responsible, establish the circumstances surrounding the attack and ensure that anyone found culpable faces the full weight of the law, regardless of political affiliation or status,” she demanded.
Emphasizing the threat such acts pose to democratic norms, she warned against letting political space become governed by fear.
“We cannot build a democratic society where political meetings are met with gunfire and intimidation,” she stated. “Cross River belongs to all of us. No political party, candidate or individual has the right to determine who can meet, campaign, organise or express a political opinion through violence.”
She further urged state authorities to establish clear boundaries against political impunity as the state moves closer to the next election cycle.
“The government must send a clear message that Cross River will not become a theatre of political violence ahead of 2027,” she added. “The security agencies must investigate this incident professionally and transparently, and the public deserves to know what happened and who was responsible. Today it is the PDP. Tomorrow it could be the ADC, APC, Labour Party or any other political organisation. Silence in the face of political violence creates the conditions for its expansion.”
Urging all political actors and party faithful to show restraint, Ambassador Toyo appealed against reprisal measures, advocating instead for judicial process and peaceful discourse. She noted that electoral contests should be driven by ideas, votes, and democratic engagement rather than thuggery, intimidation, or armed violence.
Additionally, the ADC flagbearer called on key electoral monitors and democratic institutions—including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), civil society organizations, and civic stakeholders—to keep a vigilant eye on early signs of violence in the state and build robust tracking systems ahead of 2027.
“The people of Cross River deserve an election environment where candidates can meet voters without fear, parties can organise freely, and citizens can make political choices without intimidation,” Toyo concluded. “We therefore demand action, not excuses. We demand investigation, not political cover. And where criminal responsibility is established, we demand prosecution, not negotiation. Cross River must not return to the politics of fear. Democracy must remain bigger than any individual, party or ambition.”
