Military, Police beef up security amid fears of violence as rerun polls hold today
FROM CHRIS ANUCHA, PORT HARCOURT
Since Wednesday, November 2, 2016, that the Senate ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct the legislative rerun elections in Rivers State, not later than 10th December, 2016, the political atmosphere has, expectedly been fully charged. Unfolding events since November 2, have again portrayed Rivers as a state that is at war with itself. At least, that is the impression people outside the state have about the “Treasure Base of the Nation.” It was a reemergence of hate speech/campaigns, mudslinging, name-calling, and threats, among others. The relative peace, which the state started enjoying after the March 19, 2016, rerun election, suspended as a result of killings and electoral fraud went on vacation immediately INEC announced, through its Secretary, Mrs. Augusta Ogakwu, that the Commission would conduct the Rivers re-run on December 10,2016.
People in the state, once again, became apprehensive because of the unfriendly, dangerous and inciting utterances and actions of the politicians.
The governor, for instance, once accused the INEC, Nigeria Police and other security agencies, of conniving with All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig today’s re-run elections.
Again, the governor, while speaking at a political rally in Etche Local Government area on Wednesday, November 7, 2016, accused INEC of handing the original result sheets to the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. He claimed it was Amaechi who disclosed it in Abuja during a meeting of leaders of APC. According to him, he was in possession of the proceedings of the APC’s illegal meeting in Abuja, where the minister assured that the original result sheets, allegedly supplied by INEC would be used for today’s re-run elections, in favour of the candidates of the All Progressives Congress.
The governor had told PDP supporters in Etche: “While we are working for people of Rivers State, to convince them to vote for us, the APC is busy working with the INEC to rig the rerun election. In December 10, follow your results, bumper to bumper. Don’t allow anyone to swap results. I urge Etche people to follow their results. Tell INEC, you cannot rig election in Etche. Tell INEC, you cannot support another party to rig elections.”
He also alleged that arrangement had been concluded by the security agencies, to arrest the chairmen of Etche and Ikwerre local government areas ,and other leaders of the party, to pave the way for rigging during today’s re-run elections.
But the governor’s allegations were denied by Amaechi, who described them as wild, baseless and an attempt to intimidate INEC into doing his bidding. “We know his game, this is an old, worn-out trick that will certainly fail. Wike is scared, profoundly afraid. This is why he is telling these spurious lies. He knows he will lose at the polls, if the election is free and fair,” Amaechi said.
Before the governor’s allegations, some persons were arrested in D-Line area of Port Harcourt, by PDP supporters with the help of policemen, for allegedly printing fake INEC results. The suspects were later handed over to the Rivers State Police Command, which later transferred them to Zone 6 Command Headquarters, Calabar, Cross Rivers State, for further investigation. But the governor cried blue murder, saying the transfer of the case/suspects to Zone 6, Calabar, was a ploy to sweep the matter under the carpet. He explained that the State Police Command was capable of handling the case, as such its transfer to Calabar was unnecessary. According to Governor Wike also, there was pressure from the Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House, Abuja, to ‘kill’ the case, hence, its transfer to Calabar, as a prelude to the release of the suspects.
An attempt by the governor to link INEC with printing of the alleged fake result sheets was resisted by the Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner(REC), Elder Aniedi Ikowak, who said INEC does not print its electoral materials by the roadside. “That they are fake materials does not make them INEC materials, that people print fake currency does not make it real, or Central Bank liable for the fake currency,” he said.
The governor had been accused severally, of making comments that could heat up the polity and incite the people to engage in activities that could threaten peace in the state. For instance, statements like, “we will resist any attempt to rig the election, “we will follow them bumper to bumper”, the youths would vehemently resist anyone trying to smuggle in cooked up results,” among others, have been attributed to him .
