A percentage of the crowd that turn up at election campaign rallies held by political parties for the forthcoming general elections is rented; investigations by SUNDAY PUNCH has shown.
Jonathan in Rivers State
Each of those contracted for the rallies are paid between N500 and N5,000.
It was learnt that the amount paid depends on the profile of the event, the distance of the venue and the calibre of people engaged.
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the major opposition party, All Progressives Congress, as well as other parties has been making claims, especially on social media, that the huge crowd that turn up at their campaigns was a proof of their popularity.
SUNDAY PUNCH, however, learnt that women and youth groups, as well as ‘elders’ are hired in Akwa Ibom, Oyo, Abia,
In Uyo, a member of the PDP, Mr. Eric Ekanem, who spoke to one of our correspondents, said, “If you observe, you will see that those who attend PDP rallies and campaigns are often mobilised at the end of the event, where they are given between N200 and N2000 each.
“The amount each person receives depends on the groups they belong.”
An Eket-based woman, Ms. Ikwo Edet, said she was paid N500 after the last political rally she attended in Uyo.
In Umuahia, Abia State, a source, who begged not to be named, revealed that unemployed youths, students of both secondary and tertiary institutions, tricycle and motorcycle riders, as well as traders form the category of individuals easily rented.
The source said the rent ranges from N500 to N3000, depending on the category of the individual and the importance of the political rally.
Confirming this, a tricycle driver, who identified himself as ‘One Nigeria’, said he did not belong to any political party but was ready to be hired by any party that could pay his charges.
Similalarly in Enugu State, SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that students are a major population hired for political rallies.
A student, who gave his name as Ebuka, told one of our correspondents that he had been part of a rented crowd in several rallies.
He said, “We have link men who are close to the politicians. Whenever the need arises, they usually get in touch with us. We are mobilised through these contact persons.”
It was a similar case in Bayelsa State, where parties reach out to youth and women groups in the local governments area for mobilisation.
A regular participant in such rallies, Ms. Ebilami Victor, who hails from Ekeremor area of the state, said she usually took part in such activity because it was the only way to make money.
“It depends on where the campaign is taking place. If it is within the local government area, each participant is usually paid between N1500 and N2000. But if it is Yenagoa, the state capital, we are paid N3000.
“But when it is outside the state, each person is paid between N2000 and N5000,” she said.
In Oyo State, there is a network through which crowds are gathered for political purposes. The ring is run by a women and men group, it was learnt.
Youths in Ondo State are also having a swell time attending political rallies organised by parties and candidates ahead of the elections.
A party member, who gave his name as Adedeji, who attended a Social Democratic Party rally in Akure, told one of our correspondents that each ‘supporter’ engaged by one of the candidates received N2, 500 to attend the rally.
Another supporter, an unemployed, who identified himself simply as Makinde, told our correspondent that he received N1000 to attend the rally.
In Cross River State, SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that political parties have resorted to contracting the job of hiring crowd to individuals or groups within the party.
Depending on the venue of the rally, the task of mobilising at least 1000 persons spread across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state could cost between N800,000 and N1m.
In the ruling PDP, one of such mobilisers, who preferred not to be named, said his last task of hiring 300 persons to a rally at the central senatorial district cost N1m.
In the case of Edo State, many of the supporters, who are predominantly youths, are sourced from both within the state and from neighbouring states.
A source within the APC said, “You know that there is unemployment and hunger everywhere. They can get N1,500 or N2,000, for transportation or feeding. If you are politically active, you would understand that you don’t have to be a card-carrying member of a party to show your support,” he said.
However, the APC insisted that in its case, crowds at its event venues were genuine Nigerians who were tired of the cluelessness of the PDP-led administration.
The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Lai Mohammed, told SUNDAY PUNCH in an interview in Abuja that it was impossible for the party to hire a crowd for any of its events.
Similarly, the PDP said it did rent crowd or pay those who attend its rallies across the country.
The National Legal Adviser of the PDP, Mr. Victor Kwon, who spoke with one of our correspondent in an interview in Abuja, described anyone making such insinuation as a political novice.
The police and other security operatives on Saturday chased out pro-Buhari supporters at the Kaduna rally for the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan.
PDP lagos, President Jonathan
The main bowl of the 30,000-capacity Ahmadu Bello Stadium, the venue of the rally, was half-filled. It was the last in the series of North-West rallies scheduled for President Jonathan’s re-election bid.
When the state Governor, Mukhtar Yero, mounted the podium to read his welcome address, as soon as he shouted ‘PDP,’ a large section of the crowd chorused ‘Sai (only) Buhari.’
Also, when the Vice President, Namadi Sambo, shouted ‘Sai Nigeria,’ the crowd responded, ‘Sai Buhari.’
All the personalities that spoke at the rally were greeted with the ‘Sai Buhari’ slogan.
In reaction to the development, security operatives, including combat-ready policemen descended on the crowd in an attempt to chase them out.
As the police kept chasing the pro-Buhari supporters out of the stadium, they kept chanting, ‘Sai Buhari’ intermittently.
They also tore several posters of President Jonathan and his deputy in the stadium.
Not done, the youth outside the stadium reportedly threw pebbles on the convoy of the president after the president had left the stadium at about 3:00pm.
A visibly angry Deputy Governor of the state, Nuhu Bajoga, was spotted by our correspondent at the rally, reprimanding members of the local organising committee at the main bowl of the stadium and asking the committee to “go and bring more people.”
It was gathered that the money for the supporters were allegedly diverted by some officials of the local organising committee.
Reacting to the development, APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Lai Mohammed said, “It shows the popularity of Gen. Buhari. It shows that he is unstoppable.
“Chasing his supporters out of the stadium does not help the President or the PDP. It worsens their case.”
The Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibril, however dismissed insinuations of the non-acceptability of President Jonathan in northern states.
Jibril said it was the “quality of the crowd that matters and not hiring of miscreants.”
In his speech, President Jonathan said Kaduna was one of the major beneficiaries of Federal Government policies.
He urged the people of the state to re-elect him in the Febuary 14 election.
He said the state was the focus of the central government in the next four years if elected.
He also promised to revamp the collasped textile mills in the state to create jobs for the teeming youths in the state.
Vice President Sambo had earlier in his speech said the people of the state were highly elated with the President for his choice as running mate in the February polls.
He described Jonathan as patriotic and detribalised and therefore urged the people of the state to vote the party in all the elections.
The Kaduna State Governor, Mukhtar Yero in his welcome address said the state was the stronghold of the party since 1999 and would remain as such.
He thanked the President for transforming the state, especially, the establishment of fast rail service from Abuja to the state to ease transportation problems and the establishment of 30KWT power plant in the state.
President Goodluck Jonathan will beat the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari in the north, come February 14, 2015.
Jonathan in Borno
This was the assertion of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which noted that President Jonathan’s soaring popularity among the voting population across the country is an evidence.
Speaking through its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in a statement, Saturday, the party said President Jonathan will beat Buhari with more than two-third of the total votes cast, as well as the required 25 percent in all the states of the federation.
Metuh noted that this was not only because the PDP controls 12 out of the 19 states of the region, but also because the citizens are pleased with the numerous development projects he executed in the region.
The PDP said the various projects and appointments in the north have placed Jonathan ahead of Buhari in the mind of the people of the north, especially due to the fact that the APC presidential candidate never executed any project in the region when he was head of state and has so far failed to articulate an acceptable blue-print for development.
“Indeed, Nigerians in the north are eager to re-elect President Goodluck Jonathan come February 14, 2015. Voters in the region appreciate the direct positive impact of the numerous development projects executed by the Jonathan administration in all sectors of life.
