Exploits of merchants of violence in Rivers

By NWADIKE UGOCHUKWU, Port Harcourt

• Amaechi, APC unwilling to accept defeat

BLOODSHED, violence, tension, intimidation, dominated the Statuary, March 19, rerun elections into the Rivers State and national legislatures, respectively.

It was observed that in the build up to the elections, soldiers, Police and other security operatives were invading various communities in Rivers State, intimidating, harassing and attempting to frustrate innocent citizens from participating in the elections. The Army, Police and others were believed to be working for the All Progressives Congress (APC), which generated tension, apprehension and causing serious threat to security in the state.

National Daily investigation revealed that the people of Rivers State felt betrayed by the Federal Government in, specifically, assigning soldiers to Chibuike Amaechi, Minister of Transport, and his loyalists in such a highly heated political environment. The effect of that singular action of the Federal Government was obvious to every stakeholder that monitored the polls.

On the other divide, Governor Nyesom Wike and other leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) went for power from below, mobilized depth grassroots support from the precincts, the urban and urban periphery. The populist sympathy of the grassroots population, perhaps, precipitated in the local soldiers providing a mechanism of balance of power against the military, particularly, when cultists were observed to have gone on rampage on behalf of their political principals. Accordingly, the populist expectation in Rivers State is that when President Muhammadu Buhari begins to search for the merchants of violence during the elections in the state, his searchlight should extend to APC leaders, particularly, who showed notoriety in the display of impunity under the guidance of soldiers. It is also widely considered apposite that in subsequent rerun elections in the state the Federal Government should desist from assigning soldiers to individuals in order to guarantee all stakeholders that the elections are being conducted on a level playing ground, otherwise the Federal Government would have given excessive powers to APC members moving about with military attachees. Some persons were confirmed dead in the electoral violence in Rivers State a fortnight ago, one of them was an Aide to the Chief of Staff to Governor Wike, Emeka woke.

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He was killed in the fracas that broke out from the result released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which showed that PDP won in 10 of the 11 local government areas elections were not cancelled in state constituencies. In the results declared by the INEC before the process was suspended, PDP won in Ahoade, Akuku Toru, Omuma, Dageme, Emoha, Obio/Akpor, Ogba Egbame, and Ndoni local government areas. APC won in one local government only.

The results for the Senate and House of Representatives were yet to be announced before the cancellation of the polls. The result declared so far by the INEC is believed to have clearly shown the popularity of the political parties or otherwise, and the possible source of violence in the state.

In Emuoha, Chidi Lioyed of the APC, former Leader of the River State House of Assembly, and ally of Amaechi, lost to Sam Ogeah of the PDP.

PDP State Chairman, Felix Obuah, had said he expected PDP to win in all the local governments because the Party worked very hard for victory. “Everybody knows that we worked very hard strengthening our popularity in the state, we don’t expect to lose any seat,” he declared.

Wike had alleged that APC officials shot and killed a Personal Assistant to his Chief of Staff, Emake Woke, in a shootout in Port Harcourt on Sunday. The Governor had said that APC officials, including its State Chairman, Dr. Davice Ibaim Ikanya, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Administration (NIMASA), Dukuku Peterside, and his running mate, Asita Asita, were all part of the convey where the gunshot that killed Woke’s Aide was fired. He added that they hijacked voting materials from Iskopo, Ikwerre Local Government Areas with Woke and other PDP officials monitoring them to UTC junction where the APC officials shot at the PDP vehicle, killing the aide to Woke.
Peterside had in a statement claimed that he narrowly escaped death after his vehicle was attacked by gunmen in two utility vehicles on the way from Port Harcourt international Airport.

Peterside, who was in his car with APC Chairman, Davice Ikaya and Asita, said that they escaped the assassins bullet by divine intervention.

Peterside in a statement by his media aide, Sylvester Asoya, said that two jeeps belonging to Emeka Woke carried two unknown gunmen; trailing them to UTC, opened fire on their car. “Our car, however, did a detour, first, to Aba road, then, old GRA, with the two jeeps still trailing us. We drove to the DSS office to seek refuse. On getting to the gate, the unknown gunmen opened fire again at the DSS men on guide. The exchange of fire between the DSS men and the assailants lasted for more than 30 minutes. In the course of exchange of fire, my Police detail, Corporal Emma Esi, was shot and severely injured…´he narrated.

The Police had said that, so far, four persons have been confirmed dead during the violent national and state legislatures rerun election.

In a joint security press briefing at the Rivers State Police Headquarters, Acting Inspector General of Police for Zone 6, Baba A. Bolanta, said that against the rumors that there are many deaths in Rivers State, only four persons were recorded killed. He indicated that two deaths were recorded in Buguma; while Nonwo and Omanwa recorded one death, each.
Moreover, APC State Chairman, Davice Ikanya, said that Wike want to kill them while trailing him in company of Peterside and his deputy, Asita Asita. He accused Wike of perpetuating violence in Rivers State.

The APC chairman said INEC used untrained ad hoc staff for the elections to swap results for Wike. Ikanya Claimed; “that is the reason we have result that caused violence with fake result sheets used to return PDP candidates as a winners. This created credibility problem.”

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Ikanya also said that former Governor Chinbuike Amaechi, was directed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) to vote and leave the polling unit for his residence while Wike was still moving with armed soldiers, intimidating the people.

However, Amaechi was clearly seen on Election Day moving about with soldiers, entering and exiting Police Stations with impunity.

Moreover, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Kenneth Kobaneh, narrated his ordeal. He disclosed that he had insisted on the verification of fake result sheets at some polling units when he was arrested, and falsely accused of disrupting the electoral process. He was, however, released after interrogation.

Meanwhile, Governor Wike has set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate the violence and killings that occurred during the March 19, rerun legislative elections in the state. “in order to forestall a repeat of the needless violence and fatalities in future elections, I, hereby, establish a Judicial Commission of Enquiry to investigate the violence, killings and other related acts that occurred in parts of the State during the March 19 2016 re-run elections and make appropriate recommendations to Government for implementation,” he declared.

Members of the Judicial Commission of Enquiry include: Hon. Justice Monima Wenike Danagogo, Chairman; Venerable John Adubasim – Member, Mrs. Douye Green – Member; Barr. Joseph Zabbey – Member, Engr. Luke Nwanodi – Member, Mrs. Uche Uriri – Secretary.