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Tag: rerun

  • DSP, orderly beheaded during Rivers rerun

    DSP, orderly beheaded during Rivers rerun

    The General Officer Commanding (GOC) the newly-created 6 Division of the Army in Port Harcourt, Maj.-Gen. Kasimu Abdulkarim, and Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, are at loggerheads over Saturday’s legislative rerun across the three senatorial districts.

    The GOC yesterday in Port Harcourt disclosed that two policemen: Alkali Mohammed, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of Mobile Police Unit 48, was beheaded along with his orderly by hoodlums, who sntached away their patrol vehicle and weapons. Three policemen escaped, but five were still “missing in action” in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers, where the state’s Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Felix Obuah, hails from.

    Wike and Obuah had earlier accused the Army and policemen of killing three PDP members (two in Bodo-Ogoni in Gokana Local Government Area and one in Tai-Ogoni Local Government Area) aiding All Progressives Congress (APC) members to hijack electoral materials.

    The GOC, however, declared that the allegations made by some respected politicians regarding deep involvement of soldiers during the elections were false and aimed at tarnishing the army’s image.

    To Maj.-Gen. Abdulkarim, PDP leaders, “weighty” allegations that soldiers were involved in ballot box snatching, illegal escort of some politicians, arrest and detention of voters could cause members of the public to view soldiers negatively, hence the need to adequately inform the public on the true perspective. He said the public should consider the allegations as “mere farce to garner sympathy”.

    The GOC maintained that the 6 Division remained apolitical, adding that its soldiers provided perimeter defence to ward off hoodlums and miscreants.

    He said: “The most brutal incident occurred (during Saturday’s rerun) at Ujju community near Omoku in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA of Rivers State, where a police patrol team was ambushed. In the ambush, 10 policemen scampered into the bush. The Mobile Police organised a rescue mission. Regrettably, the team discovered that DSP Alkali Mohammed of Mobile Police Unit 48 was beheaded along with his orderly. The patrol vehicle was taken away with weapons. Three policemen escaped. Five were missing in action.

    “This is the same area where soldiers of 34 Brigade were ambushed on November 20, 2016, where a soldier was killed. Also, on November 21, 2016, four personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were killed and their weapons carted away.

    “These attacks are reasonable evidence of violations of breach of law and order which portray the area as a flashpoint. Despite these barbarism, soldiers acted with civility and professionalism, guaranteeing peaceful elections.

    “Nigerian Army, as a respected institution with constitutional responsibility to safeguard lives and property, could not watch miscreants and hoodlums abducting, maiming and killing innocent citizens, especially in senseless attacks on uniform personnel.”

    Maj.-Gen. Abdulkarim also expressed surprise on the “frivolous” and “baseless” allegations levelled against the Army by politicians on the legislative elections.

    He said: “Nigerian Army troops were in no way involved in any form of ballot box snatching; neither were they involved in the escort of politicians as alleged. They acted swiftly in response to security breaches, in order to enforce the law, provide aid to the police and other security agencies, especially in areas like Abonema, Etche, Gokana, Ikwere, Eleme, Tai, Khana and Omoku, among others. These areas have armed men that engaged security personnel.

    “Susceptibility of the areas warranted providing security for the electoral officials, voters, international and local observers, in conjunction with other security agencies by soldiers for peaceful elections to thrive in the environment.

    “In Gokana Local Government, armed hoodlums engaged the soldiers providing outer perimeter defence for the electorate. In Abonnema, at 0730 hours on Saturday, there were three explosions that created bedlam. Subsequently, 11 NYSC members were abducted along with electoral materials. However, 10 of them were rescued two hours later by the soldiers while one was rescued about eight hours later.

    “At Emohua, Mr … abducted five NYSC members with election materials in a Sienna bus. The corps members were rescued while the suspect was handed over to the police. Many shootings were recorded in some communities, such as Bodo-Ogoni (Gokana LGA), the hometown of the Secretary to the Rivers State Government (Chief Kenneth Kobani); B-Dere and Mogho in Gokana Local Government, including snatching of ballot boxes.”

    The GOC also maintained that the rerun in the 23 local government councils was adjudged credible, free, fair and peaceful in many parts of the state, describing the accusation of soldiers’ partisanship as a “sham” while assuring that the 6 Division would continue to be apolitical in the discharge of its roles to ensure provision of adequate security in the state.

    Wike accused the army and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the police of killing two PDP agents in Bodo-Ogoni on Saturday, hijacking electoral materials and working to deliver APC candidates.

    He stated that no matter the use of the army and SARS personnel by the APC-led Federal Government, Rivers state would never be conquered.

    The governor said: “I anticipated it. I tried to let the world know that these are the plans of the security agencies.

    ”In all my political career, I have never experienced this kind of invasion by security agencies. What causes violence is when you give certain persons undue advantage.

    ”Be assured that we are resisting it. It may take our lives, but we will resist it to the last. That is what is expected, when you are fighting for freedom. You must make sacrifices.

    ”It is unfortunate that we are congratulating the opposition for winning in Ghana, but here the military men are directly involved in rigging and hijacking of electoral materials.”

    “They say they want to give Rivers State Governor problems, but you are not giving Rivers State Governor problems, you are giving Nigeria problems.”

