Rivers: We are going to tribunal, APC threatens PDP

The All Progressives Congress in Rivers State has concluded plans to challenge the victory of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate at the just-concluded gubernatorial elections in the state, Nyesom Wike, saying it also wanted to ensure equity against the Rivers people.

Making the disclosure, Monday, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State APC chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, in a statement, signed by his Senior Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, further accused both Wike and First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan of ‘desperation to rule Rivers State at all cost.’

“We are going to the tribunal to contest the fraudulent declaration of results for an alleged election that witnessed a lot of killing, violence and thumb-printing of ballot papers in favour of PDP candidates. The result cannot be allowed to stand.

“Chief Wike and the PDP leadership for rigged the election in such a manner that primary school pupils would have done better allowing Chief Tammy Danagogo, the Minister of Sports, and other PDP chieftains to be the ones to return INEC results of their various local government constituencies to the State REC and acceptance of results even where votes assumed to be collated exceeded the number of the registered voters show the level of desperation by PDP and its INEC collaborators,” APC chieftain said.

Ikanya also claimed that yet another reason why the APC in Rivers is going to the tribunal was to maintain the spirit of equity, justice and fairness and prevent the discrimination against the Riverine section of the State as represented by the candidature of Chief Wike, as he claimed that ‘since through former governor Peter Odili, incumbent Governor Chibuike Amaechi and now Chief Wike, power has eluded the Riverine section of the State for 24 years.’

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

The APC chieftain further accused both the Governor-elect, Wike and the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan of failing to encourage peace and dialogue in the polity of the state, as, according to him, they were ‘mobilising innocent Rivers State youths to embark upon futile protests against the decision of APC to go to the tribunal.’

“It has been brought to our notice that instead of towing the path of peace and dialogue on how to enhance security of lives and property in Rivers State, Chief Wike, Dame Patience Jonathan and other PDP chieftains are mobilising innocent Rivers State youths to embark upon futile protests against the decision of APC to go to the tribunal to challenge the charade that is called election purportedly held in Rivers State on March 28th and April 11th, 2015.

“This is not only an attempt to blackmail and intimidate Rivers APC but also a way of further endangering the peace of the graveyard that has persisted in the State since the brazen theft of the people’s mandate given to APC.

“Sadly, not minding the 19 APC members killed and beheaded during the gubernatorial election of April 11, 2015, in Ahoada East, Okrika and other local government areas in the Rivers State APC members are either been killed or abducted since after the sham elections in Rivers State for reasons we cannot fathom. We are afraid that killers and sundry criminals have been imposed on the state by INEC as our leaders.

“We wonder if this act of insecurity and killings are parts of the social contract that Chief Wike claims to have signed with the Rivers State people. Since the discredited Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Rivers State, killers have swarmed on Ahoada East, hitting down their targets. Recently, Messrs Chigba Apollos and Chiezule German, both members of APC in the area, were shot dead in Ibarikpo Town by unknown gunmen.

“Apart from the killings, kidnappers are also on the prowl in Ahoada East targeting only APC members. The abduction of Chief Cassidy Ikegbidi, Chairman of Ahoada East Caretaker Committee, CTC on April 18, is one of the latest tragedies that have befallen APC. Others so far kidnapped by the PDP hoodlums are Mr. Suleiman Atago from Ideoha in Ward 5, and Chidi Oji from Ihuowo Ward 10, respectively

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