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Tag: Rivers State

  • ‘Reject imposition of candidates in 2019’

    A governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Senator Magnus Abe, has called on the people of the state to reject any attempt by political godfathers to impose candidates on them, ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    Abe, according to his Spokesperson, Parry Benson, on Monday in Port Harcourt, made the call while addressing the people of Rivers Southeast Senatorial District, who reside in Diobu waterfronts in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.

    He reiterated that he declared his intention to vie as Rivers governor against the decision of supposed leaders of the APC, because he wanted things to be done differently, to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people.

    Abe, a former Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), admonished the people of his senatorial district and other Rivers electorate to shun all forms of financial inducement from moneybags, urging them to rather support individuals that would deliver on their promises and bring government closer to the people.

    The representative of Rivers Southeast senatorial district stated that the state was in dire need of development in many areas, but said it could not be achieved without the right leadership in place.

    He lauded his constituents for their kind support, while admonishing the large crowd of people from the riverine communities not to be intimidated.

    Read Also: Ahmed’s aide resigns, stays in APC

    Abe said: “I have no godfather, but I have God on my side. So, you must remain resolute in your support for what is right and for the APC and we shall win.”

    In his remarks, a former Rivers Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Worgu Boms, stressed that the 2019 elections would not be about ethnicity, but to be about the truth and capacity to deliver.

    Speaking on behalf of the Diobu waterfront residents, Eze Owabie Tobin, stressed that the people decided to support the governorship aspiration of Abe, because they believe in his ability to redeem his promise and bring development to Rivers state.

    Tobin said: “We have decided to support you, because we believe in your ability to develop the state and not to punish the poor people and allow them to continually live in abject poverty.”

    The leader of the delegation also urged Abe to learn from the mistakes of some administrations in the state, past and present, so that if elected as governor in 2019, he would run a transparent government.

    People from the waterfront communities unanimously endorsed the senator as their preferred candidate for the 2019 governorship election, while expressing sadness that successive administrations in Rivers state had not included the waterfront dwellers in their development agenda.

     

  • 2019: Will ‘Rivers of blood’ know peace?

    Rivers State in the Niger Delta, hitherto the hotbed of militancy, is now gaining notoriety for violence and thuggery. Our Southsouth Bureau Chief, Bisi Olaniyi, writes that all stakeholders must unite, cooperate and re-strategise to ensure peaceful general elections next year

    THE general elections between 1999 and 2003 were not so bloody in the three core states of the Niger Delta, namely: Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta, since Nigerians were just recovering from military rule, tyranny and dictatorship, with many politicians not sure that the transition to civilian rule would work, thereby making many competent and qualified persons to stay away from politics.

    The polls in 2003 were quite different, as the well-educated and decent persons, who earlier stayed away from politics, decided to throw their hats in the ring, with the then incumbent elective office holders, especially the governors, desperate to be re-elected, thereby allegedly purchasing arms and ammunition for mostly educated, but jobless youths, to work for them as thugs with the singular bid of rigging elections.

    With the pay reportedly irresistible, the “boys” took up arms against political opponents of their masters and their supporters, thereby “winning” the elections at all costs, but with some of the thugs also losing their lives in the process.

    Insiders confided that with the elections won and lost, the politicians who emerged “victorious” through thuggery did not bother about retrieving the guns. This, The Nation gathered, was the genesis of militancy in the Niger Delta, although disguised as a movement for the emancipation of the crude oil and gas-rich region.

    The supremacy war among the militants heightened in 2005, leading to the emergence of many “Generals.” While Chief Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo, was in charge in Delta State, Ebikabowei Victor Ben, aka General Boyloaf, was controlling the “boys” in the creeks of Bayelsa State. Rivers State had a former President of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, the leader of Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF) and Ateke Tom, who led Niger Delta Vigilance Movement, among others as leaders of the militant groups.

    Dokubo-Asari, an indigene of Buguma, the headquarters of Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, was almost in charge of the major militant camps in Rivers, but top Rivers State Government officials sponsored Ateke against him, for support during the 2007 elections.

    The former IYC President (Dokubo-Asari) was later arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), moved to Abuja and was put in an underground cell for many months before he was eventually released, in view of agitations and protests by prominent Niger Deltans and friends of the region.

    Dokubo-Asari also refused to accept the 2009 amnesty offer to repentant Niger Delta militants by the administration of the then President Umaru Yar’Adua, insisting that he and his teeming freedom fighters were not criminals. Shortly after his release from detention, the former President of IYC relocated to Benin Republic, where he established a university.

    Ateke’s base in Okrika was later destroyed by the military, when Rotimi Amaechi, now Transportation Minister, was governor of Rivers State, because the Ubima, Ikwerre LGA-born politicians declared that he would not have anything to do with criminals and militants, thereby chasing them out of town, with the leader of Niger Delta Vigilance Movement (Ateke) relocating to Lekki, Lagos.

    Ateke and his numerous militants eventually embraced the Federal Government’s amnesty offer and they surrendered their arms and ammunition at a colourful ceremony in Port-Harcourt.

    In 2014, Amaechi joined other progressive Nigerians to form the All Progressives Congress (APC), but his former Chief of Staff, Government House, Port-Harcourt (2007-2011), Nyesom Wike, who was the Director-General of Amaechi Governorship Re-election Campaign Organisation in 2011, and recommended by Amaechi after the 2011 polls to the then President Goodluck Jonathan, to be made the Minister of State for Education, showed interest in succeeding his boss (Amaechi).

    With federal might, sudden return of the chased-away militants, thuggery, violence, beheading and killing of no fewer than one thousand members of the APC, Wike, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was declared winner of the election, reportedly rigged massively but the governorship candidate of the APC, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, now the Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), approached the tribunal to contest the result. Wike eventually got victory at the Supreme Court on technical grounds.