    Wike said he had informed an unnamed National Commissioner of INEC and the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the commission in Rivers state, Aniedi Ikoiwak, of the problems in Khana and Gokana LGAs, with an assurance that action would be taken.

    The governor, yesterday evening in Port Harcourt, through his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, said: “Soldiers arrested and brutalised Emohua Local Government Caretaker Chairman, in a bid to rig. Military invades Emohua, arrests John Wokoma, CTC Chairman, Emohua LGA, whisks him away to unknown destination. Operation led by Col Ali of the Army, claiming instructions from Brigade Commander. Nigerian Army stops announcement of Emohua results already collated.

    “Andoni LGA collation centre at Ngo (council’s headquarters), collation completed, PDP in clear victory, INEC abruptly declares original result sheets missing.”

  • Update: Rivers East Senatorial results

    Results from Rivers East according to the LGAs shows that in OGU/BOLO LGA, APC scored a total of 1,844 votes, PDP scored 4.578.

    In PORT HARCOURT LGA, APC polled 9,618 votes, while PDP got 28,305.

    Also in OKIRIKA LGA APC had 1,352 and PDP 2,994. In OMUMA LGA, APC had 3,052 and PDP 5,606 votes.

    In ETCHE APC scored 1,258 and PDP 6,926. In OBIO/AKPOR APC 10,630 while PDP scored 29,282.

    Total votes for APC is 27,754 while PDP is 77,691.

    Results Ikwerre and Emuoha LGAs are still being awaited.

  • Rivers Rerun election updates

    Rivers Rerun election updates

    Wike alleges killing of two PDP agents in Ogoni by security agents

    *Bomb blasts in Kalabari, poll shifted;

    *Shootout in Khana, Etche LGAs.

    Bisi Olaniyi

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has alleged that two agents of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were shot dead in Bodo-Ogoni in Gokana Local Government Area of the state, by security agents.

    The mobile line of the Rivers Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), was not available for reaction to the allegation.

    There were also bomb blasts in Abonnema-Kalabari, the headquarters of Akuku-Toru LGA of the state, with elections in the area postponed till Sunday.

    Hoodlums equally engaged security personnel in heavy shootout in Bori, the traditional headquarters of Ogoniland and the seat of Khana LGA of the state and other parts of the LGA, with gunshots also recorded in Etche LGA.

     

    Gunshots by thugs in police uniform in Ogoni

    Bisi Olaniyi

    There were sporadic gunshots this afternoon by thugs in police uniform in Bodo-Ogoni, the hometown of the Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), Chief Kenneth Kobani, in Gokana Local Government Area of the state.

    The shooting took place at St. Pius College of the crude oil and gas-rich Bodo, when accreditation and voting were about to commence.

    The voters  and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) scampered for safety when the security agents were overwhelmed.

    PDP, APC supporters clash at Peterside’s community

    Supporters of the People Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, have clashed at Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the LGA of the Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASSA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside.

    At least, three youths, believed to be members of the APC have been injured. As at the time of this update, the cause of the free for all is unknown, but it may not be unrelated to the issues of intimidation.

    When Contacted Peterside said, “Opobo/Nkoro is peace generally now. We observed that they imported some people from outside the LGA.”

    “Election for one unit was hijacked by some boys, but the security agencies have recovered it. That materials have arrived and it is going orderly for now.”

    Result sheet not available in Amaechi’s ward

    There is confusion in the polling unit of the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi over the whereabouts of the result sheet for the rerun election.
    Accreditation was initially delayed for hours due to claims by the polling officers that they did not have the result sheet and was awaiting one from their superior officer.
    However, when the senior officer showed up, he said he had earlier signed one allocated to the ward in Unit 14 in Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government area.
    In the confusion that arose over the claims and counter claims, voters who had lined up for long attempted to assault the polling officers but peace was restored by security officers.
    The Minister along with other voters were still waiting for the exercise to commence at the time of this report

    GOC denies Rivers PDP chairman’s  alarm on killing, mass arrest in Ogoni

    Bisi Olaniyi

    The General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the newly-created 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Maj.-Gen. Kasimu Abdulkarim, has described as false, the alarm raised by the Rivers State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Felix Obuah, on the alleged killing and mass arrest of members of the party by soldiers in Tai-Ogoni and Gokana-Ogoni Local Government Areas of the state.

    Maj.-Gen. Abdulkarim, in a telephone interview at 11:34 a.m. admonished all right-thinking Rivers people and other stakeholders to ignore the lies of Obuah and other leaders of the PDP.

    The GOC said: “It (Obuah’s allegation) is not true. Let them not create conflict within a conflict. Nobody should raise any alarm. I have just returned to the office in Port Harcourt, from monitoring the elections, which have been peaceful and the voters are orderly.

    “I was with the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Operations), Habila Joshak, when the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, called him to know the security situation on the ground and he (DIG) told IGP that everywhere was very calm and the electorate exercising their franchise. I do not know why they will cry wolf, where there is none.”

    Rivers PDP chairman, at 10:38 a.m. today, raised the alarm on the killing and mass arrest of members of the ruling party in Ogoniland by soldiers.

