Rivers PDP Endangering Peace in Rivers as APC Members Are Killed Daily —APC •Explains why it is going to the Election Tribunal

By Nwaorgu Faustinus

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate in Rivers State, Chief Nyesome Wike, and Nigeria’s First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, have been accused of endangering peace in the State through their open support for political brigandage.

Making the allegation on Monday in Port Harcourt, the State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) accused Chief Wike and Dame Jonathan of desperation to rule Rivers State at all cost.

“It has been brought to our notice that instead of towing the path of peace and dialogue on how to enhance security of lives and property in Rivers State, Chief Wike, Dame Patience Jonathan and other PDP chieftains are mobilising innocent Rivers State youths to embark upon futile protests against the decision of APC to go to the tribunal to challenge the charade that is called election purportedly held in Rivers State on March 28th and April 11th, 2015.  This is not only an attempt to blackmail and intimidate Rivers APC but also a way of further endangering the peace of the graveyard that has persisted in the State since the brazen theft of the people’s mandate given to APC,” Rivers APC Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, said in a statement.

Sadly, not minding the 19 APC members killed and beheaded during the gubernatorial election of April 11, 2015, in Ahoada East, Okrika and other local government areas in the Rivers State APC members are either been killed or abducted since after the sham elections in Rivers State for reasons we cannot fathom. We are afraid that killers and sundry criminals have been imposed on the state by INEC as our leaders. We wonder if this act of insecurity and killings are parts of the social contract that Chief Wike claims to have signed with the Rivers State people. Since the discredited Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Rivers State, killers have swarmed on Ahoada East, hitting down their targets. Recently, Messrs Chigba Apollos and Chiezule German, both members of APC in the area, were shot dead in Ibarikpo Town by unknown gunmen. Apart from the killings, kidnappers are also on the prowl in Ahoada East targeting only APC members. The abduction of Chief Cassidy Ikegbidi, Chairman of Ahoada East Caretaker Committee, CTC on April 18, is one of the latest tragedies that have befallen APC. Others so far kidnapped by the PDP hoodlums are Mr. Suleiman Atago from Ideoha in Ward 5, and Chidi Oji from Ihuowo Ward 10, respectively

As PDP seeks our extinction in Rivers State, let us reiterate that our party would neither be blackmailed nor intimidated by the antics of Wike and Dame Jonathan and this new wave of insecurity in Rivers State.

As PDP goes about celebrating their phantom victory that will be short lived, Ikanya proceeded to give reasons why Rivers APC decided to go to tribunal to challenge the declaration of Wike as the winner of an election that never took place.

His words: “Apart from being our constitutional right to challenge this monumental fraud at the tribunal, we also wish to set the records straight to avoid a situation where those who are not empowered by the people of Rivers State through their votes usurp powers that do not belong to them. We wish to declare that based on the records and results collated from agents at the various polling units, APC won the April 11th, 2015 governorship and State Assembly elections convincingly. Therefore, the votes allotted to Chief Wike and PDP State Assembly candidates cannot stand the test of any judicial interpretation when we present our evidence before the tribunal.”

Continuing, the Rivers APC Chairman said: “We are going to the tribunal to contest the fraudulent declaration of results for an alleged election that witnessed a lot of killing, violence and thumb-printing of ballot papers in favour of PDP candidates. The result cannot be allowed to stand. Chief Wike and the PDP leadership for rigged the election in such a manner that primary school pupils would have done better Allowing Chief Tammy Danagogo, the Minister of Sports, and other PDP chieftains to be the ones to return INEC results of their various local government constituencies to the State REC and acceptance of results even where votes assumed to be collated exceeded the number of the registered voters show the level of desperation by PDP and its INEC collaborators.”

Dr. Ikanya disclosed that yet another reason why Rivers APC is going to the tribunal is to maintain the spirit of equity, justice and fairness and prevent the discrimination against the Riverine section of the State as represented by the candidature of Chief Wike represents since through former governor Peter Odili, incumbent Governor Chibuike Amaechi and now Chief Wike, power will elude the Riverine section of the State for 24 years.

“We are also going to the tribunal to save the Rivers State common patrimony from being shared on monthly basis among few PDP chieftains to the detriment of the future and development of the State,” Ikanya explained..