2015 Poll: 55 Of Our Members Killed In S'South Rivers — APC

 

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the security agencies and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of complicity in the malfeasance that has led to the death of 55 party members  during the presidential election in Rivers state .

 

The party warned that in the fullness of time, nobody who has engaged in untoward actions will go scot-free as they will be made to face the full wrath of the law.

 

Regarding the alleged collusion of the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  in the rigging plan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party said it had written a petition to the Chairman of the commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega.

 

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Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Monday, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, alleged that  elements of the security agencies had  participated directly in the targeted harassment and intimidation of party members in the state.

 

He said even when such members run  to the police for succour they were denied protection.

 

Read His Statement In Part:

 

“We have lost 55 persons so far in the run off to this election. APC does not have the capacity nor the will to frustrate election. You all saw what happened in Rivers State during the last election. If you did not see anything, at least you saw when the returning officer was asked to read the results, he could not because it was not written by him.

 

“We are therefore using this opportunity to call on local and international observers, as well as the civil society organisations under the aegis of The Situation Room, to pay a close attention to Rivers State – as well as other states considered to be flash points – during the forthcoming governorship and House of Assembly elections.

 

“In particular, they should beam their searchlight on the role of the security agencies and INEC officials in Rivers, who have decided to jettison their neutrality and join the fray.

 

"The collusion of INEC with the PDP and the police has  paved the way for unbridled violence against APC members and supporters, and the subsequent rigging of the elections.  

 

"Though the intimidation of party supporters started before the March 28 presidential and National Assembly elections, it has become progressively worse as the governorship elections approach on Saturday, April 11.

 

“We have called you here today to intimate you with the worrisome development in Rivers State, where the PDP and its governorship candidate, Mr. Nyesom Wike, aided by the security agencies, have continued to kill and maim our members and supporters.

 

"Last week, nine members of APC  were killed in cold blood, while many others were injured, when armed PDP thugs invaded Obrikom and Obor communities in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government of Rivers State.

 

"The same thugs set ablaze the residence of Vincent Ogbagu, APC candidate for the House of Assembly elections in the state.

 

"Dozens of party members had been arrested on frivolous charges, just to put them away.

 

“APC members have been subjected to persistent harassment and intimidation across the state, using the police in Rivers State and the Zone 6 in Calabar. Over 150 prominent members have been victims of this unprovoked persecution.

 

“And just today, we received another sad news from Rivers. An APC chieftain, Christopher Adube, was reportedly shot dead at the weekend. Adube, who hails from the Egbema Local Government Area, was said to have been shot dead at his residence.

 

"It was very sad that the terrorising of APC members and supporters in Rivers State has been carried out despite the presence of the police and other security agencies in the state.

 

“In fact, most of the attacks were carried out with the collusion of the security agencies, who exchanged the garb of partisanship for that of professionalism. Elements of the security agencies have also participated directly in the targeted harassment and intimidation of our members. Even when our members have run to the police for succour, they have found none.

 

“The case of the Chairman, Caretaker Committee, of the Gokana Local Government Area, Mr. Kadilo Kabari, was particularly astonishing. He and Senator Magnus Abe, who represents Rivers South-East senatorial district in the National Assembly, were attacked by PDP thugs right inside the Divisional Police headquarters at Kpor.

 

"The only offence  committed by its party chieftains  was that they dared to challenge PDP thugs, dressed in INEC kits, who were engaged in massive rigging during last week’s presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

 

"APC was opposed to the attachment of security personnel to PDP officials during the elections as this will go a long way in reducing cases of persecution of party members.

 

“That these PDP thugs could use a police station for rigging speaks volumes about the role of the security agencies in that election. Unfortunately, the violence targeted at APC members in Rivers, especially during the last elections, was carried out in the full glare, and in most cases with the connivance of INEC officials in the state.

 

"We are worried that no one has been held responsible even where our members have been killed, and that the police and other security agencies, as well as INEC, have turned themselves to appendages of the PDP, in what is nothing but the height of impunity.

 

"The hierarchies of the security agencies, especially the police and the DSS, as well as INEC, must read the riot act to their members posted to Rivers State for election duties. The kind of mindless collusion with the PDP by the same officials mandated to ensure free, fair, credible and peaceful polls  which was witnessed in Rivers during the Presidential elections will not be tolerated this time”.