“They appreciate the fact that recognizing that agriculture is the mainstay of the northern economy, President Jonathan ensured that out of the 2.7 million direct farm jobs achieved by his administration, over 2 million are in the north.
“They appreciate the fact that President Jonathan established the e-wallet system, which eliminated the corruption in the distribution of fertilizer and other farmputs, making the products directly accessible to millions of farmers in the region thereby boosting their productivity. They appreciate the fact that silos are brimming and food pyramids are returning in the north.
“In education, President Jonathan’s imprint in the north remains indelible. Today, the once relegated Almajiri boys can now go to school following the establishment of the Almajiri System of Education, the first of its kind, with over 150 special schools already built, while others are nearing completion, a noble idea, General Buhari never thought of when he was head of state.
“Also, out of the 14 new universities established by President Jonathan, 9 are located in the northern states thereby ensuring that all states of the region have a federal university. This is in addition to the establishment of new secondary schools and training of teachers for quality education in the region.
“Furthermore our citizens in the north are happy with President Jonathan for his efforts in tackling desertification in the region especially with the establish of more than 80 km of 15–row Green Belt in addition to the Presidential Initiative on Afforestation in Kano and 10 other Northern States”.
Another reason cited by the PDP was the increased attention given to the health needs of the region, especially the interventions towards polio eradication and treatment of VVF among others.
The party also noted that roads in the region, that have been abandoned for long have received serious attention under Jonathan, citing the Kano-Maiduguri highway, the longest stretch in the country.
Other projects cited by the party include revitalization of the railways, especially the rehabilitation of the Minna-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano narrow gauge, the Markurdi-Lafia-Kuru-Bauchi-Gombe-Ashaka-Maiduguri line and the branch line from Kafanchan to Kaduna, the dredging of the River Niger from Lokoja to Baro in Niger State, the acceleration of work on the Geregu power station, the 700MW Zungeru Hydro-Power, the 3,050MW Mambilla Hydro-Power and various dam projects including the Kashimbila Multipurpose Dam, which is being built to contain flood from Lake Nyos in Cameroon.
The governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Delta State, Chief Great Ogboru, has warned that there would be trouble if the February 28 election in the state is manipulated.
Oghoru
Ogboru, who was addressing the Delta Central mega rally at Ughelli on Thursday, recalled that in the past, people of the state had lived with situations where elections were rigged against the will of the people.
“But we know that God’s time is the best. This is the time set by God”, he said and burst into a local song, “If Ogboru no win, yawa go dey, if Ogboru no win, yawa go dey”, meaning all win not be well if Ogboru does not win.
The LP candidate promised to raise the standard of governance in the state such that the timid and people without vision would no longer find the chance to govern the state again.
He said Delta State had been turned into a Jankara state, where government could no longer provide the basic necessities of life like water, electricity, health care, education and good roads.
On his vision for the state if elected, Ogboru said, “We shall start by restoring your dignity and you will no longer be the thrashing floor.
“You will be able to look at them eyeball to eyeball. All Deltans will become winners and will enjoy good schools, good hospitals, better pay. Our roads will be safe again. Our streets and homes will be safe again; criminality of any shape will not be tolerated”.
He also alleged thata kidnapping and armed robbery was the order of the day in the state because those in government kidnapped and robbed the people of their votes.
“That is why kidnappers are everywhere, kidnapping people because the governor kidnapped their votes”, he said.
The Labour Party candidate further said while the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidacy was up for sale, the All Progressives Congress was a counterfeit.
“If the APC candidate does not step down, he will know the loneliness of a long distance runner”, he said.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Kenneth Minimah, on Friday in Zaria, Kaduna State, said the Nigerian Army has reviewed the training curriculum of the Depot, Nigerian Army, to effectively tackle insurgency in the Northeast.
Soldiers
He made this known during the Passing Out Parade (POP) of the 71 Regular Recruits Intake of the Depot, Nigerian Army, which took place at the parade ground of the Chindit Barracks, Zaria.
The COAS, who was the Reviewing Officer of the POP, said: “Your training curriculum was reviewed taking into cognizance lessons learned in the ongoing operations, particularly in the Northeastern part of our country. Apart from improvement in training, we also ensured that you were adequately kitted and provided with necessary logistics before and during your training.
On forthcoming elections, Minimah said: “As you are all aware, this is an election year, I therefore urge you to read and understand the code of conduct for military personnel during elections. You must remain apolitical at all times. To achieve this, you are expected to discharge your duties diligently, professionally and patriotically”.
President Goodluck Jonathan has promised that if he is reelected for a second term, he would revisit the controversial issue of 76 oil wells, which the Supreme Court, three years ago, ruled as belonging to Akwa Ibom State.
Jonathan in Rivers State
He made this pledge following a public demand made by a former governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke that the issue be resolved politically.
Speaking at the Peoples Democratic Party presidential campaign in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, the president said: “Once I return to office, I will sit down with stakeholders from Cross River State and look at their demands, including the oil wells and the immediate priorities with a view to settling them”.
He also promised to consolidate on the industrial revolution ongoing in the state by constructing a new coastal rail line from Lagos to Obudu Ranch Resort and boost capacity of the Calabar Free Trade Zone (CFTZ).
President Jonathan said, if re-elected, he would use the remainder of his final term to focus on empowerment and training of Nigerian youths, which he said was the reason he completely endorsed the emergence of Professor Ben Ayade as the governorship candidate of PDP in Cross River.
Speaking earlier, Governor Liyel Imoke said that the state would deliver 1.1m votes to the president, telling Mr. Jonathan to be rest assured of winning in the state.
“The president does not need to campaign in Cross River State. Even if he doesn’t visit he can rest assured that we will still vote and deliver 1.1 million votes to him”, he said.
Governors Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta) and Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa) also assured the president of delivering their states to him come February 14.
President Goodluck Jonathan has challenged the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd) to clear his name of charges of alleged certificate forgery and perjury.
Jonathan and Buhari
Jonathan, in a statement on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, said the former head of state must stop taking Nigerians for granted and show some leadership qualities by taking personal responsibility of clearing his name of the charges.
The president argued that a man could not carry an “undischarged baggage” of alleged certificate forgery and willful perjury and still shout “change” at political rallies.
He added that it was inconceivable that instead of debunking the allegations of forgery and perjury against him, Buhari was rather passing the buck to other persons or organisations.
This action, Jonathan said, did not show any potential of responsible leadership on the part of those wanting to lead Nigeria to shun accountability on their personal credentials.
According to the statement, this tends to suggest that the APC “change” slogan is cosmetic.
The presidential aide said Buhari and the APC mouthing corruption everywhere should clear the air on this matter or forever bury their heads in shame.
He said: “We consider this as a un-statesmanlike assault on the intelligence of Nigerians and it represents the greatest challenge between Gen. Buhari and the office he seeks to occupy. It will be recalled that Buhari has, in the last few weeks, domiciled the custody of his secondary school certificate in three different quarters namely the military board, his former secondary school and now the Independent National Electoral Commission.
“Unfortunately for the APC candidate, the examination body, WAEC, which has the final say on this issue, has also recently declared that it doesn’t have any records of Buhari’s secondary school certificate just as the military authorities did”.
The campaign team of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has issued a statement accusing an unnamed commissioner in the cabinet of Governor Mukhtar Yero of stockpiling arms as part of a plot to unleash violence on the state and blame it on the APC..
El-Rufai
The allegation was contained in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday.
Read the full statement below:
“The APC Kaduna Change Team is vigorously campaigning in Southern Kaduna. This is after suspending its Kaduna rally slated for Saturday.
“But reports have reached us that the PDP is stockpiling weapons to unleash violence tomorrow with the intention to blame it on the APC. Among items seen at the PDP office are axes, knives and brooms. The design here is obvious: the broom is our party’s symbol and the desperate PDP politicians want to equip their thugs with it to create a mirage.