But he defended himself. For instance, the governor, during a live television programme monitored in Port Harcourt recently, said he owed it a duty to alert Rivers people on the irregularities happening across the state. “We must alert the people on what is going on, if that is an incitement, so be it,” he fumed. On the same television programme, he accused the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Francis Odesanya of avoiding visit or communicating with him, in his capacity as the executive governor, for fear of being transferred by the Inspector General of Police, Idris Abubakar .
He said: “ As I speak to you, do you know, the CP cannot see me, If he wants to see me, he will be transferred. As I speak to you, as the governor of the state, the CP will have to see me…He is working on the directive of people, I mean, look at the governor, the CP cannot come to see the governor, he can’t discuss with the governor, if you come to discuss with me, you will be transferred.”
Despite alleged unhealthy relationship between him and the CP, the governor said he had continued to meet the logistics needs of the security agencies in the state, including the police command.
“I am the Chief logistics officer, and not the Chief Security Officer”, he once said, obviously referring to meeting the logistics needs of the security agencies in the state, without enjoying their support.
There was also a threat by the governor to release the video of where he claimed the Commissioner of Police and others were busy, planning how to rig today’s re-run election, to the advantage of APC. He also alleged that the CP withdrew his Chief Security Officer(CSO), an allegation that was however, denied by the Command. In his reaction, the Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO), Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), told Saturday Sun that he was not aware of any transfer of police officers or withdrawal of governor’s Chief Security Officer. According to him, there is always signal to back up transfer of police officers.
“As far as I know, if anybody is transferred, there is usually, signal to that effect. I am not privy to any signal about the transfer of police officers, or withdrawal of governor’s Chief Security Officer,” he said.
The governor also made another serious allegation against the INEC. Addressing PDP supporters during the flag -off of rehabilitation of the General Hospital Terabor and General Hospital, Bodo in Gokana Local Government area, he alleged that the list of INEC adhoc staff for today’s re-run elections, released by the commission, contained names of APC members. The allegation was also denied by the INEC.
Similarly, All Progressives Congress (APC) and Amaechi, contributed to the tension in the state. Speaking during the Freedom Thanksgiving Service, in honour of the former chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government area, Hon. Ojukaye Flag Amachree, who was detained over alleged murder, Amaechi charged the law enforcement agents to deal with trouble makers. The Minister, who was represented on the occasion by Senator Magnus Abe, claimed he was aware of threats by some persons to deal decisively, with the electoral officials, and to intimidate members of the public during the rerun elections.
Also, the minister, in a radio broadcast aired on some radio stations in the state over today’s elections, said members of APC were “brazenly, crudely and violently prevented from exercising their inalienable rights to elect those they wanted.”
“Those same characters and forces that stole our votes, by violently denying us the right to vote the last time are at it again. In the months and weeks leading to this Saturday’s election, they have employed the use of violence and intimidation and harassment, all aimed at preventing us from coming out to vote, they have turned our hitherto, peaceful state into a haven of brazen criminality, culminating in killings and maiming of innocent citizens.”
“However, it is gratifying to know that the Commander-In- Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari, has assured the security of lives and property in the state before, during and after the elections. Mr. President has graciously provided adequate security through the length and breadth of the state.”
“I, therefore, enjoin you all to come out en masse and exercise your civic right on Saturday. To this end, the reign of terror in some of our local government areas, leading to senseless killings will not be tolerated as the security agencies have been directed to ensure the safety of all before, during and after the elections. I therefore, implore you all to come out and exercise your rights to vote. Now that you have a chance to votes and your vote will count, choose wisely, vote APC.”
“Finally, I call on all Rivers people not to submit to any form of intimidation and threat, come out to elect candidates of your choice today. It is your constitutional right and civic responsibility. No one, I repeat, no one can stop you from exercising this right. Once again, let me assure you all that your security and safety is guaranteed. Come out and exercise your right to vote,” he said.
As encouraging and re-assuring as the minister’s broadcast might seem, many believe that the statements are also inciting. To this group of people, his statements depict that there is insecurity, tension and chaos in the state.
