The All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State has condemned attack on the state Correspondent of The Punch newspaper, Kamardeen Ogundele, by thugs suspected to be working for Governor Ayodele Fayose.
The APC said the unprovoked assault on the journalist is a fascist excess that threatens democracy.
Thugs in their numbers descended on the reporter while trying to take a photograph as thugs laid siege to the House of Assembly on Wednesday.
But reacting to the unfortunate incident, the Publicity Secretary of the APC in Ekiti State, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said in a statement that the incident was shameful, unlawful and showed the intolerant attitude of the sponsors of the thugs to assault the journalist into a pulp while doing his legitimate duty.
Olatubosun said: “We have on various occasions raised the alarm over intolerance of Governor Fayose to anything or anybody that does not carry his stamp of approval. It is unfortunate that whoever does not carry PDP flag is the enemy of the government.
“What is the offence of an innocent journalist doing his legitimate duty? If the thugs did not want them photographed, the best expected from them is to stay away from the lens of camera. But to resort to attack on an innocent journalist is a height of irresponsibility, which, unfortunately is the hallmark of Governor Ayodele Fayose’s administration.”
Olatubosun said the sanctity of the fourth estate of the realm as part of democratic structures must be respected at all times, noting that the assault on the journalist was a further proof of what Fayose represented in the practice of democracy in Nigeria.
He said: “This assault is a continuation of a reign of terror that the governor began in the run up to the June 21, 2014 election when he was using his thugs to attack opponents across the state. The governor should spare Ekiti people all the negative publicity he is presenting to the world about our people. The judiciary and legislative arms in Ekiti are under the jackboot of Fayose who now wants to add the media to his list of conquests.”