“Intelligence reaching us indicate that a certain commissioner in the PDP government has also been distributing APC vests to their thugs for the mayhem they plan for tomorrow. The PDP knows that it has lost Kaduna State, and it is desperate to obtain by violence that which the people have rejected.
“The APC reiterates once again that any violence in Kaduna State this weekend and during the February elections is the calculated handiwork of the PDP, no matter the attire in which they disguise their thugs. Things have gotten so bad for them that violence is the only package they have prepared for their presidential campaign in Kaduna. The APC has won the confidence of the people of Kaduna State. We will not succumb to provocation; neither shall we accept curfew or any designs against the freely-expressed wishes of the people.
“Once again, APC and its supporters are the intended victims of the violence the PDP is planning”.
THE Presidency has denied plans to postpone next month’s general elections as alleged by the All Progressives Congress, APC.
President Goodluck Jonathan
In a statement yesterday by the Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Prof Rufai Ahmed Alkali, the Presidency accused the APC that through its members and supporters, it has been doing everything possible to frustrate the conduct of a free and fair electoral process and not the PDP and the presidency as alleged by the opposition.
The Political Adviser who noted that APC has been breaching the Abuja Peace Accord which all the presidential candidates subscribed to with impunity, however emphasised that Presisednt Goodluck Jonathan has been receiving unprecedented support since he embarked on the nationwide campaign and he was fully prepared for the election with the PDP.
Alkali in the statement said, “The attempt to denigrate the Presidency of Nigeria and drag it down the cesspit of vile propaganda and rumour mongering is unfortunate and signpost the APC’s disregard for our revered institutions.
“Nigerians have seen President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan criss-cross the length and breadth of the country in the last one month to rousing receptions everywhere. This certainly is not the sign of someone who is frightened about elections or unprepared for same.
“From our tours and the unprecedented outpour of goodwill, we are confident of a wider margin of victory than ever before. We are ready and fully prepared for this election.’’
“We wish to draw the attention of Nigerians to the fact that it is the APC and their unruly supporters that have been doing everything possible to frustrate the conduct of a free and fair electoral process. They have consistently violated the Abuja Peace Accord through violent conducts in Katsina, Bauchi, Taraba, Gombe and Plateau States.
A former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Friday said he sacrificed his presidential ambition for the All Progressives Congress candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari.
Buhari
Tinubu stated this while addressing a crowd of APC supporters at the party’s presidential rally in Lagos.
He said Nigeria was facing an economic crisis and an internal war and needed a person with Buhari’s experience because of the General’s reputation of anti-corruption and military warfare.
Tinubu said, “People define patriotism as putting the country first but this is what the ‘Poverty Development Party’ refuses to understand. We chose Buhari not because Bola Tinubu is not interested in the Presidency. I am capable, competent, qualified, younger and richer but there comes a time that people must make sacrifices for their nation.
“I prayed that Nigeria would get better and we would not need a man like him (Buhari). But today, we are in a great crisis; we face a lot of challenges. When South Africa was in a great dilemma and was about to disintegrate, they called Nelson Mandela of 74 years old.
“He used his wisdom to save his country. When the United States was in economic depression, they called 73-year-old Ronald Reagan because he was frugal and incorruptible.
“When America was faced with depression and war, they called a retired General, Dwight Eisenhower, to rescue the country and the country was returned on a path of success. “When France was faced with war and economic depression, they called a retired General, Charles De Gaul, to rescue the country.
Tinubu added that whether Buhari presented a certificate or not, he was still qualified to rule the country.
“So what do we need now? Buhari. This is the time for us. General Buhari, whether you are qualified or not qualified, we are calling you to come and rescue us in Nigeria,” he said.
Also speaking at the rally, the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said President Goodluck Jonathan had done nothing for the people of the state despite the fact that the President got over 1.2 million votes from the state in 2011.
He said every project that the Federal Government was supposed to have assisted Lagos in executing had been frustrated by the Jonathan administration.
He, therefore, asked the people of the state to vote for the APC at all levels.
Buhari, who was the last person to speak at the rally, said the failure of the PDP-led Federal Government was unprecedented in the history of Nigeria.
Buhari said, “We all know what we have gone through in the past 16 years under the PDP. The APC has identified three core problems that must be tackled immediately. First is insecurity, two is the destruction of the economy and three is corruption.
“But whatever we have to do, we will have to secure Nigeria first. What is happening in the North-East where hundreds of people are being killed is unacceptable. We known that the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian Army are capable of bringing peace and stability into the country but they just need good leadership.”
The authorities of the Nigerian military have arrested senior Army personnel on attachment to the Multi National Joint Task Force.
Chris Olukolade
Those arrested and placed under movement restriction are a Brig. Gen, a Lt. Col. and five other officers of the Nigerian Army deployed to the Baga headquarters of Multinational Joint Task Force, which was attacked and taken over by members of the Boko Haram sect on January 5, 2015.
Investigations revealed that the military authorities arrested the Brigadier-General and six other officers including a Lt. Col. in Maiduguri and moved them to Abuja for questioning.
The arrested officers are expected to answer questions on the loss of men and location, and military equipment which were taken over by the insurgents.
It was learnt that Baga came under attack barely 48 hours after the Army moved weapons to fortify the place in anticipation of a well-coordinated onslaught against the insurgents.
The Army authorities are angry that some of the equipment fell into the hands of the insurgents.
It was learnt that the leadership of the Army decided to order the arrest of the affected senior officers in line with military tradition that the senior officers may have lost command in view of the circumstances surrounding the fall of Baga and had some clarifications to make.
It was learnt that the Army authorities would interrogate the affected officials to find out from them the circumstances surrounding the Boko Haram invasion of the headquarters of the MNJT and other places under their control.
The Director, Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, confirmed that officers of the Army on deployment to the MNJTF were being made to answer questions for the loss of men and equipment during the Baga attack in a text message to our correspondent on Friday.
He said that the decision of the Army leadership was normal as it was designed to gather necessary information for future operations in the area.
He said, “Nigerian officers in key command positions of the Multi National Joint Task Force are in the process of accounting for their action in the mission area leading to loss of weapons, men and location in their area of responsibility.
“This is a normal military procedure in major operations and after some encounter.
“The essence is to extract and collate relevant information for subsequent missions. It could also lead to or determine appropriate disciplinary action where necessary.”
Olukolade also said that troops had killed a substantial number of insurgents who were operating in Michika, the headquarters of the Michika Local Government Area.
He said that the troops had commenced an extensive mopping up operation in search of weapons, stranded terrorists and casualties.
“An extensive mopping up operation to search for arms or stranded terrorists and other casualties is ongoing in Michika after troops sacked the terrorists, who have been operating in the town and its environ.
“The main assault on terrorists’ main positions was concluded yesterday (Thursday) as many of them died in the combat. Troops who sustained injuries in the operation are receiving necessary medical attention.
“Other troops are continuing the pursuit of those who are on the run from the town. Normalcy has been restored accordingly,” he added.
As the February 14th Presidential election draws near, National leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, yesterday, said the party leadership begged the Presidential Candidate of the party, General Muhammadu Buhari to contest the 2015 election inoder to rescue the country from the present challenges.
Bola Tinubu arriving yesterday
According to Tinubu while addressing the mammoth party supporters at the Mega presidential rally held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Tinubu, “the choice was meant to rescue the country from the crisis that has bedevilled its development.” He noted that the prayer of everyone before was that the country will get better and “We will not need a man like him to rule the nation. But today, we are in a great crisis. We are facing a lot of challenges.”