    The apex court admitted that 2015 governorship election in Rivers State witnessed unprecedented violence and massive rigging, but posited that APC and Peterside could not call a witness from each of the polling units across the state, where the rigging took place, which was a Herculean task.

    Quite unforgettable during the governorship campaigns in early 2015 was the attack by fully-armed militants and thugs in Okrika, the headquarters of Okrika LGA of Rivers State, the hometown of the then First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, and Ateke, both of PDP, with Peterside and other APC leaders escaping death by a whisker, as the campaign was about to kick off, but the “boys” took over, shooting sporadically, while a policeman was killed in the process, with many journalists and others injured and their personal cars, other vehicles and other valuable property were either vandalised or burnt.

    The then Chairman of APC in Rivers State, Chief Davies Ikanya, stated that the Supreme Court had set a precedent with its judgment on the 2015 governorship election in Rivers State, with most politicians to prefer to win through massive rigging and violence, while the opponents could go to the tribunal or court, where it would be extremely difficult to get justice.

    After the 2015 elections, the Rivers of blood continued during the legislative reruns, with many innocent persons killed/beheaded, maimed or injured, while the electorate became scared of getting close to their polling units to exercise their franchise.

    Shortly after settling down as Rivers State Governor and as a way of expressing gratitude for the support during the campaigns and elections, Wike approved the appointment of Ateke as the King of Okochiri-Okrika.

    Some of the ex-militant “Generals” are currently members of the Rivers State House of Assembly (names withheld), while many of them are top officials of the Rivers State Government.

    In spite of having ex-militants in Rivers State Government, APC leaders vowed to unseat Wike in 2019, while the Rivers State Governor is to either seek reelection or become a running mate to one of the presidential candidates of PDP from the North, especially Aminu Tambuwal, since he reportedly sponsored the election of Prince Uche Secondus, an indigene of Andoni LGA of Rivers State, as the National Chairman of the main opposition party.

    The by-election controversy

    To confirm that the political rivalry may not stop in the near future is the intrigues that have trailed by-election for Port-Harcourt Constituency 3 in the Rivers House of Assembly. It would be recalled that recently, the representative of Port-Harcourt Constituency 3 in the Rivers House of Assembly, Victor Ihunwo, of the PDP, resigned in June this year to contest as Chairman of Port-Harcourt City Local Government Council, which he won.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State, Mr. Obo Effanga, an indigene Cross River State, therefore announced that the vacant

    Port-Harcourt Constituency 3 seat would be filled on August 18, through a by-election.

    But as leaders and members of APC were preparing for the by-election, the lawmaker representing Rivers Southeast Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe, a governorship aspirant on APC’s platform, decided on August 17 to inaugurate a parallel secretariat of the party at Waterlines Bus Stop on Aba Road, Port-Harcourt, which was earlier vandalised by hoodlums.

    The duly-elected Chairman of APC in Rivers State, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree, however, insisted that there was no faction in the state’s chapter of the party.

    Flag-Amachree stated that the activities of Abe were nothing to worry about, while admonishing loyal and committed members of APC to remain focused, while ignoring the distractions.

    The Director-General of the Free Rivers Development Initiative, Sampson Ngerebara, an engineer, who is a chieftain of APC and an ally of Amaechi, also disclosed that the only senator of the PDP in Rivers State, Osinakachukwu Ideozu, who was “elected” for the first time in 2015, is set to defect to the APC.

    Ngerebara, while speaking on a local radio station in Port-Harcourt, disclosed that in the next few days, Ideozu, the representative of Rivers West Senatorial District, would be joining in the APC, Senators Andrew Uchendu (Rivers East) and Abe, with Wike no longer having any senator, while more lawmakers and many top officials of Rivers State Government are also concluding arrangements to move to the APC.

    Rivers APC chairman said: “All through last week, there were heightened enquiries from the media, concerning the inauguration of what the journalists referred to as ‘parallel office’ of the APC in Rivers State. I want to use this opportunity to discountenance that suspicion and to clearly state that it is far from the truth.

    “Let me state for the umpteenth time that APC in Rivers State is not in factions and there is no basis to even conjecture that we will ever get to that situation. There were no parallel congresses of the APC in Rivers State, from the 319 wards, 23 Local Government Area congresses to the state congress.

    “Indeed, we believe that with party primaries drawing near, many aspirants to various offices under our party are already erecting campaign offices, in pursuance of their aspirations and no one can possibly fault that.

    “However, it must be stated that, given the possibility that some human beings may sometimes decide to act in unconscionable manner, should any attempt be made by anyone or group of persons to cause mischief, by deliberately naming campaign office as Rivers State APC secretariat, the leadership of the party will take deliberate steps, within the ambit of the law, to ensure that such malfeasance does not succeed.”

    Flag-Amachree also assured members of the public that Rivers APC is one, under the able leadership of the Minister for Transportation and himself, as the authentic state chairman.

    The face-off between Amaechi and Abe, an ex-Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG) in Amaechi’s administration, took a dangerous dimension on August 11, as yet-to-be-identified hoodlums, suspected to be political thugs, vandalised the senator’s parallel state secretariat.

    The parallel APC’s secretariat of Abe’s faction has a former Deputy Chairman of the party, Prince Peter Odike, as the Acting Chairman, while the duly-elected Rivers Chairman of APC (Flag-Amachree), is loyal to Amaechi, the leader of the party in the state and the Southsouth zone.

    Amaechi, the Director-General of Buhari/Osinbajo Re-election Campaign Organisation, recently declared that the governorship candidate of APC in the state for the 2019 election must come from the riverine part of the multi-ethnic state, to ensure even development, equity, justice and fairness, since Rivers governors since 1999 had been from the upland part of the state.

    Abe, an indigene of Bera-Ogoni in the upland part of the state, claimed that Rivers APC’s governorship ticket was zoned in 2015 to his senatorial district and yet to be changed, but it was immediately dismissed as a lie, by the party’s Deputy National Secretary, Chief Victor Giadom, from the same Bera-Ogoni as Abe.