    Obuah said: “PDP in Rivers State condemns Nigerian Army’s arrest and killing of members of PDP in Tai and Gokana LGAs. The soldiers arrested over 200 PDP members in Tai LGA, 12 innocent PDP members were shot and one member of the party was killed in Tai LGA.

    “Barako community in Gokana LGA was also invaded by soldiers, scores of PDP members were arrested.”

    END.

     

    Election: Voting commences

    Voting has commenced in Rivers re-run legislative election taking place in eight Local Government Areas.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that accreditation and voting began at 8.30am in Wards 10 and 16 of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area.

    At Ward 16, unit 1, a voter, Mr Christian Aniakor, said the process was peaceful, cordial and smooth.

    “ I voted at 8.35 am. It was a peaceful exercise and I am impressed with the security arrangement, early arrival of election materials.

    “ This has indeed, reduced the pre-election tension which made it look as if it will be bloody,” he said.

    Mr Jeffrey Chuku, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agent at the Ward, said he was impressed with the conduct of the election in the area.

    “ We are satisfied with the conduct of the election in the ward. It has been peaceful so far,” he said.

    M Chibuike Maraihe, All Progressives Congress (APC) agent at the ward said, the election began early and had been peaceful.

    “ I am impressed with the conduct of the election in the ward. The exercise has been free and fair here and as you can see, there is heavy security presence in the ward,” he said.

    At Ward 10, Unit 12, Mr Edmund, Naaku, the agent of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), said though voter turn-out had not been much, voting commenced at 8.55am.

    “ My take is that the exercise here has been peaceful. We have not recorded much voter turn-out. I am optimistic people will come to vote later in the day,” he said.

    NAN also reports that the card reader machine was used to accredit voters while the incident form was used in units where the card reader did not function.

    INEC Presiding Officers in the wards said the election had been peaceful and smooth.

    In Akuku-Toru Local government Area, materials arrived late in the five units where election will hold.

    NAN reports that INEC officials had commenced distribution of materials to the affected units while voter turn-out was impressive. (NAN)
    No elections in many parts of Obio/Akpor
    Clarice Azuatalam

    The rerun election is not taking place in many areas of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

    In Elelenwo and Eneka areas, no election was seen going on.

    An INEC source said that voting in the LGA had already been concluded in the March 19 rerun election and their representatives for state and house of representatives have been sworn into office.

    Snatching of electoral materials: INEC cancels election unit

    Bisi Olaniyi,

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State, Aniedi Ikoiwak, has announced the cancellation of the rerun in Unit 3, Ward 9 of Ogu, the headquarters of Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of the state, over snatching of electoral materials by hoodlums.

    Ogu borders Ogoniland and Okrika, the headquarters of Okrika LGA of the state, where Dame Patience, the wife of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and a former militant leader, Ateke Tom, hail from.

    PDP chairman raises the alarm on alleged arrest, killing of members by soldiers

    -Army yet to respond

    Bisi Olaniyi,

    Rivers State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Felix Obuah, has raised an alarm on the arrest and killing of many members of the party by soldiers in Tai-Ogoni and Gokana-Ogoni Local Government Areas of the state

    Obuah said: “PDP in Rivers State condemns Nigerian Army’s arrest and killing of members of PDP in Tai and Gokana LGAs. The soldiers arrested over 200 PDP members in Tai LGA, 12 innocent PDP members were shot and one member of the party was killed in Tai LGA.

    “Barako community in Gokana LGA was also invaded by soldiers, scores of PDP members were arrested.”

    The Spokesman of the newly-created 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Col. Timothy Antigha, was immediately contacted to react to the allegations, but he was yet to do so at the time of this report.

    Govt. never planned to use drones to monitor rerun elections-Commissioner

    The Rivers Commissioner for Information, Dr Austin Tam-George, has described as untrue comments in some quarters that the state government plans to deploy drones to monitor the rerun elections in the state.

    He told Newsmen in Okrika on Saturday that the Nyesom Wike-led government was deeply interested in ensuring free, peaceful and credible legislative rerun elections.

    “That is a lie, we never contemplate using drones to monitor the elections, we are interested in following, casting our votes and ensuring they count,’’ he said.

    He said that the People Democratic Party had directed its members to be peaceful but vigilante.

    “We are opposed to violence and electoral criminality, we will only use peace and legitimate means to ensure that nothing illegal happens,’’ he said.(NAN)

    Turnout impressive, election peaceful in Bera, Gokana LGA

    The Rivers legislative rerun election has commenced peacefully in the state with a massive turnout of voters in Gokana Local Government Area of the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the exercise in being conducted in the three Senatorial districts for senatorial seats.

    The rerun is also held in eight Federal Constituencies for the House of Representatives seats and 10 State Constituencies for state assembly seats.

    In Bera Ward 16, Gokana LGA, the turnout was early and massive while the election materials arrived at 8.30 a.m.

    NAN also reports that card readers are working well in all the 16 polling units of Bera Ward 16 in local government area visited.

    The accreditation and voting started simultaneously at exactly 9.11a.m in all the units of Bera Ward 16.

    NAN further reports that all the polling units in the local government were organised in the Community Secondary School, Bera.

    The agency reports that voters were coordinated but under the heavy presence of the security operatives.