Tinubu, explaining the strategies adopted by those great nations in the past, said “When South Africa was facing a serious challenge, they called on late Nelson Mandella, and he was 74 years old then. And he used his wisdom to save that country.
“When America was in economic depression, they called on 73-year-old Ronald Reegan, to save their economy because he was prudent.
“Also, when Britain had problem, they called on 73-years-old Winston Churchill to rescue them and he did.
“We are calling on Buhari at this moment to rescue the nation from the crisis that has bedeviled its development.” Speaking on the merger of the three political parties that formed APC, the APC National leader stated that when “We started about three years ago, they taught that the merger of ACN, CPC and ANPP is impossible. I told them that there is a positive storm coming to change the nation.”
By Emma Amaize, Henry Umoru and Jimitota Onoyume, Abuja
The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday asked the former federal Commissioner for Information and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, NDPVF, Alhaji Mujahid Asari- Dokubo, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo and other Niger Delta militants to be mindful of what they say at this period of the nation’s political history.
Edwin Clark
The PDP also warned other support groups, organisations, professional bodies and associations rooting for President Goodluck Jonathan to be careful with their utterances to ensure decency in the polity.
This was even as ex- MEND Commanders in the Niger Delta, gave General Theophilus Danjuma seven days ultimatum to apologize over his call for the arrest of Asari Dokubo,Tompolo for threatening that Nigeria would break up if President Jonathan lost the February Presidential election. The ex-militants said that war would follow in Nigeria if Jonathan lost the election. Chief Clark and the ex-militants blasted General Danjuma in their reaction, saying that his remarks were disappo-inting. At a meeting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital yesterday, the former militant commanders in the region condemned the call for the arrest of front line freedom fighters in the region, Alhaji Mujahideen Asari Dokubo and Government Ekpemupolo a.k.a Tompolo, saying that the call amounted to a declaration of war against the Niger Delta region.
Former MEND Commander, Victor Ebikabowei Ben, alias General Boyloaf, also asked General Danjuma to apologise and hide his head in shame or face humiliation.
However, speaking with newsmen in Abuja, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh noted that although the party appreciated the support of all Nigerians, it was disturbed over the provocative statements of some people which could provoke other parts of the country, warning that Jonathan was not an Ijaw President or that of the South South geo- political zone of the country alone but the president of all Nigerians.
Metuh said, “we want to stress and state publicly, that whilst we have noted the interest, zeal and enthusiasms of individuals, various groups, support groups and organisations, that are supporting the president with statements, adverts, documentaries and TV programmes; we appeal to them to be guided by the noble ideals and the visions of the founding fathers of our party.
“We are not in agreement with their statements and we are cautioning them to mind what they say. No individuals own the party. The President could be more loved in Anambra than Ijaw area. He has support in Adamawa than in Bayelsa States…
“Well, we have noted that whilst we are not responsible for the utterances, statements of some of our support individuals, groups and organizations; we are cautioning them to be mindful of what they say.
“Ours is a national party. We cover all zones, all local governments. No individual owns our party, no group, no people, no zone owns our party. And being a national party, we caution some of our people, some of our supporters to be mindful of the zeal that they exhibit. Let the wrong impression not be given.
“President Jonathan could even be more loved in Anambra than in the Ijaw area. He could even be more loved in Zamfara than in the Ijaw area. He could even have more support and more votes from Adamawa than in Ijaw. And to buttress this, yesterday in the campaign, Mr President informed all that the Adamawa people gave him twice the number of votes that he got from Bayelsa. So the president is not the president of Ijaw, he is not president of Bayelsa; he is not president of South South, he is the president of the entire Nigeria and he has the support of the entire country.” On PDP’s anticipated victory, Metuh said, “We are rounding up next week. So we have done over 70 percent of our campaign.
Alhaji Asari- Dokubo had threatened that “ ex- militants would return to their old ways should President Jonathan lose the election,” at a meeting last week in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital,
Reacting to the issue, the former Minister of Defence, General Theophilous Danjuma called for the arrest of Dokubo and other former Niger Delta Militants for threatening to rock the boat should President Jonathan lose the February 14 election.
Danjuma who described the statements as reckless, had said, “those are very reckless statements made by irresponsible individuals and they should be condemned. In fact, they should be arrested.’’
But responding to Danjuma, Chief Edwin Clark, Tompolo, Dokubo, others tongue lashed the former Minister, accusing him of sponsoring attacks on Jonathan and that the government should arrest him rather than the ex- militants. Clark who said he was disappointed at the call by Danjuma for the arrest of the Ex- Militants, stressed that he (Danjuma) ought to have condemned the attacks on Jonathan in several states in the North.
Meanwhile, ex militant Commanders in the Niger Delta region have asked General Danjuma to apologise over his call for the arrest of front line freedom fighters in the region or face problems.
‘General’ Reuben Wilson aka Pastor who handed the ultimatum on behalf of other commanders of Defunct Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, MEND in Port Harcourt said Danjuma had by his call for arrest of Niger delta crusaders called for war against the region. Wilson who is now president Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative said Danjuma was among northern leaders that had richly benefited from the oil resource in the region.
“Our attention has been drawn to publications credited to T.Y.Danjuma, a former defence minister, calling for the arrest of former Niger Delta freedom fighters, including our frontline selfless leader and hero, Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo.
“As much as he has the right to free speech, Danjuma ought to know that the oil money he is enjoying today, through his ownership of oil blocs, came from our sacrifices and blood. We staked our life to fight for the development of our country. We fought for freedom for our land and it pains us that people like Danjuma who have reaped bountifully from the Niger Delta, can wake up to insult our sensibilities.
“For Danjuma to call for the arrest of Asari Dokubo, then he has walked on the tail of the serpent. The much we know is that we the ex militants who decided to drop our guns to join forces with the federal government to develop the country, especially the Niger Delta have never said anything or taken any action that would warrant such explosives from Danjuma,’’ he said and reaffirmed the support of ex militant commanders for the second term bid of Jonathan. “All we have said overtime is that our brother, President Jonathan, is a true son of the Niger Delta, and deserves to enjoy the two terms in office provided for in the constitution. We stand by this right and we will do everything legal and legitimate to make sure that he is not denied that right, not by a thousand Danjumas.
The United Progressive Party (UPP) presiden-tial candidate, Chief Chekwas Okorie, has said that refusal by All Progressive Congress, APC, candidate, Major General Muhammadu Buhari to participate in the scheduled debate was a great disappointment.
Okorie, however advised Buhari to jettison his advisors’ voices and participate in the scheduled debate being organized by the Nigeria Election Debate Group, NEDG.
Speaking through his campaign organisation, Okorie argued that, the scheduled presidential debate between all 14 presidential candidates and their running mates is one such event in the current development of democracy in Nigeria that should not be boycotted.
He said, “The news that the APC presidential candidate, General Buhari, will not participate in the scheduled debate is a great disappointment.”
First, nobody likes Nigeria as the largest in Africa.
Nobody likes Nigeria as the most populated country in Afirca
Nobody likes Nigeria as the biggest economy in Africa
Nobody likes Nigeria for enjoying all the attention it has been enjoying over the years.
Nobody likes Nigeria from always taking that soup from their mouth.
The only way to weaken the power of Nigeria is to cause chaos and death that will possibly lead to division.
If Nigeria divided, they won’t be call Largest Country in Africa.
They won’t be referred to as the most populated country in Africa. We will loose our name and fame, and things will never be the same again.
Who are those to benefit? America, ECOWAS countries. The 2nd largest country in Africa that will become the largest..
Nigerians, It doesn’t matter whether you are Muslims or Christian, It doesn’t matter whether you are from the South or North, East or West.
