The Rivers State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC,
has condemned the directive by the governor of Rivers State, Chief
Nyesom Wike to PDP members to resist illegal arrests before and during
the forthcoming rerun elections in the State.
The
APC in a statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Senibo
Chris Finebone, advised Rivers people to discountenance such inciting
directive by the governor as it is capable of pitching law enforcement
agents against innocent citizens of Rivers State.
"The
APC wishes to advise Rivers people irrespective of political
affiliations to act within the law before, during and after the March 19
re-run elections in Rivers State. This appeal has become necessary at
this time with the backdrop of the highly troubling, inciting and
unlawful directive by Gov. Nyesom Wike to PDP members to resist unlawful
arrest by security agents," the statement said.
According
to the APC Spokesman, the APC believe that the directive by the
governor to his party members was mischievous, dishonest and dangerous.
He
said: "Indeed, it raises several questions. Did Gov. Nyesom Wike
properly explain to his party members how to differentiate between legal
and illegal arrests? As a lawyer, does the governor know that
reasonable and lawful response to arrest [whether legal or illegal] is
not to resist it which is in itself unlawful? Did Gov. Wike explain to
his supporters the different dimensions and scenarios that resistance to
arrest can result to?"
"The APC continues to be
concerned at the desperation of Gov. Nyesom Wike for political power
even when his methods portend danger to lives and property of the
innocent and hapless. As a political party, the interest of the APC
remains the safety and wellbeing of the citizenry irrespective of party
affiliations. We believe that a state governor should sometimes drop the
partisan toga and assume the more honourable task of safeguarding the
lives and property of the generality of the people.
"Having
been said to have climbed on dead bodies to become governor [apologies
to Prof. Itsay Sagay], Chief Nyesom Wike should now realise that the
killing and maiming of innocent Rivers people, whether members of PDP or
APC, must stop immediately. Even as the leader of the PDP in Rivers
State, he has no right to put the lives of PDP members in harm's way
through manipulations and grandstanding. It is enough that he has vowed
to gatecrash into INEC and no 'Boko Haram' Army will stop him on
election day; the APC wishes him well. But he must not take others along
on his suicide mission.
"Quite frankly, the APC notes
that the governor now acting like a bull in a china shop must realise
that many have acted and even exceeded him in lawlessness, recklessness
and false bravado in the past but history has its sad tales of them. If
the governor is in doubt, when next he attends a burial at the cemetery,
he should take a closer look at the writings on the tombstones. But
like they say, 'you may borrow trouble but do not lend it to your
neighbour,'" the statement said.
The APC Spokesman
called on well meaning Rivers people to stay out of harm's way during
the forthcoming elections by rising above the mediocre style of Gov.
Nyesom Wike which bothers on obscene desperation reminiscent of someone
on a suicide mission.
In another development, the
Rivers State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has advised
Oraye Franklyn, Chief Nyesom Wike's Senior Special Assistant on Social
Media to be useful and desists from misinforming Rivers State people.
The
APC in a statement made available to NF-Reports by its Spokesman Senibo
Finebone said, "For very good reasons, the All Progressives Congress,
APC, Rivers State chapter would have ignored the vitriolic attack
targeted at our great party by Oraye Franklyn, Chief Nyesom Wike's
Senior Special Assistant on Social Media. We know that a response
obviously would dignify Franklyn's unfounded comments but as a
progressive party that is conscious of truth, we need to state the facts
to avoid misleading the people."
The party stated
unambiguously that the APC has never and will never play politics with
the lives of Rivers people, adding that to do anything of such would not
only be immoral but sinful before God Almighty.
The
statement further reads: "We are concerned about the safety of our
people and that is why we have been speaking on the ugly developments in
our state.
"As a party, we have remained at the
receiving end of the violence and deaths that have enveloped Rivers
State for over six years now. All we ask is for peace and security to
reign because we know the consequences of anarchy. Our people have
suffered enough.
"APC members across the state have
been attacked and killed, sometimes in the presence of their families.
More APC members have died over these unfortunate years and this is a
fact that is well known around the state. And for these long years of
strife, we have been speaking and calling the world's attention to the
daily attacks and killings taking place in our state.
"So
we were shocked that a Special Assistant who lives and works in Rivers
State will be so dishonest, uncharitable and bold in accusing APC of
politicising insecurity.
"The question is: how can a
party that has suffered more from insecurity, at the same time
politicise the very malaise that gives it endless nightmare? As at
today, insecurity pervades the entire length and breadth of all Local
Government Areas of Rivers State. In fact, there is no local government
where we have not had one form of killing or the other. Unfortunately,
all the violence and death are traceable to the governor's acolytes.
"I
think all of us, irrespective of our different political affiliations,
must be very concerned about a quick resolution to this crisis. We
cannot achieve peace by deliberately writing and circulating falsehood
just to score a cheap political goal. A Special Assistant will be more
useful to the state when he desists from misinforming the very people he
is paid to serve."
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