    All Progressives Congress (APC) and All Progressives Grand Alliance agents were seen in each of polling units in the Ward 16. (NAN)

    Long day expected, as electoral materials leave rack centre in Ogoni late

    Bisi Olaniyi reports: Long day is expected today’s (Saturday) during the legislative rerun across the three senatorial districts of Rivers State, as electoral materials are just leaving (at 9.40 a.m.) the rack centre in Ogale-Ogoni in Eleme Local Government Area of the state.

    The security situation in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital, and Ogoniland is commendable, with heavy deployment of soldiers, policemen, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agents, in order to ensure free, fair, peaceful and credible elections in the 1,840 polling units in all the 23 LGAs of the hitherto volatile Niger Delta state.

  • #RiversRerun: Updates on Rivers elections

    #RiversRerun: Updates on Rivers elections

  • Anambra Central’s long-delayed rerun poll

    Sir: At the end of the Anambra Central Senatorial poll held during the 2015 general elections, Mrs. Uche Ekwunife, the then candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. On December 7, 2015, six months after she was sworn in, the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu nullified her election and ordered that a rerun be conducted within 90 days from the date the judgement was delivered.

    The rerun poll which ought to have held on March 5, was postponed indefinitely by INEC, after an Abuja High Court suddenly gave a ruling compelling it to include the PDP, as against the judgement of the Court of Appeal that disqualified the party and its candidate. The Appeal Court had barred Ekwunife from participating in the rerun election it ordered on the ground that she was not validly nominated by the PDP through a properly conducted primary.

    What that meant was that PDP had no valid candidate for the initial election and so could not be part of the rerun ordered by the court. INEC refusal to allow PDP or accept new contestant from any party for the rerun poll was based on an already decided case where the Supreme Court ruled that only candidates and political parties that were part of an annulled election can participate when a repeat of the exercise is ordered.

    The same scenario had played out in Kogi East and Kogi Central senatorial districts, where the two Senators elected on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) had their elections quashed by the Appellate Court and they were disallowed from being part of the ordered rerun, due to the same reason for which Ekwunife was disqualified. INEC has since conducted the rerun elections in those two senatorial districts (Kogi Central and Kogi East) without APC participating. The two reruns went in favour of the PDP.

    But the same PDP which profited from a similar judgement elsewhere is insisting that it must be allowed to present a candidate for the Anambra Central rerun and has instituted different cases that are delaying the conduct of the exercise. Former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, who was not an aspirant in the first election, is the man PDP wants to field as its candidate for the rerun. Ekwunife who had left PDP and attempted to secure APC ticket to no avail for the rerun poll is currently in Supreme Court asking for the reversal of the Court of Appeal judgement that sacked her, even when by the law of the land, National Assembly election matters end in the Appellate Court.

    In all of these calculated moves to unnecessarily prolong and frustrate the conduct of rerun in Anambra Central, the people of the senatorial district are being denied representation in the highest legislative body of the country. As a result, there has been nobody speaking for the people of the zone in the Senate. The 2016 budget was passed without a Senator from Anambra Central pushing for the inclusion of developmental projects and programmes for the benefit of the senatorial district. 2017 budget would soon be presented to the National Assembly. What is the fate of the Anambra Central people?

     

    • Michael Jegede,

    Abuja.

  • How to avert violence during rerun, by Wike

    How to avert violence during rerun, by Wike

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said that the legislative rerun sheduled for tomorrow will not be marred by violence if the electoral commission conducts a free and fair poll.

    He alleged that there was an agenda against Rivers State, warning the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies against taking sides with any political party.

    Wike, who spoke in Port-Harcourt, the state capital, on the preparation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the poll, described Rivers as the stronghold of the ruling party.

    He said: “We are ready for the election. But, our complaint is that there is an arrangement by the INEC to allocate seats to an interested party. The APC cannot win any seat in Rivers State for now because there is no achievement by the Federal Government to use for campaign. What’s the percentage of the APC in Rivers?”

    Wike said the PDP has approached the people to vote for its candidates, based on the performance of his administration.

    The governor said the misuse of the security agencies and the recruitment of party chieftains as polling officers could lead to violence on poll day.

    He said it was wrong for the police command to attach security details to the All Progresssives Congress (APC) leaders without extending the same gesture to their PDP counterparts.

    Wike complained that he has been a target of victimisation, blackmail and propaganda by the opposition, ahead of the poll, without justification.

    The governor said he had written to the Inspector General of Police about the threat by some unnamed suspects to kill him.

    He described himself as a popular governor, saying: “If I work on the street, people will come out to cheer me. It gives me joy. People appreciate what we are doing. There is no part of the state that is not benefitting from our projects.”

    Wike maintained that violence can only be averted, if the laid down electoral rules are strictly adhered to by the electoral agency, security agencies and other stakeholders.

     

     

  • Anxiety in Rivers over rerun

    Anxiety in Rivers over rerun

    In Rivers State, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are strategising towards winning the  December 10 legislative rerun across the three senatorial districts. BISI OLANIYI writes on the controversies, intrigues and power play.