It doesn’t matter what is happening right now, let try to be united because we have a lot to gain compare to when we divide.
They are watching, they are so agog to hear the news.. If we handover our destiny in their hands, we will have ourselves to blame.
PDP, APC, and the rest of the political parties in Nigeria, stop sending message of hate, some dividing the nation politically, stop using religion and region to campaign.
Religious and region bigot, this message is for you from NAIJA CENTER NEWS..
NATIONAL leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP disclosed yesterday that the party lifted the suspension of its former National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur because of his total loyalty to President Goodluck Jonathan and his commitment to the growth and development of PDP.
Answering questions from journalists yesterday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh said, “What informed that decision beside the facts that suspensions are for specific periods, 30 days in the first instance which was not renewed, in spite of that we have to make it public, as a mark of honour to the former chairman, where he has displayed undue restrain, respect for constituted authority.
“He has shown loyalty, he has shown his commitment, he has shown his dedication to our party, our programmes, our policies and to the President who is the leader of the party, he has been campaigning and he has shown complete loyalty to Mr President. So we are happy, we believe he remains a father figure in our party and we admire that in him.”
29-year David Chineye was among eight suspected members of a trans-border robbery gang arrested by the Lagos State Police Command last week. The Imo State-born suspect who claimed to be married to a Benin Republic-based Togolese, gave a startling confession on the gang’s operation in Benin and Mali, during an exclusive interview with Crime Guard.
David Chineye
Chineye who admitted to be the gang’s informant, revealed that his union with his wife, made it easy for him to study the terrain in Cotonou, Benin Republic, thereby facilitating the gang’s entry into the country.
Members of his gang reportedly stormed a micro finance bank in Porto Novo, Benin Republic, last November, from where they carted away the equivalent of N100 million.
Chineye who gave his operational name as Ishola, said he masterminded the robbery operation at the financial institute, adding that it took him two days to study the terrain before inviting other members of the gang over. He further told Crime Guard that the gang was planning to extend its operations to Togo when they were arrested.
I go for confession after each operation
The father of one who was full of remorse said that his pastor and members of his church, whose name he gave as Christ Ascension Church, Benin Republic branch, would be shocked beyond imagination when news of his arrest reach them.
According to him: “ I am a dedicated church worker. Nobody knew I was an armed robber. Every time I returned from any operation, my conscience would prick me. Thereafter, I would go to church for confession but would never disclose the exact sin I committed.
My wife didn’t know I was a robber either. This is because I stay in Benin Republic where she is permanently based for two months, before returning to Nigeria, where she believed I was working. I usually visited Benin Republic when we wanted to rob and would leave after investing my loot. This is to allow me get hints on the outcome of the operation, in terms of Police investigation.”
Frustration led me into robbery
At a point, he burst into tears, begging for his wife’s forgiveness when she hears about his involvement in crime. He stated that he never envisaged to go into robbery but that frustration forced him into it.
“It all started after my apprenticeship in a pharmaceutical store, back in Owerri, the Imo state capital. My master refused to pay me off. Rather, he claimed that the money he ought to have settled me with was spent on the treatment of my ailing brother few months back. I left in anger and worked as a bus conductor until the engine of the bus got knocked.
I was idle for some months, during which I met my wife who was visiting Nigeria for the first time. I went to Benin Republic with her, where I met some friends who introduced me into robbery. I started by breaking into peoples’ apartments, but it was not lucrative because at times, I won’t get anything from the houses”.
I graduated into Trans- border robbery
In his desperation to eke a living, he returned back to Nigeria last year, where he reportedly met members of another robbery gang. He confessed that he went on operation twice with the new gang but only got between N20,000 and N50,000 , an amount he said was not enough to meet his needs.
Continuing, he said : “During one of our meetings, I told my members that we should step up by going to operate in Benin Republic, since their Police were not as effective as ours. The first operation was in a filling station in Benin Republic. It took me two days to survey the place before I invited members of the gang.
At the end of the operation, we lodged in a hotel there for two days, shared the loot before others left,while I stayed back. Three weeks later, as I was driving around Porto Novo, I saw a micro-finance bank. I studied the terrain that day and came back the next day to continue. I observed that policemen were not stationed there and that only unarmed private guards were there.
Quickly, I came to Nigeria to inform my members and left back for Benin Republic. Three days later, we struck at the bank and made away with N100 million equivalent.
During operation, we don’t use our real names. For instance, my operational name is Ishola. We have names like Mensah, Koffi, Messiah, master, etc. This is to give our victims the impression that we were from Benin Republic.
Premonition
“ Joining a robbery gang is the worst mistake of my life. Had I known, I would have listened to my wife.
Three days before I was nabbed, she told me she dreamed that I was arrested alongside other people for robbery and that I was killed in the process. Since then, she has been fasting and praying against sudden death. But I assured her all was well and that I was not into any dirty deal. If I had known I would have returned to Benin Republic , instead of remaining here in Nigeria.”
I lost everything
Another suspected member of the gang, Ifeanacho Igwe (35), told Crime Guard that he was forced into robbery by one Nnamdi, whom he said invited him over after he requested financial assistance from him. The invitation according to Igwe, turned out to be his worst nightmare.
According to him: “ As a commercial motorcyclist, Nnamdi invited me to take him to a location, promising to give me some money I earlier requested for.
That was in 2011 But on reaching the location at Alakija bus-stop, it turned out to be a robbery operation scene. I couldn’t turn back because it was late and I was afraid they could kill me. I had no option than to play along.
They succeeded in collecting N85 million from a victim and at the end I got N25 million. Since then, I cut off totally from them.
I lost everything I used that money on; I bought a new truck for N14 million and a commercial bus , including a sports utility vehicle for my personal use. I used the rest to renovate my mother’s house and support my siblings’ education.
Since that robbery operation my entire life has gone from bad to worse. I gave the truck out to a driver to use for transportation purpose.
While on a business trip to the eastern part of the country, it rammed over someone before it somersaulted into a river, with goods worth several millions of naira. As if that was not enough, I am in the police net for a crime committed four years ago. My past sins have caught up with me,” he stated in an emotion- laden voice.
‘APC Has More Thinking People Than PDP’, Ex-Senator Says
Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, the daughter of former Head of State, Olusegun Obasanjo stated this in response to an article written on Nigeria’s economy by former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Charles Soludo.
Former Senator, Iyabo Obasanjo has stated that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has ‘more thinking people’ than the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The daughter of former Head of State, Olusegun Obasanjo stated this in response to an article written on Nigeria’s economy by former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Charles Soludo.
Dr Obasanjo, in a piece published by Vanguard, described Soludo’s article as ‘the best writing’ she had read recently on ‘the real situation politically and economically in Nigeria.’
Read her full response below:
Professor Soludo’s article on the elections in Nigeria is the best writing I have read recently on the real situation politically and economically in Nigeria.
The well-articulated response from Dr. Fayemi compared to the abuse infused response from Femi Fani-Kayode on the PDP side is a great example of the contrast of the status-quo compared to the alternative.
Whatever the case and I don’t expect miracles from APC but right now they have more thinking people than the PDP. As a Yoruba person, Dr. Fayemi’s response is how we expect our educated elite to take up issues and not the mad ranting’s of Fani-Kayode.
I agree with most of his premise but I do not think they (APC) can take up a massive public works program in a period of “famine” i.e. low oil prices.
During the great depression when Roosevelt used public works to help provide jobs, it was the stock market that failed i.e. Government revenue was affected from tax income but income from exportation which was then mainly agricultural goods was not affected.
The government could use money from its coffers to create jobs and provide skills and training, which people could then use in the private sector.