    Besides Abe, who was a governorship aspirant of APC in 2015, there are other governorship aspirants in Rivers chapter of the party, namely: Dr. Dakuku Peterside, the party’s governorship candidate in 2015, Tonye Cole, the Chief Executive of Sahara Energy, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, an oil magnate, and AkpoBari Celestine, a renowned human and environmental rights activist.

    Wike’s allegations

    On August 17, Rivers governor, in a statewide broadcast, called on all eligible voters in the affected communities to come out en-masse, not only to vote for the party and candidate of their choice, but also to defend their votes and ensure their votes count.

    Wike said: “We have it on good authority that some failed politicians are planning to use cultists and political thugs to intimidate voters and attempt to disrupt the voting process.

    “I wish to reiterate that the Rivers State Government will not close its eyes to such thoughtless acts by any person or group of persons to deny our people their God-given right to freely and fairly elect their leaders. We shall not hesitate to apply the full weight and force of government and the law on any delinquent.

    “This election, important as it is, must not be taken as a do-or-die affair. I urge leaders of political parties and their candidates to advise their supporters to peacefully conduct themselves during and after the by-election.”

    Rivers governor also admonished all the persons who had no business with the election process to, in their own interest; keep their distance from the constituency during the duration of the by-election.

    Heavy gunshots, thuggery, violence and snatching of electoral materials, however, marred the by-election, with soldiers, policemen and other security personnel forcing residents to raise their hands on the streets of Port-Harcourt, the state capital, where the election took place.

    In spite of Rivers Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed’s announcement on August 17, during a news conference in Port-Harcourt that 1,500 policemen would be deployed for the poll, with the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS) and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCSC) also providing more personnel, the thugs were undeterred, as they unleashed mayhem, with many innocent persons critically injured.

    Candidates of four political parties took part in the by-election, but the real contest was between PDP’s Chiemeka Merukini and APC’s Mr. Dickens Worlu.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State, Mr. Obo Effanga, an indigene Cross River State, who earlier assured that the election would be free, fair and credible, stated in the morning of August 18 that the electoral materials were sent to all the polling units on time, stressing that he had assurances from the heads of security agencies in Rivers State that the poll would be peaceful.

    The polls took place in Rumuokowu, Ihuwo-Orogbu, Rumuokara-mati, Rumuelechi, Oro-obaziolu, Rumu-enyika, Rumuopareli, Rumuobiekwe, Rumukpalukwuozu, Rumuogbarawehu and Rumuwoji communities, all in Port-Harcourt, with Rivers Police Commissioner announcing restriction of human and vehicular movements from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., which was enforced by security personnel.

    Effanga, in the evening of August 18, announced the suspension of the by-election due to violence and irregularities.

    Rivers Publicity Secretary of APC, Chief Chris Finebone, however, insisted that members of the main opposition party (APC) were not involved in the violence and thuggery.

    He said: “The Rivers chapter of APC notes with sadness how the PDP resorted to large-scale violence across the units and wards of Port- Harcourt Constituency 3, State House of Assembly, during the by-election.

    “It is unfortunate that what should be a mere state constituency by-election witnessed unprecedented voter intimidation, harassment, vote-buying and shooting activated by PDP members, in line with their usual character of rigging elections through killing and maiming of APC members.

    “It is encouraging that the people of Port-Harcourt Constituency 3 stood their ground and resisted the intimidation by PDP leaders in the area. It signifies that PDP will no more have its way, as was the case in the past years.

    “The talk that the Rivers State Chairman of APC, Hon. Ojukaye Flag-Amachree, was engaged in any form of activity in the constituency during the election is mere façade created to mask the evil machinations of the PDP during the by-election.”

    The Chairman of the Rivers chapter of the PDP, Chief Felix Obuah, however, lauded INEC and its REC in Rivers State, for suspending the by-election.

    Obuah said: “I commend INEC for the suspension of the entire exercise (by-election), following the large-scale violence visited on the constituency by APC hoodlums and anti-democratic forces, with their collaborators in security agencies.”

    Rivers Chairman of APC urged INEC to lift the suspension and announce the results of the poll, won by APC.

    Flag-Amachree stated that the hasty decision of REC of INEC in Rivers State to suspend the by-election was disappointing, considering the fact that collation of the results had gone far at St. Andrew’s Primary School, Emenike Junction, Mile One, Diobu, Port-Harcourt.

    Chairman of the main opposition APC in Rivers said: “It is unfortunate that what should be a mere state constituency by-election witnessed pockets of voter intimidation, harassment, vote-buying and shooting, activated by the PDP, in line with the party’s members’ usual character of rigging elections through killing and maiming of APC members.

    “It is worthy of note that security agents gallantly rose to the occasion and effectively quelled the pockets of violence that threatened the by-election in some wards in Port-Harcourt Constituency 3, leading to the eventual collation of the results.

    “Members of APC in Rivers State want to believe that the suspension is to allow INEC’s officials to sort itself out and conclude the process accordingly. As a political party, APC is not questioning the judgment or discretionary powers of INEC to make decisions about the by-election. However, such decisions must strictly conform to relevant laws guiding the system and specifically do not include cancellation of a process that has commenced.

    “It is pertinent to remind INEC and reassure APC members and the public that, when it comes to any election process that has commenced, the powers of INEC end at suspension of the process for evaluation and eventual conclusion. Such powers do not include cancellation, as widely and erroneously peddled. It is only the tribunal or court that can decide on the cancellation of such a process, on approach by relevant stakeholders.

    “In view of the need to timeously conclude the by-election process and douse the anxiety of voters in the constituency, APC calls on INEC to swiftly and fairly do the needful and subsequently conclude the process and declare the result accordingly. It must be emphasised that INEC has no luxury of options over the matter, but to audit the process up to the collation stage, when the process was suspended and direct action towards bringing the process to a conclusion.”