    Rivers State has been enveloped in anxiety, following the allegation by a group, Ken Saro-Wiwa Associate, that Governor Nyesom Wike and other ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders had concluded arrangements to bomb the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the four Ogoni Local Government Areas of Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme. Thus, fears are rife that the December 10 legislative rerun may be marred by violence.

    The group’s national coordinator, Gani Topba, alleged a plot to cause confusion that would again lead to the postponement of the elections.

    Wike, through one of his allies, Sidney Tambari Gbara, who is the Chairman of PDP in Khana LGA, has denied the allegation .

    The INEC has fixed July 30 for the poll, but it was postponed till October because the electoral commission’s office in Bori-Ogoni was set ablaze by unknown persons on July 22.

    The APC candidate in the Rivers Southeast Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe, is seen by most stakeholders as Wike’s main headache because of the 2019 governorship battle. Abe is a potential governorship aspirant.

    The governor is making efforts to ensure that the Bera-Ogoni, Gokana LGA-born Abe, who was the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) in the 7th National Assembly, does not return to the Senate.

    The campaign office of Abe in Bori was recently bombed by unknown persons.

    Wike, however, claimed that Abe and other APC leaders would not pose threat to the PDP candidates: “We defeated them before and we will defeat them again, he said.”

    An APC chieftain, Hon. Ojukaye Flag-Amachree, alleged that the PDP was planning to arrest opposition figures.

    Flag-Amachree, a former Chairman of Asari-Toru (Kalabari) council, was arrested on April 19 over allegation of murder in his LGA during last year’s general elections.

    He said: “While I was still in detention, they made all efforts to make sure that I defected to the PDP and assured me that they would withdraw all the charges against me and at the same time make some offers. I told some of them, but I cannot start calling their names, that the essence of my whole political life, is not just because of what I will gain or any personal benefit, but based on principle.”

    Wike has accused the Commissioner of Police, Francis Odesanya, of allegedly approving 10 riot policemen for Flag-Amachree, who he said was standing trial for murder.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Aniedi Ikoiwak, who assured that the rerun would be free, fair and credible, disclosed that the elections would hold in 1,840 polling units across the 23 LGAs.

    Ikoiwak said the bulk of the voting on December 10 would be in seven LGAs of Andoni, Akuku-Toru, Bonny, Etche, Ikwerre, Khana and Gokana, while giving assurance that INEC would not take sides.

    The REC said that the electoral commission was not recruiting ad hoc staff for the rerun, stressing that the ad hoc staff used during elections were recruited from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and other federal agencies.

    The PDP has the 25 of 32 seats so far declared in the Rivers House of Assembly. The only elected APC lawmaker, Victoria Nyeche, of Port Harcourt Constituency 1, is yet to be inaugurated, in spite of a court order, based on Wike’s directive to the leadership of the House of Assembly.

    The PDP is also occupying the three declared seats of the House of Representatives, out of 13. Rivers currently has no senator in the National Assembly. The senatorial elections will hold in Rivers Southeast, Rivers East and Rivers West districts.

    The 23 LG caretaker chairmen and members belong to the PDP and they would want to deliver their areas by hook or crook, but the leadership of the APC vowed that rigging would be resisted on December 10.

    The governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, who chairs the Rivers APC Campaign Council, during its November 30, inauguration in Abuja by the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, assured that the candidates of the APC would emerge victorious on Saturday.

    The governor and the APC also disagreed on campaign schedules.

    Wike claimed that members of Rivers APC had refused to campaign, in view of the assurances from INEC and the security agencies that the elections would be manipulated in their favour.

    The governor stated that the plot to rig the polls would come to naught, because the people were vigilant and would not be intimidated by the illegal use of security agents to aid INEC to rig.

    Wike said: “They (APC members in Rivers State) have refused to campaign because they have received assurances of rigging.

    “The man who plans to hijack materials, how many heads does he have? Rivers people must stand up to defend their votes.”

    APC Publicity Secretary Chris Finebone however, maintained that the candidates of the party were busy campaigning across the three senatorial districts.

    “As the rerun approach, it seems to be dawning on the governor that times have changed.

    “Today, some of the Supreme Court justices that Wike compromised to get favourable judgment are standing trial, while others are under intense investigation by security agents.

    “The result of the present situation is that the cowardly Wike is feeling totally vulnerable and jittery. In his helplessness, the governor has resorted to crude blackmail against all stakeholders.”

    Wike, claimed that the 600 policemen in the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) have already been assigned to prominent APC leaders by Odesanya, on local government basis, allegedly for the indiscriminate arrest of PDP supporters, few days to the elections.

    Odesanya, accused the governor of mere propaganda and deception, saying that he never met with any APC leader on how to rig the rerun.

    The APC Chairman, Chief Davies Ikanya, also alerted that the state governor and other members of the PDP were planning to deploy fake soldiers and policemen during the rerun.

    He alleged that Wike had made many NYSC uniforms, complete with APC tags, which PDP thugs would wear and thumbprint ballot papers on the day of the elections, to implicate the APC.

    The governor, however, alleged that the police high command, through the state’s Commander of SARS, Mr. Akin Fakorede, has distributed SARS personnel to APC candidates and chieftains for the rerun.

    He claimed that the SARS personnel were assigned to the APC’s candidates and chieftains for the purpose of snatching election materials and the intimidation of PDP supporters.