The best part of Dr. Fayemi’s response is that it is not elite focused. Nigerian governance as I saw it was not a democracy but an elitocracy. Govt of the elite by the elite for the elite and even if you grew up in near death poverty once you left those circumstances you forgot where you came from and concentrated on your immediate family and matters affecting the wellbeing of the elite.
Changing this perspective to make the elite understand that their wellbeing was in fact dependent on the wellbeing of the masses will be APC’s challenge.
They are sourcing from the same pool of elite talent that every Nigerian government has to source from and it is this pool that essentially has to be different or we will find ourselves again at precipice as usual.
Soludo’s article was also criticized by the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who accused him of committing intellectual ‘hara-kiri’.
Lagos—An Igando Customary Grade A Court has officially dissolved the 18-year-old marriage of Pastor Chris Onyekachi-Madu and his estranged wife, Augusta, after she got pregnant for an Okadaman, while still living with him.
Court president, Rasaq Ishola-Adeyeri, said in his judgment that from the cumulative evidence before the court, it had been proved beyond reasonable doubt that the relationship between the plaintiff and the defendant had hit the rocks, since all efforts to settle both parties had proved abortive.
He said the defendant had refused to show up in court after she had been served court summons on three occasions.
Adeyeri said: “It is, therefore, assumed that she too is no longer interested in the union again; the plaintiff also maintained his stand to part ways peacefully with the respondent.”
The President also said that based on the pronouncement of the plaintiff, the court had no option than to separate them.
He said: “The motion, therefore, succeeds and order is, hereby, given that the marriage between Chris Onyekachi and Augusta Madu is officially dissolved from today January 28.
“The custody of the two children is, hereby, referred to the family court within Lagos Judicial Division, who has executive right to hear and determine matters involving children under 18 years.”
PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY’S BLOODLETTING AND ACTS OF TERROR IN RIVERS STATE – THE ROAD TO PERFIDY
Being text of a press conference by the Rivers state Chapter of the All Progressive Congress in Port Harcourt on Tuesday the 27th of January, 2015.
PROTOCOLS
Hon. Dakuku Peterside
The greatest obstacle to democratic consolidation in Nigeria is electoral violence. Pre-election violence particularly, is as a result of the rascally disposition of some desperate and greedy politicians who want to secure electoral victory by subverting the process and undermining the rule of law. Whilst the tendency for violence by the People Democratic Party (PDP) is common place, the progressive degeneracy of the situation in Rivers State has assumed an intolerable and indeed dangerous dimension. Apart from the fact that this phenomenon affects the credibility of the electoral process, the legitimacy of the election results and the rule of law; the nature, extent and magnitude of violence indicate unequivocally it is a deliberate tool for intimidation and terror adopted as a policy and backed by security institutions who are paid from our commonwealth to protect our citizens.
Whilst election is an irreducible feature of democratic governance, democracy is a social system of administering a nation-state where political parties candidates compete for elective positions in a free and fair election atmosphere, and in which the citizens are legally empowered to choose those who will run the affairs of the state in a given period. Elections are supposed to be competitive, free and fair both substantively and procedurally. Despite the legal frame work that guides the electoral process, the PDP has opted to thread the part of terror as an instrument of divesting the people of their constitutionally guaranteed power to freely cast their votes for their preferred leaders.
Electoral violence is any random or organized act that seeks to determine, delay or otherwise influence an electoral process through threat, verbal intimidation, hate speech, disinformation, physical assault, forced protection, destruction of property or assassination. The aim of electoral violence is either to influence the outcome of the process or to disrupt the entire electoral process.
Rivers State has over the years evolved as the oil and gas nerve centre of Nigeria. It has a growing population of about 5.1 million (the sixth most populous State in the Country) and impressive GDP of 21.07 billion USD – which is bigger than most African Countries such as Botswana, Rwanda, Nambia, Lesotho and etc. the enviable economic and socio-political scorecard of Rivers State has made electable positions attractive. Elections in Nigeria determine who controls and allocates resources and because of the strategic nature of Rivers State in the socio-political and economic calculus of the Country, the PDP controlled Federal Government spear headed by Mrs. Patience Jonathan (whose foot soldier is the obnoxious Nyesom Wike) has turned the contest for the control of the state resources into a fratricidal, tense and brutal one sided war.
The Federal Government of Nigeria under the collegiate presidency of Dr. and Dame Jonathan adopted a deliberate policy of state sponsored violence against Rivers People when it deployed a certain brute in police uniform named Mbu Joseph Mbu intentionally to promote (through manifestly corrupt and illicit means) the ascendancy of Mr. Nyesom Wike to political infamy. Mr. Mbu’s antics are too numerous and very well publicized. However, it may be necessary to remind us that since the day he shamelessly escorted known criminals and outlaws through the streets of Port Harcourt in the guise of a demonstration, violence triumphantly returned to Rivers State
The PDP having established its machinery for violence now began to unleash mayhem in the form of physical attacks on the APC members, killing and causing grievous bodily harm on our members across the State, destroying properties worth millions of naira in the process. It began with a tragicomedy of sorts which held the nation’s attention for several weeks. In the full glare of the nation, five disgruntled and misguided House of Assembly members led by one Evans Bipi and sponsored by the then Minister of State for Education, (both of whom are adopted sons of the President and his Wife), in the company of countless thugs, escorted by Mbu’s band of policemen attempted to overrun the House of Assembly. The ensuing fracas caused untold damage to the House of Assembly Complex, which was subsequently shut down by Mr. Mbu and has remained under lock and key despite several attempts by the Assembly members to gain access to conduct their lawful business.
The absurdity of the attack on the House of Assembly would confound any right thinking person who knows that there are thirty-two (32) members of the House of Assembly out of which, five (5) purported to impeach the Speaker. In the course of their quest to regain lawful access to the House of Assembly Complex, the twenty seven (27) members of the House of Assembly were forced to sit on the bare surface of Moscow Road from where Mr. Mbu dispersed them with tear gas. Mr. Mbu left Rivers State in exceedingly controversial circumstances after presiding over the return of Rivers State to a near state of anarchy into the warm embrace of the president and his dear wife who promptly rewarded him with a “well deserved” promotion. His legacies include the return of hitherto outlawed warlords who have reestablished their camps and are operating visibly. Before he was redeployed, his atrocities reached its apogee with the attempted murder of Senator Magnus Ngei Abe when police men on his orders attacked Save Rivers Movement members at College of Arts and Science premises in Rumuola, Port Harcourt.
Gradually but steadily, the PDP local militia led by Nyesom Wike, funded by the Federal Government and aided by the security institutions have now converted the State to a war zone killing, maiming and taking captives of APC members at will. This is how the Nation Newspaper of Friday, January 23, 2015 captured the situation in Rivers State “For weeks now, men without spine, men of brawn and please permit to add-who lack humanity and conscience have put Rivers State, the Lagos of the Southsouth, on the spot. It is either they are shooting guns or they are throwing bombs. And when they do it, they hide their faces. They are under the cover of the dark masks. Aside guns and dynamites, they also use machetes and other dangerous weapons. Heads have been broken. Necks have been twisted. Arms have had hot leads pumped into them. And there was a woman whose back was reshaped with bullets. It is simply a tale of blood – which has left sorrow and tears in many homes”.
CASES OF VIOLENCE AND BODILY HARM ON APC MEMBERS
The following are but a few of the known cases of death and grievous bodily injuries caused our members by the PDP through its members and hirelings:
Perhaps, the most brazen of all attacks took place in the early morning of the flag off of the Presidential Campaign of the APC in Port Harcourt. Two different sets of gunmen attacked buses conveying APC supporters from different parts of Rivers State to Port Harcourt. The buses located several hundred kilometers from each other were riddled with bullets. A day after the attack the police naively dismissed the attacks as incidents of armed robbery. Whilst it must be noted that nothing was stolen from the victims, one must ask the police why the “robbers” isolated APC members on the same day, at about the same time and in two different locations in the State?
