A delegation of the House of Representatives on a visit to All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, at the weekend urged security agencies not to take sides in the political contest in the state.
They also urged politicians to play politics by the rules and campaign on issues.
The delegation, led by Pally Iriase (Edo State), condemned last Tuesday’s violence in Okrika, the headquarters of Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State, during Peterside’s campaign, where gunmen killed a police corporal, Ifeanyi Okorie, 33, and injured about 50 people including Channels television reporter, Charles Eruka.
Peterside described the situation in the state as horrible and terrible, which he said should be unacceptable to well-meaning people. He described it as a major threat to democracy and the electoral process.
The Rivers APC’s governorship candidate, also a member of the House of Representatives, received the visitors along with his running mate, Okorie Honourable Asita, a lawyer and also a member of the House of Representatives; a member of the Board of Trustees of the APC, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja; the Director-General of Peterside’s Greater Together Campaign Organisation, Chief Victor Giadom; the leader of the APC in Obio/Akpor Local Government, Chief Tony Okocha; and Dr. Dawari George, a member of the House of Representatives from Rivers state, among other eminent personalities.
The leader of delegation said: “We have come to commiserate with our colleague. We have come to also, by extension, commiserate with the people of Rivers State. We have come to commiserate with the Nigeria Police Force, because apart from the many wounded persons, during the ugly incident in Okrika, a policeman lost his life. We have been watching the events that have culminated in the loss of lives, but now a serving police officer was cut down at the prime of his age. As these events were developing, we had been quietly watching, but seriously disturbed that no serious action had been taken by the law enforcement agencies, to nip the ugly trend in the bud. Had that been done, we will not be here today to be paying condolence on the death of the policeman.
“It is so painful and we will take it a little further eventually, but this is the first step, to signpost our abhorence for this dastardliness in our body polity. We do not need to waste human lives over political contest. We all are asking to be given the mandate to serve. We are applicants for servanthood. Where is the room for killing and maiming people, if you are genuinely asking to be given the opportunity to serve people?
“We came in order to let the world know that the House of Representatives, as presently constituted, is totally unhappy with the violent trend that is now unfolding in the political arena. We feel particularly saddened because we know you (Peterside) as a fine gentleman. We have been together for many years. We know your antecedents. We know your Christian inclination. You are a born again Christian and you will not want to be associated with anything devilish. Our hearts bleed, when we know that it is somebody of your standing, who is being prevented from campaigning in your environment and people went to the extent of taking lives.
“We are using this opportunity to send this message across to every nook and cranny of Nigeria that we should play this game (politics) by the rules. We should campaign based on issues. We should ask people to vote for us, based on what we will want to do, whom we are and there should be no room any further for violence.
“We are also using this opportunity to call on the security agencies to be up and doing, to be independent and not to take sides in this political contest. Our constitution does not allow them to take sides with any political party whatsoever. That imbues them with the independence and the authority to deal with whoever is attempting to perpetrate violence. From what has happened in Rivers State, it is now obvious that when you fail to do the right thing, you may even be the worst for it.”
Peterside lauded the lawmakers for finding time to be with Rivers people, in spite their busy schedules, since most of them are busy with campaign programmes.
The Rivers APC’s governorship candidate also expressed displeasure on Saturday’s kidnap of Freddy Ndigbara in his Kaani-Ogoni hometown in Khana LGA of Rivers state, while on ward campaign.
Peterside said: “Two days ago, a member of the APC was shot in Ogu (headquarters of Ogu/Bolo LGA of Rivers State), a sister community to Okrika. About 8 p.m., he was in his house, two young men just stepped into his house, shot him dead and left, and nothing happened. We have always had military station in Bolo, but about three days ago, the military station was momentarily withdrawn and within that short period they were withdrawn, our people in Bolo were attacked severely. After the attack, the military station was restored.
“We signed a peace accord in January, facilitated by the American Government. US Ambassador was physically present. Shortly after signing the peace accord, APC’s secretariats in Okrika and Andoni, my federal constituency, were bombed. We went further to sign another accord, facilitated by the Inspector-General of Police (Suleiman Abba). He was represented by the AIG, Zone 6, Calabar, Tunde Ogunsakin. After the signing of the second peace accord, APC’s rally venue in Okrika was bombed on January 24, 2015. On a single day, eleven members of APC were killed in Omoku, among other attacks and killings across the 23 LGAs of Rivers State. We have always reported to the police. To our chagrin, till date, not one person has been arrested to our knowledge.
“We are glad to hear that after the last incident in Okrika, which drew national attention, that the IGP has enpanelled the AIG, Zone 6, to lead investigations to issues of political violence in Rivers State. Like the House of Representatives condemned the development in Rivers State, all men of goodwill must rise up and condemn the emerging trend of political violence in Rivers State. It does no one any good. It is a potential danger to all people and to all Nigerians, but most importantly, to our fledging democracy. Our democracy is still at its fragile stage. It also affects the integrity of the electoral process. In the face of intimidation and harassment, people cannot come out and freely cast their votes. Even when we conduct elections, they will not reflect the will of the people. If results of the elections do not reflect the will of the people, that will be an invitation to anarchy, chaos and crisis. That is not what we are bargaining for. I do not think we are ready for that.”