Amaechi, who also spoke to newsmen at the Port Harcourt International Airport when he arrived the state for today’s legislative re-run election, accused the governor of sponsoring killings in the state, during the 2015 general elections and March 19, re-run elections.
According to him, the cache of arms and ammunition, surrendered by the cultists during the first phase of the Rivers State Amnesty Programme was evidence to buttress his allegations.
Amaechi said: “Wike has not deny. He sponsored those who carried arms in the 2015 general elections, even, during the campaigns, our people were beaten, manhandled and others threatened, leaving many dead, but, we will not continue to allow these things to happen like that. Members of the PDP were also responsible for killing APC members in Omoku.”
But in a swift reaction, Governor Wike, through his Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr Austin Tam-George, described the allegation by the minister as, “a sewage of lies.”
Similarly, APC recently accused Governor Wike of stockpiling arms ahead of today’s legislative rerun.
The party also said the allegation by the governor, to the effect that his CSO was withdrawn, was a ploy to divert attention from reports of arms build-up in the state by the PDP, ahead of the rerun election.
The allegation was contained in a statement signed by the party’s National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni.
“Nobody is after Wike. The governor and the PDP’s diversionary and false alarm is hinged on the reality that they will lose the legislative rerun, once security is tightened in Rivers State.
“Again, the PDP and the Rivers State governor are haunted by their horrible past misdeeds. Nigerians recall how Wike, then a PDP minister, used federal institutions to harass, intimidate and threaten perceived political enemies, particularly Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who was governor of Rivers State.
“Under Wike’s watch, political thugs and criminal gangs have continued to kill and maim APC members and innocent citizens in Rivers State.
“The President, Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration has successively demonstrated the will to ensure that elections are free, transparent and credible. Saturday’s legislative rerun in Rivers State will not be different. The administration does not subscribe to such evil machinations, where government institutions are used to achieve political ends.”
“The APC, hereby calls on security agencies to investigate the report of an arms build-up and be on the alert, over the security situation in Rivers State under Wike’s watch and, by extension, the PDP in the build-up to the Rivers legislative re-run election. Wike’s criminal gangs and PDP thugs must not be allowed to steal votes of the Rivers electorate on Saturday.”
But the governor, reacting to Buni’s allegation as irresponsible.
The governor, who also spoke through his Commissioner for Information and Communications, said: “This irresponsible allegation confirms yet, again, that the APC is a party erected on a sewage of propaganda and deception.
“Governor Wike does not need arms to defeat the APC in Rivers State. Rivers residents are sophisticated enough to reject the party that brought economic depression and unprecedented scale of despair and joblessness in Nigeria.
“Rivers people have rejected the nefarious legacy of Rotimi Amaechi and will always punish the APC for his visionless administration.”
25,000 policemen deployed to Rivers:
Despite the hate speeches, mudsling, accusations and counter accusations, the security agencies, especially the police have assured that there would be free and fair re-run election today. As part of the efforts at achieving peaceful, free and fair poll, the Inspector General of Police, Abubakar has approved the deployment of 25,000 police officers for today’s exercise.
Disclosing this at a recent stakeholders meeting in Port Harcourt , the state Commissioner of Police said the 25,000 police officers included: conventional, Mobile Police, Marine Police, Air Wing Police and other tactical units. According to the police boss, the deployment was meant to forestall breakdown of law order today.
Odesanya, however, warned that police would not hesitate to clampdown on individuals found with arms, adding also that any police officer found moving with politicians would be arrested and dealt with.
Odesanya said: “The IGP has been magnanimous enough to approve the deployment of 25,000 policemen, including Special tactical unit and Anti- terrorism Squad for the election, to offer protection to both people in and outside the state. “This is one election the police is taking very seriously. Police officers, deployed from the Force Headquarters and other states are already arriving the state, in readiness for the election.