    INEC explains

    INEC, however, described the violent disruption of the by-election as shameful, but lauded the Rivers Police Command for preventing a slip into chaos in Port-Harcourt Constituency 3, while Wike blamed the police for allegedly declaring war on Rivers State, but the governor hailed the electoral commission for its good organisation.

    The three RECs of INEC: Rivers (Effanga), Mike Igini (Akwa Ibom) and Cyril Omoregbe (Bayelsa), who conducted the by-election, at a news conference in Port-Harcourt on August 19, expressed “gross” disappointment at the display of shamelessness by politicians and their supporters.

    Effanga accused political heavyweights of openly storming polling units with thugs and armed security personnel to disrupt the well-arranged and peaceful process.

    REC of INEC in Rivers said: “The commission, in full readiness for the by-election, deployed personnel and materials in the 142 polling units involved. However, midway, miscreants and hoodlums accompanied by heavily-armed security personnel in uniform stormed the various polling units and registration areas, disrupting voting activities, destroying and carting away election materials, including smart card readers and ballot boxes. In addition, many electoral officials were manhandled, injured and held hostage.”

    Igini, who represented INEC’s National Commissioner for Southsouth, disclosed that an official of the commission was stabbed, others beaten up and held hostage, while a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member’s leg was broken.

    Akwa Ibom State’s REC of INEC stated that reporters were also attacked and voters injured by thugs in some of the polling units, while commending Rivers Police Commissioner, Zaki Ahmed, for providing experienced personnel for the by-election, but wondered where the heavily-armed personnel were brought from by their sponsors.

    Igini said: “What happened on August 18 was a tragedy. It was shameful. It represented a higher level of electoral discredit, falling below the minimum expected standards. Elections must be conducted in a peaceful atmosphere, which will allow voters to vote and leave the centre without grumbling.

    “While election was going on, there was violence in significant areas of the polling centres. Some journalists, INEC staff, including NYSC members, were attacked and held hostage during the by-election. An official of the commission was stabbed, others beaten up. Also, a youth corps member’s leg was broken, individuals beaten and injured.

    “Thanks to the security personnel who worked with us (INEC); they were not part of those who disrupted the election, as they were not armed, according to the law.”

    Wike, in a statewide broadcast in the afternoon of August 19, alleged that the consistent sabotage of the electoral process by the police amounted to a declaration of war against the people of Rivers State and their solemn rights to freely and fairly choose their leaders and representatives.

    Rivers governor said: “Clearly, there are dangerous times ahead, but we must not give in to intimidation, lest we lose our liberties and become slaves in our own land.

    “As we had feared, the police failed us completely once again and negated all that they promised. Instead of providing security for voters and INEC officials, the police brazenly colluded with political thugs of the APC to subvert the democratic process and deny the people of Port- Harcourt Constituency 3 their rights to free, fair and credible elections.

    “Confirmed reports from the field indicated that INEC promptly and rightly distributed election materials to all the polling units within a record time. However, while voting was underway, armed thugs from the APC moved freely from one polling unit to another, violently assaulted the voters and INEC officials and carted away election materials, including smart card readers and ballot boxes.”

    Wike also claimed that the police aided and shielded the leader of the thugs from arrest and prosecution.

    APC states case

    The Acting National Publicity Secretary of APC, Yekini Nabena, however, hailed Rivers people for standing up and bravely defending their votes, in spite of the violence and snatching of electoral materials, which he insisted were perpetrated by the members and leaders of PDP.

    Nabena said: “Nigerians will recall how the PDP, speaking through its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, had earlier vowed to deploy all means, schemes, shenanigans in all ramifications and magnitude, to rig all coming elections in Nigeria.

    “While we condemn the PDP-sponsored violence and failed attempt to rig the by-election in Port-Harcourt Constituency 3, the APC calls on the Rivers State electorate and indeed all Nigerians to continue to stand their ground and resist any attempt to rig elections. Votes must count. The people’s will must prevail in all elections.

    “The PDP’s rigging plan is a red flag that requires urgent attention by INEC and relevant security agencies.”

    While later speaking during a news conference in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers chairman of APC alleged that Wike reached out to him during the August 18 by-election for Port-Harcourt Constituency 3 of the Rivers House of Assembly, pleading to have his cooperation for PDP’s candidate, Chiemeka Merukini, to emerge victorious.

    Flag-Amachree, a former chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Council of Rivers State, revealed that as a loyal member of APC, he declined Wike’s advances and promptly reported the offer to the leadership of his political party, while continuing to work for the success of APC’s candidate in the election, Dickens Worlu.

    He maintained that there are deliberate actions of Wike, Rivers Government officials, PDP members and officials of INEC, all aimed at scuttling the by-election.

    Flag-Amachree said: “Some hours after the voting process commenced across the 142 polling units of the Port-Harcourt Constituency 3, words came out through the agents of both parties (APC and PDP) that the APC’s candidate was winning comfortably in most of the polling units.

    “No sooner the information was given to Wike that he mobilised his Chief Security Officer (CSO), Mr. Promise Nwosu, who led fully-armed officers and men of the Nigeria Police attached to Government House, Port-Harcourt to invade various polling units to forcibly disrupt an otherwise peaceful exercise for the purpose of rigging the process in favour of the PDP’s candidate. In the course of the intervention, many shots were fired to intimidate both voters and electoral officials.

    “It was encouraging to observe that despite the massive violence orchestrated by the team of policemen led by Wike’s CSO, most of the voters in the constituency stood their ground and resisted the spate of shootings, assault, battery and intimidation by the armed policemen from Government House, Port-Harcourt.

