TheCable

Tokunbo Abiru, candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) for senatorial bye-election in Lagos east, has expressed regrets with the wave of violence across the country during the #ENDSARS protests.

Abiru, a former executive director of First Bank and immediate past CEO of Polaris Bank, however, pleaded with the youths with genuine grievances to take advantage of dialogue and other peaceful means to engage the federal and state governments.

He made this suggestion in a statement his media office issued on Tuesday.

He said due to the violence, the governor of Lagos was forced to declare a 24-hour curfew to put an end to unnecessary bloodletting, violent attacks and destruction of public assets.

Abiru, an economist and chartered accountant who spent 32 years in the private sector, is contesting the senatorial bye-election scheduled to hold on October 31.

He had also urged the federal government to fully implement the report of the presidential panel on the Reforms of SARS, which according to him would go a long way to change the public perception of the Nigeria Police.

As hoodlums hijacked the protests in Abuja, Benin and Lagos this week, Abiru condemned the violent attacks that led to destruction of public assets and attacks on police officers, lawful protesters and fellow Nigerians.

“I watched videos of arson, carnage and gory scenes of violence with deep sadness. This ugly development depicts a high level of dehumanisation. In every sense, this is unacceptable, and it must stop forthwith in the interest of peace and unity,” he said.

On this ground, the APC candidate, passionately, pleaded with the protesting youths with genuine grievances to give room for dialogue with the federal and state governments to secure governments’ commitment to police reforms.