    Wike wondered why politicians, who were expected to stay away from polling units, would be allocated SARS personnel to cause electoral violence.

    Giving a breakdown of some of the APC leaders allocated the SARS personnel, the governor claimed that Rivers East candidate, Chief Andrew Uchendu, was allocated 27 men; Ojukaye Flag-Amachree – 10 men; APC’s candidate for Okrika/Ogu-Bolo federal constituency, Maureen Tamuno – 10 men, while Azubuike Wanjoku, Ogbonna Nwuke and Barry Mpigi, all APC’s candidates, were allocated 10 policemen each.

    He alleged that the Rivers police command, after allocating policemen to APC candidates, left all PDP candidates for the same polls without security, stressing that the resolution to use security personnel for rigging the rerun would not succeed in the state, noting that the youths would stand to defend their votes.

    Wike said: “Despite these fraudulent allocation of security personnel to APC candidates, I urge our people to remain vigilant and not to be afraid.

    ”Our youths should follow the electoral process from the beginning to the end. Defend your votes and the mandates of the people of Rivers State.”

    The governor also said he decided to take it upon himself to release critical information garnered through confirmed intelligence, for the sake of credible and violence-free polls.

    The APC, however, expressed surprise about the decision of Wike to take special interest in scrutinising precautionary personal security arrangements by candidates of the APC, ahead of the rerun.

    The party stated that it was shocking that the Rivers governor went to town, reeling out names of alleged security agents protecting APC candidates, claiming that the security agents would be used to cause electoral mischief, particularly for snatching of ballot boxes, which was described as ridiculous, untrue and worrisome.

    APC said: “The Rivers governor should not be bothered about security arrangements people make for themselves, in the face of general insecurity that presently pervades our once peaceful state, now under his watch.

    “It is all too well known that he (Wike) lacks the moral ground to genuinely fight insecurity, having caused it ab initio. It is highly suspicious that a governor will climb a political soapbox and start reeling out names of security agents attached to his political opponents.”

    The party also condemned Wike’s continued blackmail of stakeholders, except himself and PDP, stressing that immunity in public office had expiry date.

    APC also revealed why the governor was fighting President Muhammadu Buhari; Amaechi; and other leaders of the APC.

    It alleged that Wike was plotting to undermine Buhari’s administration, thereby weakening and destroying the APC, before the 2019 general elections.

    The opposition party noted that the plot by the governor involved unrelenting campaigns against Amaechi, a former governor and other chieftains of the APC.

    APC said: “In the latest manifestation of the plot, Wike and the Rivers State government paid a whopping $1.5 million to a movie producer to produce and syndicate fabricated video clips on how Amaechi and the Rivers Commissioner of Police purportedly plan to rig the December 10 legislative rerun in the state. Such a rigging plot exists only in the demented mind of Wike and other Rivers PDP leaders.  

    “The desperation of the members of the factionalised PDP to demonise and bring down Amaechi is callous, vindictive, wicked, diversionary and the height of betrayal.

    “We are aware of the fact that Wike and the PDP are desperate to pull down Amaechi, so to ensure that our expected impact during the forthcoming Rivers rerun legislative elections is reduced to the barest minimum. By reducing the influence of Amaechi and ridiculing him, the target of destroying APC and the Presidency of Buhari will be easily achieved.”

    The opposition party insisted that Wike and other members of the PDP were not ready for the rerun, making them to opt for blackmail, as a way of escape the defeat that awaited them on December 10.

    It said: “This initial plot hatched in Wike’s office at the Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt was to contract a popular movie producer in the Nollywood industry to assemble different clips of the Transportation Minister at different times, saying things as someone negotiating a price with some people. The idea was to project the minister as if he was asking judges to pervert justice, but the plot was later abandoned, when the affected judges were contacted.

    “The embattled judges were said to have vehemently opposed the idea, which they said might backfire. The governor’s hatchet men and spin doctors, who were worried that they might be asked to refund the money approved for the project, then suggested the idea of implicating the Rivers Commissioner of Police and the top echelon of the police in the state.

    “The video of a meeting between APC chieftains will be aired, with someone speaking in the Rivers Police Commissioner’s voice, purportedly showing them discussing plans on how to rig the forthcoming rerun elections. We wish to alert the general public to watch out, as a concocted video clip aimed at throwing mud at the Police Commissioner in Rivers State is set to be uploaded on different platforms, including YouTube.”

    The APC also asked the state’s governor and other members of the PDP to leave alone President Buhari, the transportation minister and other leaders of the party, but to concentrate their efforts on rescuing their drowning party, for Nigerians to have a virile opposition, not the one that was perpetually factionalised.

    But, Wike berated the leadership of INEC for allegedly releasing a list of ad hoc staff, with APC ward chairmen and secretaries as Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs), while charging PDP members in Rivers to resist “politically-engineered” arrests

    He claimed that majority of the APC ward chairmen and secretaries listed as APOs were fraudulently tagged staff of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).

    He said: “They think that my love for peace is a sign of weakness, but I want to declare that enough is enough. We are supposed to be under an era of change, but the love for fraud by INEC and police is unprecedented

    “Anyone whose son or daughter is on the fraudulent INEC list should tell him/her to stay away on election day.