    “In a failed mission to bribe me, Wike and his CSO became more determined to scuttle the by-election, by joining forces with their armed hoodlums to shoot sporadically around the polling units they visited, beating lawful voters and in some cases either destroying or carting away voting materials. From that moment, Wike decided to undertake a smear campaign against me, as demonstrated in his subsequent broadcast and interviews.”

    Rivers chairman of APC also stated that the state governor lied against the Commander of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) in Rivers State, Akin Fakorede, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), who was in Abuja with other F-SARS commanders in Nigeria for a conference with the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, when the Port-Harcourt by-election was ongoing, but he was accused by Wike of rigging the poll for APC.

    Flag-Amachree asked the REC of INEC in the state to complete the electoral process by announcing the winner of the by-election, without further delay or meet the party in court.

    The ex-Chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Council also stated that members of APC were not surprised that Wike and Rivers REC of INEC were working hand in gloves to rig elections in the state, declaring that the recruitment and posting of Effanga, described as a confessed PDP apologist and virulent critic of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, was beyond mere accident, considering his earlier piece in a national newspaper, where he thoroughly abused Buhari’s government, before he was mysteriously employed and posted to Rivers State as REC of INEC.

    Rivers chairman of APC declared that members of his party and other electorate in the state were determined to kick Wike out of Government House, Port-Harcourt on May 29 next year, thereby putting an end to his bad governance, without loss of life and property.

    Rivers governor, who reacted through the state’s Commissioner for Information and Communications, Chief Emma Okah, described Flag-Amachree as a chronic liar.

    Wike said: “He (Rivers Chairman of APC) should stop his cheap lies, meant to divert attention from the atrocities he committed during the by-election in Port-Harcourt Constituency 3. No matter how long he tries to run, the atrocities will continue to haunt him. Nobody offered him N200 million bribe.

    “Port-Harcourt Constituency 3 is a stronghold of the PDP. Even if a goat is fielded as PDP’s candidate in the area, the goat will still win for the ruling PDP.”

    The REC of INEC in Rivers also denied working for Wike and PDP, stressing that he remained unbiased and is committed to conducting free, fair, credible and peaceful elections in Rivers State, without taking sides.

    Effanga said: “I am not working for PDP or Governor Wike. I am working for the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the people of Nigeria. My only interest is Nigeria.

    “I cannot stop anybody or political party from going to court. People have the right under the laws of Nigeria to go to court.”

    Rivers Commissioner of Police, while later briefing reporters at the police headquarters on the by-election, insisted that officers and men of the command were not involved in the disruption of the poll.

    Ahmed said: “Police did not at any time collude with any political party to discredit the political process, as alleged in some quarters. Information at the command’s disposal revealed the presence of political thugs at Miles 2 and 3 in Port-Harcourt, who were armed and were disrupting the voting process.

    “The police, in the wake of the information, deployed more personnel and Armoured Personnel Carriers to safeguard the electoral process, lives and property. It must be emphasised that the timely action of the police in checkmating the political thugs prevented loss of lives and property.

    “The INEC officials, who appeared to have been intimidated by the thugs, were reassured by our presence. Accordingly, our counter measures against the thugs and the thuggery they exhibited, calmed the situation and the INEC officials left with some of the electoral materials and subsequently suspended the entire process.”

    Rivers Publicity Secretary of APC also raised the alarm on the ongoing efforts by Wike and officials of Rivers Government to enlist the services of a judge of the Rivers State judiciary to sit and grant an injunction stopping INEC from proceeding to conclude and announce the result of the by-election.

    Finebone said: “So far, all the judges approached to execute the scheme have politely turned it down. The APC salutes the courage of these judges. We call on those yet to be contacted to emulate their colleagues and turn down an attempt by the Rivers State Government to abuse the judicial system.

    “The APC believes that despite the threats being made against the judges who have refused to be dragged into the matter, the judges of the Rivers State Judiciary, as noble men and women, will continue to display this kind of uncommon bravery and strict adherence to the tenets of the hallowed profession of dispensing justice without fear or favour.

    “We urge Wike and the PDP in Rivers State to abandon their evil agenda, meant to, once again, drag the judiciary into the murky political waters of the state.”

    Coalition calls for end of game

    The Coalition of Opposition Political Parties in Rivers State equally declared that the white lie of the REC of INEC in the state on the controversial by-election remained unacceptable and a disgrace to Nigeria’s democracy.

    In a news conference on August 22 in Port-Harcourt, the coalition, through Sobrasua Johnbull of the Democratic Alliance, and Lucky Ekeji of Mass Movement of Nigeria, disclosed that members of the political parties and civil society might consider self-help and mass action.

    It expressed surprise that Effanga, rather than admitting that he was working for Wike and PDP, gave flimsy excuse of suspending the by-election for Port-Harcourt Constituency 3 of the Rivers House of Assembly, already won by candidate of the APC, because of alleged violence and irregularities.

    The coalition said: “We find the news of the suspension of the Port -Harcourt Constituency 3 by-election by Rivers REC of INEC as astonishing, unnecessary and against the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010, as amended.”

    Members of the opposition political parties in Rivers also called on INEC to immediately make public the results, as declared in the polling units and wards that were collated.

    The politicians declared that they would no longer fold their arms and see corrupt people steal the power of the electorate, which was described as the drama unfolding in the by-election of Port-Harcourt Constituency 3.

    The coalition said: “It is our belief that Mr. Obo Effanga (REC of INEC) will never associate himself with such levels of lies and deceptions to rob the winner of the by-election of August 18, 2018.

    “We align with the statement made by Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed, earlier in a news conference in Port-Harcourt, in which he attested to the fact that the pockets of violence noticed during the by-election were successfully quelled. We agree that this is the only election in Rivers State that saw the least of violence, as no single soul was lost or property burnt, as was rampant during previous polls in Rivers State.

    Members of the coalition also strongly called on INEC to promptly conclude the collation process of the by-election and results released immediately, to avert possible self-help by affected stakeholders and civil society mass action.