Several APC supporters on their way to the official flag off of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s presidential campaign in Port Harcourt were attacked by gunmen near Harry’s Town in Degema and Sakpenwa in Tai. The cowards were not bold enough to do it without hiding under face masks. They left many unconscious and in their pool of blood and fled into anonymity to spend the filthy money from their cowardly masters.
Ask Aadum Pya-alu, Beatrice Deemua, Sobari Npebee, Barbe Jack, Victory Vinam and Wisdom Akpogbara and they will tell the tales that not only touch the hearts but break them. Pya-alu’s leg shot by the cowards tell all the story; Beatrice’s back-arm can never forget the day hot leads were pumped into it; Npebee, who was shot in the lead and neck, is lucky to be alive to tell the story; and elated is Jack for not dying as a result of the gun attack on his stomach; so is Vinam, who was shot in the leg; and Akpogbara must be thanking God that the bullet he received on the head for daring to identify with Gen. Buhari’s aspiration did not kill him. One wonders what they think about the police’s claim that they were victims of armed robbery, yet their valuables were not taken.
Soon after this, the APC local chapter secretariat in Okrika, the home of Madam Patience Jonathan was destroyed by a bomb explosion. Whilst no life was lost, party members have been terrorized and the message is clear that the PDP and its dangerously armed terrorist gangs will not allow APC to lawfully contest for the votes in Okrika Local Government Area.
Chief Engr. Orerehim was on the 10th of January, 2015 beaten alongside others when they were having an APC chapter meeting at Oro-owo, Rumueme, Ward 10, Obio-Akpor LGA by thugs sponsored by Hon. Timothy Nsirim, a former Local Government Chairman, cousin and political ally of Nyesom Wike. He was seriously beaten and injured. He reported the matter to Rukpakani Police station, Ada George road. No arrest, invitation or investigation was made by the police.
On the 11th January, 2015, the Paramount Ruler of Rumuolumuni Town in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, HRH Eze Ndubueze Wobo Oumeni, ordered that all APC bill boards/posters be removed by PDP members in his community on the ground that his community belongs to the PDP. One Chief Wobo Owhor led some young men to carry out the order of the Paramount Ruler. One Hon. Kingsley Emenike tried to stop the destruction of APC signages. Chief Wobo Owhor and his boys bet Emenike up. His head was broken by one Martins Amadi and was taken to the hospital only for him to be arrested on his hospital bed and later released on bail. Aham Wobo who was not at the scene was also arrested and in detention presently, a case of the complainant being the accused. Nyeweli Omunakwe Nyeche Nsirim, King of Rumueme community who is Timothy Nsirim’s father, put a lie to his son and the PDP’s story when he accused his son of using thugs to disrupt the All Progressives Congress (APC) rally. According to him, the APC stalwarts in the community duly obtained the blessing of the Chiefs to organize their political rally. He describe as false the claim by the PDP that Okocha and APC supporters attacked the former council chairman. The question I ask is: Is the traditional ruler lying against his son?
On the 16th of January, 2015, the PDP fired what would now be a warning shot of its serial bombing campaign when explosives were detonated in the Andoni Local Chapter Secretariat of the APC.
On the 22nd of January, 2015 in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area, some group of PDP thugs led by Hon. Evans Bipi destroyed APC billboards/banners and injured one Mr. Precious Tende. That was the third time Evans Bipi and his cohorts had willfully destroyed APC banners/billboards in Ogu, headquarters of the Local Government Area. the Ogu Council of Chiefs, the police at Ogu, the SSS and the Joint Task Force Unit are all aware of it.
On the 23rd of January, 2015, some PDP thugs numbering about 24 attacked the private residence (Ihunwo Street, Rumuwike) of Barr. Cyprian Chukwu, a member of APC in Ward 9 destroying valuable properties. He was lucky not to be at home when they came. They decapitated a young man in the premises and he is lying critically ill in the hospital with machete wounds on both arms.
In the early hours of the 24th of January, 2015, thugs on the orders of Mrs. Patience Jonathan, PDP attacked the National field in Okrika which was to be the venue of APC rally scheduled for the 24th of January, 2015 with guns and explosive devices, destroyed the musical/public address system, canopies, podium and chairs. Thereafter, they attacked the residence of APC Councilors and members in Okrika Local Government Area. The police are yet to make any arrests.
Most of these heinous crimes have been aided and abetted by the police. In some cases, they simply looked the other way whilst the crimes were committed whilst in some others they arrested the APC complainants or members of supporters on phantom charges just to neutralize the political influence of the APC in the area. below are some of the flagrant cases of police harassment, intimidation, unlawful arrests and detention against members and supporters of APC in Rivers State.
CASES OF POLICE VICTIMIZATION, ARRESTS, DETENTION, BRUTALIZATION OF APC MEMBERS IN RIVERS STATE
In Omuma Local Government Area, Hon. Emeka Wogu, a former member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, a former Commissioner and currently Chairman, Caretaker Committee, Omuma Local Government Council was arrested and accused of shooting at Mr. President’s billboard. Meanwhile, that very day 25th August, 2014, he was at Joint Allocation Committee meeting in Port Harcourt and was nowhere near Omuma Local Government Area. He arrested on the 27th August, 2014 by over 60 armed policemen in a commando style, handcuffed in the presence of his children, thrown into SARS, Port Harcourt, detained for 2 days and released without any charge.
In Soku Community, five APC supporters, Kalas Okpara, Brown and others were arrested on 28th of November, 2014 on spurious allegations of sea piracy held up in SARS. Only one was released while others are still facing incarceration.
In Ahoada East Local Government Area, Mr. Grant Otis Ideozu, APC party agent for prison Barracks unit 6, ward 4, Ahoada East LGA was arrested on the 5th of December, 2014 by the DPO (Ahoada Division) on the allegation that he had an altercation with someone at the unit during the collection of PVC. He was beaten up and locked up for days, transferred to Port Harcourt for further detention and released on the 13th December, 2014 without a single complaint by anybody.
In Emuoha Local Government Area, Hon. Gowon Emma Wokea, a former Councilor and an APC stalwart in Ibaa, Emuoha Local Government was arrested on the 10th December, 2014 t Rukpokwu Town, Obio-Akpor Local Government by SARS operatives. They alleged that APC bought guns for Mr. Wokea and other APC supporters. Others who were arrested with him were released while he was transferred to Force Headquarters, Abuja where he is still been held up till date with no charges filed or pending against him.
In Akuku Toru Local Government Area, Stanley Don Pedron Ngoye Briggs and Sunny Ereme were similarly held on false charges at SARS since 10th December, 2014 and only released about 2 weeks ago. Ngoye Briggs was arrested for withdrawing money from his account in UBA, Abonnenna. While others were arrested on “suspicions of having capacity to cause problems”. All arrests were just to pave way for PDP to have an edge over the APC during collection of PVCs in the area. Christian Don Pedro from Kula was arrested on 13th December, 2014 at Kala Town for going home to register during the continuous voters registration exercise on the spurious allegation of threat to life and abduction of a soldier. All allegations proved false, yet he has not been released. He has been detained at SARS since then.
In Ikwerre Local Government Area, Godwin Wojinda was arrested by SARS for stopping one Isi from running away with PVCs belonging to ward 3, Omagwe, Ikwerre Local Government Area. He is still in Police detention even when the culprit returned the hijacked material to the INEC Local Government Area Electoral Officer. He was not arrested rather the complainant was arrested and still in police detention.