    ”All these desperate actions are geared towards the plot to rig in favour of particular candidates, but the candidates will not win. Rivers people must be allowed to vote persons of their choice.”

    Wike also alleged that the security agencies were working with APC leaders to release fake police and army uniforms to thugs for electoral fraud.

    He said: “Nobody should intimidate you with security agents. Resist any arrest. You must move round in groups to promote resistance of the robbers of mandates.

    “They are threatening that I will be the first governor they will assassinate. They are threatening that they will show me that they are security agencies, but I will always protect the interest of Rivers State, no matter the threats.”

    The REC, however, described the governor’s allegations as untrue, while cautioning him against reckless and provocative statements that could heighten tension, insisting that there would be no election in Tai-Ogoni LGA.

    Wike fired back, declaring that during the March 19 rerun that INEC suspended elections in eight LGAs of the state, including Tai, only for the same electoral commission to wake up four months later to allegedly concoct results in favour of the APC.

  • Rivers governor’s comment on rerun dangerous, says INEC

    Rivers governor’s comment on rerun dangerous, says INEC

    The  Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has condemned Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike for accusing the commission of conniving with some people to rig next Saturday’s rerun in the state.

    INEC said the governor’s comment was dangerous and capable of inciting the people to commit violence.

    Wike had accused INEC of releasing a list of ad hoc workers of allegedly being dominated by All Progressives Congress (APC).

    According to him, INEC included an APC ward chairman and ward secretaries as assistant presiding officers.

    But in a statement by its Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Oyekanmi, INEC said: ”The commission condemns, in very strong terms, the relentless false allegations, provocative and dangerous comments being made by some political actors, especially the Governor of River State, Mr. Nyesom Wike, against the commission, all of which are capable of inciting people to commit violent acts that could derail the election.

    “We appeal to stakeholders to henceforth refrain from making pronouncements that could either overheat the state or instigate their followers to violence. We also appeal to all the political parties and their supporters to abide by extant laws governing the electoral process.

    “We wish to reassure all Nigerians that the commission will remain impartial and committed to conducting credible, fair and transparent elections at all times.”

  • Rivers rerun and do-or-die politics

    The treasure base of the nation, Rivers will on December 10 host the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in respect of rerun elections into the National Assembly which was earlier quashed by the court. Major contenders emanated from the two dominant political parties in the country; All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples’ Democratic Party (Party).  And as notoriously known of the metropolis, tensions, threats of brimstones, of bury alive, of slay and dry, of cultists’ annihilations and others have continued to gather momentum. Luckily, Ondo State governorship election held on Saturday November 26, has set a positive precedent that elections can actually be conducted in a civilized manner instead of opting up for bizarre. The electorates, candidates and the electoral officials proved to the world that Nigeria is no longer a nascent democracy. The upcoming election in Rivers must not witness further bloodshed or grotesquely odd remarks. Violence, forcefulness or belligerency is never a characteristic of democracy as peddled to some folks in some quarters. Succinctly, it is intellectual pursuit for power, and definably, the act of selecting the representatives of the people in free and fair manners purposely for good governance.

    Elections ought to not be a do or die affair as witnessed in previous elections in the state to an extent that a prominent indigene under the cloak of political bullying was beheaded and displayed as Olympic Cup’s trophy. Undeniably, this is symptomatic of psychosis. What an inhumanity to man; parading a fellow human’s head in pool of blood publicly on account of mere political affiliations – APC, PDP, APGA, AD, Labour or any other party? Imagine the trauma and fate of the family the beheaded-politician left behind, and numerous others that lost lives during political struggles between APC and PDP rivals.

    Today, the two arrowheads, Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi and the state governor, Nyesom Wike are believably akin to then Iraq and Iran; while the grassroots parochially fight for them, crossing boundaries and cutting down barriers, unknown to them, by the indisputable feature of our politics, they may be later witness the two leaders eventually in one party dining together in the nearest future. All it may take is just a closed-door meeting in a five star hotel in United Kingdom or United States of America with few other bigwigs. At that point, those that grossly bullied opponents, beheaded fellow indigenes, killed political opponents, kidnapped or committed other atrocities of intimidation will be left alone. The deeds by then had been already done and cannot be reversed. Or does anyone assume that Amaechi and Wike will remain in opposing political parties for life? Absolutely not. Rivers people should emulate the people of Ondo State and maintain amity and decorum. Whoever wins is a victory for democracy and for the state. Enough of political extremism, mediocrity, terrorization, hedonism and debauchery!