    The REC of INEC in Rivers State, however, insisted that his only interest is Nigeria, while denying supporting Wike and PDP.

    For now, it cannot be guaranteed, if there will not be a repeat of the 2015/2016 Rivers of blood in 2019, considering the desperation being displayed by many political leaders and their supporters, who must be called to order, in order to avoid war, loss of lives of mostly innocent persons and valuable property worth billions of naira. A stitch in time saves nine.

  • Rivers women call for riverine governor in 2019

    Women across the 23 local government areas of Rivers State are calling for a riverine governor in 2019, to succeed Nyesom Wike of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), since governors from the upland part would have governed the state for 20 unbroken years.

    The women, under the aegis of Rivers Women Alliance (RIWA), a non-political and non-governmental organization, with a view of total chatter for united Rivers society, made the call yesterday at a news conference in Port Harcourt.

    RIWA, through its Coordinator, Ibiba Omotoso, who was accompanied by the group’s Secretary, Myne Wilfred, and many Rivers women, including non-indigenes, indicated that it was striving for even development of the crude oil and gas-rich state, as well as to ensure justice, equity and fairness.

    It said: “Women of Rivers State observe with total dismay how the leadership of our state has been domiciled in a particular section of Rivers State, whereas the state is made up of upland and riverine brotherliness. From 1999, Rivers State has been governed by the upland brothers. The call for a Riverine governor in Rivers State in 2019 became very necessary, as that is the only path to equity, fairness, justice, togetherness and the enhancement of peaceful coexistence in our dear state. It is only fair for every Rivers son and daughter to rally round a riverine governor to taste the seat of power in our dear state.

    “Our unity, well-being and togetherness are sacrosanct. Hence the need for rotation of power between the upland and the riverine parts of the state. We remain committed to this cause and it is our belief and trust that in 2019, a riverine son or daughter will emerge in any of the political parties as the governor of Rivers State.

    Read Also: INEC right on Rivers by-election

    “We believe it will not be too much to allow all concerned in a common heritage to have a fair share of the commonwealth in service. Equity is in vain, when oppression is the order of the day in an indifferent society. The deliberate assent of this clarion call to rotate power in Rivers State is just, finest and clinches the order of the day.

    “We call on all Rivers elders, the political class, traditional rulers, youths, women and every facet of life in Rivers State to join hands, so that our call and advocacy of truth, fairness, equity, justice, and togetherness can be a fulfilled will.”

    Rivers women also stated that in their course of reach-outs, they had come across some asserts that Chief Rufus Ada-George, from the riverine part of the old Rivers state, was once elected governor in 1992/1993, but noted that the old Rivers state was made up of Bayelsa state and the present Rivers state, at a period when governance was managed and administered by the military at the centre and eventually the administration was cut short by the same military government that formed it.

    RIWA noted that other people of Rivers state must not be alienated, insisting that everybody must live in oneness, without a heart full of troubles and seeming oppression, with the women declaring that on a riverine governor they firmly stood.

  • Rivers bye-election: PDP decries use of police, military for poll

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has decried the use of security forces, including special police and military units, by the federal government during the last bye-election in Rivers State.

    The main opposition party said the security agencies were used to subjugate Nigerians and provide cover for thugs deployed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to unleash violence, disrupt polling processes and foist fake results after the poll.

    A statement on Monday by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said such brazen assault on the will of the people was completely provocative and incendiary.

    The party added that such tendencies have unlimited capacity to elicit violent resistance from the people and derail the country’s hard-earned democracy, especially as the 2019 elections draw nigh.

    The statement said, “We invite Nigerians to note that the use of security agencies by the APC to aid the subjugation of the people has become a regular practice as amply witnessed in the July 14, 2018 Ekiti governorship election, the 2016 Edo state governorship election, the bye-elections in Kogi, Bauchi, Katsina and Cross Rivers and most recently, the River state Assembly bye-election, where special police units were used to manhandle voters, while providing cover for APC thugs to attack voters, snatch ballot boxes and disrupt the election.

    “The APC, in its desperation, is resorting to this underhand means, because it knows that there is no way it can win in any peaceful and transparently conducted election in any part of the country, due to the public indignation against its dismal performance in the last three years.

    Read Also: PDP condemns demolition of Aiyefele’s studio

    “Our worry as a party, however, is that Nigerians are daily pushed to the wall and there is a limit to what they can endure, without resorting to violent resistance, particularly in the face of unrelenting subversion of their will and freedom to select leaders or representatives of their choice.

    “The APC and its agents in the police and other security agencies should therefore bear in mind that they are on collision course with the people. Their eventual resistance, if such subversion continues, could come with very dire consequences.

    “The PDP is aware that this resort to violence by the APC is to test-run its plans to rig the 2019 general elections and we ask, what shall it profit a man to gain political power and set his nation ablaze?

    “Finally, the PDP cautions all those being used by the APC to know that history will never forgive them for these atrocities. They will forever be remembered for their ignoble past and have their places in the hall of shame”.

  • Hijacked Rivers bus: Two bodies recovered, six missing, eight rescued

    The 18- seater passenger bus  hijacked by unknown gunmen along Elele-Omarelu in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State has been found.

    The spokesman of the state Police command, Nnamdi Omoni confirmed this in Port Harcourt on Friday.

    Omoni further disclosed that two of the passengers onboard the bus were however found dead, six are still missing, while eight have been rescued alive from their abductors.

    The commercial bus was reportedly travelling from Owerri, Imo State, to Port Harcourt, when the arm-bearing hoodlums ambushed and diverted their vehicle to unknown destination.

    The Commander of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit, in Rivers, Bennett Igwe, broke the news to newsmen in Port Harcourt, the state capital, Thursday.

    Read Also: Gunmen hijack commercial bus in Rivers

    Igwe, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), assured the public that efforts were on by men of his team to ensure successful and safe rescue of passenger from the kidnappers, in no time.

