Rivers State On Knife Edge

ACTS of politically motivated violence have increased in Rivers State ahead of the general elections, and consequently, creating an atmosphere of palpable fear in the State.

  The recent spate of attacks targeted at each other by the two frontline political parties and the forceful occupation of the Rivers State owned Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, in Port Harcourt by soldiers to enable the Peoples Democratic Party use it for President Goodluck Jonathan’s rally campaign, are sheer prognosis that there will be threats and intimidation by political actors during the election.

   The level of desperation by political actors have been a source of concern to keen political observers who think that Rivers State in the next couple of weeks might witness acts of politically motivated assassinations, abductions, kidnappings, more destruction of political parties and individuals’ property, and clashes during rallies.

 The likely prominent flashpoints are; Abua, Obio/Akpor; Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Khana, Gokana, Degema, Akuku-Toru, Ikwerre, Asari-Toru,  Emohua, Port Harcourt , Omuma and  Ahoada East Local Government Areas. Both PDP and APC enjoy considerably support in the aforementioned local government areas and are determined to maintain their grip at all cost.

   Ahead of the elections, various vicious gangs and ex-militants that once plunged the state into bloody crisis have again aligned themselves with some of the political actors, and are preparing for a violent showdown during and after the 14 and 28 February elections. Political analysts are of the opinion that the desperation by the key political actors for power has further raised the stakes and increasing incentives for possible irregularities and election violence in the state. Worst still, the security agents’ slow response had allowed election-related violence to mount, thus, raising fear that might possibly prevent many from participating in the election.

   The APC has persistently accused the PDP of instigating the spate of violence. But the PDP has denied the allegation and instead attributed the violence to internal squabbles between contending power blocs within the APC.

   Concerns over violence free polls are already mounting. It would be recalled that armed thugs had in the wee hours of the morning of Saturday, January 24 at about 3:45am, besieged the National School Field, Okrika, venue of the APC governorship rally and opened fire. Workers setting up equipment and canopies were forced to flee amid sporadic gunshots. The gunmen bombed the podium erected for the rally. Several canopies and numerous chairs and tables were destroyed.  Two vehicles, a Toyota Highlander and a Nissan Primera saloon, were razed. A black Volkswagen Bora and a Toyota Camry were vandalized as well. The violence forced the APC to indefinitely postpone the rally in Okrika, which is the hometown of the wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, who had held a similar rally at the venue a few days before.

   The Director, Communications, of the Greater Together Campaign Organisation  of APC governorship candidate, Dakuku Peterside, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said  the decision to call-off the Okrika rally, painful as it was, was taken in the best interest of Okrika people, as neither Peterside nor APC was willing to jeopardise the lives of Okrika people.

  “We condemn PDP for this visit of violence on Okrika people. We ask, Is that the electioneering program PDP has for the area? Must PDP shed blood of men and women for the sake of a vote? Why would Okrika land and people not be allowed by the PDP to enjoy peace and development? This act is evil, satanic and shameful. Okrika people should stand up against this violent-breather called PDP. Kirikise sons and daughters need not be told to turn their back on this vampire on February 14 and 28. If PDP had made life this miserable, burdensome and over-bearing on Okrika people, what would they not do if for any reason they are not voted into office?

 “We sympathise with our supporters who suffered various bullet and machete injuries in the hands of PDP gunmen. Our prayers flow before the Throne of grace for their quickest recovery. We would equally commend APC supporters, especially the youths, who yielded to the counsel of the candidate and party elders not to take retaliatory measures. But, our fear is that, we might not be too successful again in restraining the wounded and hunted from self-defence and maybe, retaliatory attack on anything PDP,” she said.

  The media aide to the PDP chairman, Jerry Needam, said accusations against the PDP are not only baseless, but also laughable as he denied his party’s involvement in the Okrika dastardly attack. He alleged that those who bombed the venue of the rally were hoodlums engaged by the APC to watch over the venue who later disagreed on how to share the money paid them.

  “APC very well understand that it is being plagued by internal crises and we urge them to look inward with a view to settling the internal wrangling over the imposition of Dakuku Peterside as its governorship candidate. APC should not drag the esteemed name of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the PDP into an attack on a supposed venue, as both the PDP and Her Excellency, the First Lady know nothing about the attack on the venue. The PDP wishes to inform the APC and indeed Nigerians, that as a peace crusading party, we abhor violence and cannot be part of violence.  We are founded on the principles of peace, equity and justice and cannot engage in any act that would promote or engender violence,” said Needam.

   Penultimate Wednesday night, gunmen stormed the secretariat of the APC in Omoku, the headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, and vandalized the party’s office. The gunmen who operated in the community unchallenged for over four hours, riddled the two-storey building with bullets and damaged virtually all the glass windows.

   The gunmen also went to the residents of an APC lawmaker representing Ogba/Egbeme/Ndoni constituency1in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Gift Wokocha and torched his property.  Wokocha explained that the gunmen who invaded his residence, were heard screaming, “no APC in Omoku. APC members must be killed.” Another chieftain of the party, Okey Okire, the Special assistant to governor Amaechi on Statistics matter, had his building damaged and vandalized.

  APC governorship campaign manager in Omoku, Mr. Sunny Ogidi, said the attack was aimed at thwarting the party’s governorship rally, which held penultimate Thursday.  According to him, the resort to violence and intimidation of people with contrary political views remains antithetical to the tenets of democracy. 

  Ousted PDP chairman in the state, Godspower Ake, who hails from the area, during penultimate Thursday APC rally, urged the people to be strong and to reject PDP on February 14 and 28. He warned that a vote for PDP is a vote for violence and death because leaders of PDP are bad managers of power.

 “For six years, I was PDP chairman. I have been in politics for over 30 years. From the day they removed me forcefully, there has not been peace but I know that the APC will return peace to Rivers State. Every day, people are being killed here. A lot of people are also running away from our place and businesses are closing down. In fact, PDP has destroyed our communities,” he said.

   The convener of a non-partisan Port Harcourt based organisation, Doing Democracy Movement (DDM) Mr. Anyakwee Nsirimovu, observed that there has been a deliberate use of thugs, financed to create a state of fear and instigate violent crisis as means of truncating the general election.

 “DDM insists that there will be consequences for all authors of violence during the February elections. We wholeheartedly welcome the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Nigeria, to the effect that conducts during this elections which trigger commission of crimes against the human person in such a large scale will not go unpunished. This will include the prosecution of all persons involved in subverting the conduct of free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria. Globalisation of massive electoral offences in Nigeria is real,” he said.