    At the moment, the state is administratively under Governor Wike’s control, and therefore, should as the political leader proactively douse all the political tensions in the state. Politics is not a do or die affair and political statements must reflect maturity, decency and administrative know-hows. What is vital is to conduct a free and fair election. No political party ever emerged both a winner and loser at the same time and any democracy must be characterized by victory and defeat. The finest priority any selfless leader could set on motion is to ensure that the will of the people take superiority in sync with Section 14 (2) (b) of the 1999 Nigeria’s Constitution which provides that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government”. Hence, any government that creates unwarranted scenes that are inconsistent is anti-people, anti-democracy and agent of destruction. Some roads particularly inner roads even in Port Harcourt are, for instance in horrible shapes and some deserted by owners of the properties within the area due to inaccessibility alongside other amenities in shambles. The resources for arming political thugs could be judiciously channeled to that direction. At this juncture, violence-free election mantra should be amplified by the leaders from both sides rather than incitingly making the people misappropriate values on anyhow victories just for peanuts. Any adventures that recklessly waste human lives are calamitous. Democracy itself is strictly centered on people’s wellbeing, improvement and empowerment, and never programmed for obliteration. Rivers residents must shun all aberrations knowing that all political parties in the country are identical including manifestoes. Hence, politicking must be conducted within the ambits of civility and laws.

    Regrettably, the same politicians that make things happen today in a particular party may defect and assume leadership positions in another without consultation or even intimating the grassroots aficionadas. If violence-free election could be witnessed in Ondo, it can be done in Rivers too. All the public funds earmarked to service and make thugs combatant-ready from both sides should be converted for their empowerment particularly as recession has dealt a big blow on low income earners. Above all, imperative to note that lethal weapons provided to thugs, mercenaries and feasible assassins during elections are rarely withdrawn same way ‘giving a cup of water to a monkey is no big deal but to retrieve it’. Without a doubt, political leaders could maximally protect themselves with security aides, drive in bullet-proofs, and sleep in-between combatant soldiers with latest sophisticated security gadgets. However, their helpless relatives, friends and colleagues might be the victims of attacks with these weapons after the election. Let all stakeholders keep to the rules of the game.  A fascinating attribute of democracy is time limit; whoever wins has a specified period in office, thus, needless of do or die.

     

    • Umegboro is a public affairs analyst and publisher.
  • Anambra Central rerun: Umeh pleads for patience

    Anambra Central rerun: Umeh pleads for patience

    The candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the Anambra Central rerun, Chief Victor Umeh, has appealed for calm and patience.

    The former past National Chairman of APGA, assured that the rerun would hold, despite politician’s antics to frustrate the conduct of the exercise with frivolous court cases.

    The rerun fixed March 5  was postponed indefinitely by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enable it appeal an Abuja High Court ruling compelling it to include the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the judgement of the Court of Appeal that disqualified the party and its candidate from participating.

    The APGA candidate said: “What played out in Anambra Central was what played out in Kogi East and Kogi Central Senatorial districts.

    The PDP challenged conduct at the tribunal on the ground that they did conduct primaries. And the elections were nullified and their candidates were also disqualified by the Court of Appeal.

    He said the rerun had  been concluded in Kogi East and Kogi Central senatorial districts.

    Umeh said: “In the case of Anambra Central, PDP doesn’t want to give up. Their candidate has also gone to the Supreme Court, I mean their then candidate, who is no longer a PDP member, had gone to the Supreme Court to seek reinstatement, even when the final court that handles National Assembly matters is the Court of Appeal.

    “So, they are doing everything to deny the people of Anambra Central the right of representation. Why PDP is struggling to be part of an election they are already out of the way, their candidate who was disqualified by the Court of Appeal is also struggling to get reinstated outside the provisions of the law.

    “They’ve boasted openly that since they can no longer occupy that senatorial seat that nobody will occupy it until 2019. And they are working hard to frustrate the Court of Appeal from hearing the Appeals pending at the Court of Appeal against the judgement of the High Court that ordered that PDP should take part in a rerun after their candidate has been disqualified.

    ‘They are doing everything to frustrate the progress of the matter at the Court of Appeal. For me, I feel so bad because there are so much to be done for our people using that opportunity. But they have no option other than to be patient. I am urging them to be calm and patient. The antics of those causing this unnecessary delay will be exhausted very soon.”

    He explained that Ekwunife’s adventurous appeal at the Supreme Court, was argued on the November 14, noting that the Supreme Court has reserved judgement for  February 10 next year.

    “If on that day the Supreme Court upholds the law and puts her case to rest, that distraction will be completely over; her own distraction will be over. Then we will accelerate action on the pending appeal at the Court of Appeal for which they have gone on an interlocutory appeal to the Supreme Court. So, God willing and God being our helper all those protracted issues will be resolved. And the election will be conducted by God’s grace.

    Umeh added: “I know the good people of Anambra Central are missing a lot already, because if I have been there before now, the story would have completely changed. But they must know that anything that will be good, before it will come your way; you have to put up a very strong fight for it.

    “I am assuring them that even if it is two years that we are able to salvage in the current tenure they will see the difference, very big difference than what they have been seeing before. And like I have said before, they will just have to be patient because there is no alternative to doing what is lawful.

    “If we don’t fight all this brigandage that has been going on in Anambra State during elections – the manipulations they have been doing in this state, there will be no stop to it. So, by the time we go through the whole hog of this Anambra Central senatorial district issue, people will learn their lessons.

    “People will be prepared to submit themselves to the provisions of the law. Anybody who wants to contest election knows that there is no shortcut to obtaining the mandate to represent the people.

    “When elections are called in the future, people will be prepared to be vigilant and look at what the law say, keep yourself in line with the laws and go to the people to obtain your mandate, without keeping your hope in rigging elections, manipulating the security agencies and the INEC.”