    The command confirmed Friday evening that the bus and some of the passengers have been rescued but two of the victims were found dead.

    Omoni said, ”The Police have rescued the kidnap victims and recovered the bus they were travelling in. They were rescued at the early hours of Friday. However dead bodies of two of the passengers were recovered, six are still with them, but eight of them were rescued alive.” he said.

    Meanwhile the command also regretted the ‘unfortunate’ death of a Catholic priest that was abducted by the criminals before he could be rescued.

    According to him, the Reverend father was kidnapped two weeks ago, but the body seen abandoned in part of the state.  He suspected that his abductors might have collected ransom from the family before killing him.

  • Scores feared dead in Rivers auto crash

    A Port Harcourt bound 18 seater  Hiace bus laden with passengers has reportedly ram into a trunk that was reversing at the middle of the high way killing at least five of its occupants and injuring some others at Emohua axis of East-West road in Rivers State.

    The accident happened on Thursday morning,  but the news broke around the evening.

    The Port Harcourt sector commander of the Federal Road safety Corps(FRSC), Mr.  Edward Zamber who confirmed the incident to the Nation said the bodies of those who died have already been deposited into the morgue, while those who sustained injuring have bee admitted to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital.

    Zamber said,  “A long truck facing Port Harcourt was reversing at the middle of the road,  then an 18 seater  hiace bus also facing the same direction was apparently coming on high speed,  but before he could see that the truck was reversing it was already too late, he ran into the truck,  killing some of its passengers and injuring others.

    “As at the time the Road Safety men git to the scene, five bodies were already dead and some were rushed to the port Harcourt teaching hospital for treatment” he said.

    Sources close to the scene had earlier said that a personnel of the Nigerian Navy identified as P.  C   Odumegu an Assistant Superintendent of the Navy was one of those who died in the accident,  but the Road Safety Commander could not confirm it, just as he could not confirm the actual casuality rate as at the time of filing the report

    He further referred the Reporter to the hospital for the actual number.

    He blame the incident on the drivers of the both vehicles,  stressing that the truck driver had no right to reserve such long vehicle on the center of the high way,  whereas the bus driver should not have been in such speed that he did not see the truck on time.

    He assured that investigation into the real cause of the accident has already commenced and that any of the drivers found culpable to the incident would be prosecuted and that the investigation will also determine whether the bust driver has the speed limiter in his vehicle as at the time of the accident or not.

  • ‘We are committed to self-determination’ MOSOP reminds Ogonis

    …Say don’t lose focus

    The Leadership of the  Movement for the Survival of Ogoni people (MOSOP), has charged  Ogoni indigenes to be committed  to the quest for  self-determination and liberation of Ogoni people and not lose focus.

    MOSOP President, Legborsi Pyagbara made the appeal in a statement in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital  to mark the world indigenous people’s day with the theme,  “the Ogoni struggle for environmental restoration.”

    Pyagbara reminded the people that self-determination and Liberation are the kernels of Ogoni struggle and would not be joked with.

    August 9, every year is observed around the World as indigenous peoples day, basically to celebrate the collective fight for self-determination and liberation.

    This year’s event was reportedly held in collaboration with the International Indigenois People’s movement for self-determination and Liberatuin(IPMSDL).

    In a statement issued by the president at the event yesterday,  he said:  ‘’ the global crisis spirals, deepens and worsen as imperialist domination and quest for super profits continue, forests and mountains face immeasurable rate of devastation, most of which are ancestral territories and homes have been plagued with the heightened resource plunder.

    ‘’We are the protectors of our lands, I want us to learn from the Kichwa people of the Amazon in Ecuador on how they assert their rights to self-determination by ousting several oil companies from their region and preserving their forests for the benefits of future generations.” Pyagbara said.

    Charging the audience further said,  “’Not also forgetting the indigenous people of Brazil, Columbia and the rest of Latin America on how they continue to expand and gaining momentum and strength in protecting his indigenous people rights.

    Read Also: MOSOP’s chief slams environmental terrorism

    ‘’The indigenous people of these countries I mentioned are determined to fight imperialist plunder, militarization and also resisting land grabbing schemes by various transnational companies (TNCs) and local oligarchs, presently the Ogoni people are standing up against the forceful attempt by the Nigerian government and the oil companies to return to the Ogoni oil fields.”

    The people also uses the celebration to place demands on the FG and said,  ’As we commemorate this year’s World IP day, let us raise the struggle for self-determination in the name of total freedom from all forms of oppression and discrimination. Let us defeat the offensives of imperialism in plundering our lands and resources.

    ‘’We  are calling on the Governments to develop policies, agreements, bi-national plans concerning the indigenous Ogoni people in and around international borders and in urban areas and also guarantee the right to self-determination of the indigenous Ogoni people and ensure that it is respected.

    “The Nigeria government should guarantee the right to self-determination of the Indigenous Ogonis people and ensure that it is respected.

    “Nigerian government should in cooperation with the Indigenous Ogonis people set up a mechanism to combat the adverse effects of migration and provide employment and economic development opportunities within the Ogonis territory.” he stated.

    Furthermore, the people demand that comprehensive statistical information on Ogoni people showing their actual population,  who they actually are and where they are as basic tools for policy development and programs for Ogoni people, amongst others.

    Speaking on the need to preserve Ogonis local language and dialects the President urged parents to teach and allow their children to communicate in their local languages and also advised institutions to prioritise indigenous language that they would not go into extinction.

  • Children feared dead as boat capsizes in Rivers

    At least two children are feared dead in another boat mishap in Port Harcourt, Rivers State last Sunday.

    The tragedy happened barely one week after a Bakana, Degema Local government Area bound passenger boat also capsized in the middle of the sea, after it had left Abonnema waterfront, afternoon causing the death of six, including a good Samaritan, Joe Blackson who died after rescuing 13 of the accident victims alife.

    The latest incident reportedly occurred around kalio-ama community in Okrika LGA. The 24 passenger boat was said to have left Abuloma waterfront in Port Harcourt for Okrika when the boat suddenly upturned and emptied it’s content into the river, including the children, however while others were managed to be rescued, the two kids could not be found, raising the suspicion that they might have been drowned.

    The Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy Suprindentent of Police, (DSP), who confirmed the development yesterday, said 22 passengers were rescued from the boat.

    They victims were identified as Destiny Amamima and Ngowari Amamima, females.

    The Nation also learnt that, another boat also laden with passengers and load travelling from Port Harcourt to Bonny, in Bonny LGA last Saturday capsized in the sea, but all the passengers on board were reportedly rescued alife.

    Equally, sources around the scene said some of the passengers in the Okrika bound boat were not with lifejacket when the incident occurred .

    Omoni said: “It happened around 2 p.m. when the boat conveying 24 perons capsized and 22 out of the passengers were rescued while two children are still missing.

    “The two children are identified as re still missing. A search team made up of Marine Police and Okirika Police Division have been sent to the river. The driver of the boat is in our custody and helping us in our investigation.

    “The investigation will show weather they were putting on lifejackets or not. We have warned them that they should ensure that their passengers always put on their lifejackets.”

  • Reinforcing cultural ties

    His recent move to strengthen cultural ties and peaceful coexistence amongst the regions and ethnic groups is admirable. Apart from constantly preaching peace, unity, tolerance and understanding, HRH (Dr) Appolus Chu, Egbere Emere Okori of Eleme Kingdom, Rivers State, has visited various palaces, a gesture he advises other traditional rulers to emulate.

    Relieving that one of the yardsticks for national unity is the cross integration of culture and social affiliation amongst different kingdoms irrespective of traditional variance and divergence, HRH Appolus Chu is of the opinion that cultural integration is a catalyst for national unity. His presence at the just concluded 2018 Nzem Berom, a cultural festival of the Berom nation in Plateau State where hundreds of people thronged the Jos stadium, venue of the most consistent and promising festival in Nigeria. There, HRH Appolus Chu was received by His Royal Majesty, the Gbong Gwon, Jos, Da Jacob Buba.

    Describing Jos as a home for tourists, HRH Chu said, “I appreciate the Gbong Gwom Jos, of His Majesty, Dr Jacob Gyang Buba for guarding the culture and tradition of his people jealously. By promoting his culture in this manner, he is also affording his people the opportunity to come together in love and unity and this is a crystal for national unity.”

    The Major features of the festival included a royal procession and deployment of well kitted Berom traditional warriors, a colourful parade of traditional dance groups as well as the exhibition of the Berom cuisine artefacts, mineral resources and raw materials.

    In continuation of his peace campaign that traditional rulers should be their brother’s keeper, synergise and network so as promote cultural tolerance, integration and cohesion, HRH Chu also paid a visit to the Emir of Misua, Bauchi State, HRH Alhaji Ahmed Suleiman to commiserate with the people of the town and the Emir of Misua on the 22 students of Government Secondary School, Misau, in Bauchi State and their driver who died in an auto crash along Bauchi-Kano early this year while travelling to Kano for an excursion.

    Although very rare and uncommon in the Nigerian traditional institution, for kings to regularly visit one another, mostly, considering the distance, for example, the distance between the Northern Nigeria and South-South, it is always very difficult for kings from one end to regularly visit kings on the other end. But for a noble man of rare personality, distances know no barrier in HRH Appolus Chu’s philosophy of building synergy and oneness aimed at the developing the nation, Nigeria.

    Accosted by royal horsemen, all positioned with the reputable sense of royalty, clothed with respect, the people of Misau, joyfully welcomed, HRH (Dr.) Applous Chu to their emirate and to the palace of the Emir of Misua, Bauchi State.

    Addressing the people of Misua, HRH Chu said, “This visit is long overdue. When the incident where the Misua people lost their children happened, I was so devastated. You know what children stand for, they are our future and when one now loses them, there are apparently some setbacks in the family and community they came from.  I pray that as many that had lost their children during that very sad incident, God will fill the vacuums they have left in their lives and that of the communities.”

    In his response, HRH Ahmed Suleiman thanked Chu for his visit, adding that it is the tradition of the Misua people that when visitors come, they are given traditional gifts as a token of appreciation of their visit. To this end, HRH Chu was presented with some royal gifts which included a well decorated white horse on which HRH Appolus Chu took a ride.

    Nzem Berom was instituted in 1981 as a unifying cultural festival of the Berom people in plateau state, north central Nigeria and indeed, the Berom people are irresistible with unique cultural endowment and love for their tongue, which has sustained the survival of the festival. Under the watch of His Royal Majesty, the Gbong Gwon, Jos, Da Jacob Buba, the over 1.6 million people of Berom nation have kept faith with the ambitious project of sustaining their unity, growing their young population and showcasing the gift of nature through strategically showcasing the rich Berom geographical landmass as an agricultural tourism destination.

  • Unknown gunmen kill four Northern traders in Rivers

    Four Hausa traders have been reportedly killed by unknown gunmen in Rivers State.

    The victims whose identity could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report were said to be seated in front of their residents when the assailants stormed the place and opened fire on them killing four while two escaped unhurt.

    The incident reportedly occurred at Orazi area of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.

    Read Also: Three APC stalwarts freed in Rivers

    The state Police command confirmed the killings but said the cause of the killings is yet to be ascertained as the report as at the time of confirmation yesterday evening were still sketchy.

    The mouth piece of the corner, Nnamdi Omoni however said that men of the command are already deployed to the scene and that full scale investigation as to who, how and why has already begun, assuring that the police would do everything possible to apprehend the killers.

    The Nation reliably learnt that the remains of the victims have been conveyed back to their Bauchi native state for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.