In Omuma Local Government Area on the 15th of December, 2014, Hon. Justice Nwogu (CTC member and supervisor, security and social development, Omuma LGC) was arrested at Rukpokwu in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area over framed up charges of illegal possession of firearms and attempted murder just because he had a squabble with PDP members. He is still being held in SARS deadly cell. The police have not commenced any form of investigations and no charges have been filed against him.
In Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Mr. Pius Wosu, APC Ward 16, Chairman in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area was arrested and detained on 7th January, 2015 in the State criminal investigation department (SCID) on a trumped-up charge of malicious damage of PDP billboard. Mr. Pius Wosu was incarcerated at the SCID for over 2 weeks. On the early morning of the said date, Mr. Pius visited ward 16 office only to discover that all the party flags, billboards and party candidates’ posters within the party office had been destroyed and carted away.
Mr. Pius promptly informed other leaders of the ward of that development and was advice to immediately report the matter to Ozuoba Police station. On getting there to report the matter to the police, Mr. Pius was informed that there was similar report already against him and eight (8) others. Nine of them were subsequently detained at SCID.
In Eleme Local Government Area, Solaka Osaro Saloka, Gomba Obo Saloka, Olua Saloka, Victor Nnaa Oji, Nsikak and Prince were arrested on Monday, 13th January, 2015, bailed on Tuesday 14th January, 2015 for one million naira and re-arrested on the 15th January. They were detained at SCID for protesting over the removal of APC billboards by PDP members.
In Degema Local Government Area, Otonyemie Kuna, Truman Agiobu, Solomon Yellow, Success Braide, Kunle and Omuo Sunday, APC supporters in Degema Local Government were arrested on Wednesday, 14th January, 2015 allegedly for gun trafficking and now in SSS cell, Port Harcourt. There is no evidence to support the allegations. Their arrest is just part of a larger plan of PDP in Rivers State to arrest most APC loyalists before the general election on February 14, 2015.
In Abua/Odual Local Government Area, Igoma Loveday Gift, Caretaker Chairman, Abua/Odual, Udi Udum former Chairman, Abua/Odual Local Government Council and Raphael Muzan Ekpelu, have been under constant harassment and intimidation by the police over deaths that occurred as a result of cult clash on the 15th January, 2015 during the PDP Governorship Campaign rally in Abua/Odual. They were all not in Abua/Odual on that said day and are not members or sponsors of any cult group they were detained for nearly one week.
On the 15th of January, 2015 in Oyigbo Local Government Area, ward 5 where PDP supporters removed posters of APC candidates. APC members of the ward led by the ward Chairman, Monday Omezuruike protested. The ware Chairman was arrested and beaten up by the police and detained in Afam police division.
Our initial reactions to these flagrant abuses and physical attacks were in the form of strident calls to the President to use his high office to cause the cessation of unprovoked hostility and violence against our people. Of course, these calls fell on ears deafened by an unbridled hatred for Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi and an unquenchable desire to punish him for daring to speak out against the incompetence, insensitivity and duplicity of the Jonathan’s presidency and the intolerable meddlesomeness of an incurably obtrusive and cantankerous wife who manifests more power than the President. It took the National Assembly’s constitutional intervention to prevent a gang star style takeover of the Rivers State Government. Even then, the National Assembly resolution demanding redeployment of Mr. Mbu was disdainfully ignored by the President.
As the 2015 general election approaches, the scale, magnitude and intensity of the orchestrated violence against members of the APC is assuming a frightful dimension necessitating that we cry out to the Nigerian and International Community. Our plight is akin to that of a people in a militarily conquered and occupied territory. PDP thugs and hirelings practically commit murders under the watchful and protective eyes of the police without as much as a slap on the wrist, the objective being to antagonize and intimidate our supporters into believing that it is unsafe for them to come out and vote, thus effectively disenfranchising them.
This press conference is our distress call to all men, women, organizations, nations and people who cherish democracy to intervene before it is too late. It is unimaginable that a president who himself claims his roots from the Niger Delta region and who assumed office on the wings of agitations for equity and justice would permit unprovoked premeditated violent attacks on the same people he hopes to ride on their primordial sentiments to retain his presidency. The president’s cavalier attitude to the escalating violence in the State borders on criminal negligence because he knows or ought to know (or in the least remember) the level of arms in circulation and the historical volatility of the State (and region).
Not too long ago, the President pretended that the Boko Haram menace was a local religious nuisance not worthy of his attention. Today, it has snowballed into a full scale civil war in at least three (3) states in North Eastern Nigeria with thousands of men, women, girls and boys killed, kidnapped or unaccounted for. Today in Nigeria, the death or kidnap of fifty, hundreds or even a thousand Nigerians in the hands of Boko Haram is not worthy of comments by the President but he found his voice to inexplicably condemn the killing of eleven people in France. Whilst we join the world in condemning the unfortunate terrorist attack on the media house in France, we call on the International Community to persuade our president to rise to the task of leadership to protect lives and property, or step down from the presidential contest as he has no moral standing to be flying around in a presidential jet campaigning for re-election protected by dozens of other aircrafts and thousands of military personnel whilst unable to perform his primary constitutional function as president – to protect Nigerian lives and property even on our soil.
We call on Amnesty International, the International Red Cross, the relevant organs of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) to immediately commence independent inquires into the gruesome attacks and killings in Rivers State. We call on these and other humanitarian and democratic organizations and institutions to set high powered election monitoring networks, teams and processes to monitor the election in Rivers State to avert unnecessary bloodbath which may cripple our already weakened economy. An acceptable electoral outcome is possible in Rivers State but only if the elections are truly free and fair. There cannot be free and fair election if the spate of violence high handedness intimidation and terror is not halted. We pledge to remain law abiding but we shall defend ourselves, our people and their votes by all lawful means.
Once again supporters of the APC, whilst chanting ”sai Buhari” and carrying brooms, have stoned our candidate President Goodluck Jonathan whilst he was on his way to a rally in the north. It happened in Yola, Adamawa state. This is the third time that this has happened in the last few days. The first time it happened in Katsina state and then in Bauchi.
Fani-Kayode
In the case of Bauchi state the violence resulted in the brutalisation, wounding and hospitalisation of no less than six of President Jonathan’s security operatives. In Yola, just as it was in Katsina and Bauchi, the whole thing was well-orchestrated and well-funded by the APC and there is an obvious conspiracy to hurt and intimidate the President and his supporters and prevent them from campaigning in the north. This is despite the fact that Jonathan is very popular in many parts of the north and he has millions of followers there.
We wish to assure the APC that this barbaric and uncivilised behaviour will not deter Mr. President from campaigning in every nook and cranny of this country because his supporters, in both the north and the south, expect no less from him. The question that Nigerians must ask is this: will Buhari not call his supporters to order and stop this violence unless and until someone is killed? Is that what he and his APC want? Do they want the President and those that go on campaign with him dead?
Why do they delight in violence and intimidation? Are they scared of a free and fair election? Can they not handle the prospect of defeat? Has it finally dawned on them that they are going to lose the election woefully and consequently they wish to avoid that by creating a crisis in the country? We have warned them over and over again about the consequences of their reckless and dangerous behavior, their fondness of physically attacking the President and his campaign team and their irresponsible and insatiable appetite for aggression and violence when it first happened in Katsina but General Buhari and the APC would not listen and they have refused to call their supporters to order.
Instead they have continued to relish and delight in their habitual violence and the most heinous and hideous forms of unprovoked attacks and they have consistently encouraged such behaviour. It is no wonder that Buhari was once nominated by Boko Haram to be their negotiator and spokesman when the idea of dialogue with the Federal Government was first mooted in 2014. Equally relevant is the fact that Buhari and his APC, through their official spokesman Alhaji Lai Mohammed, objected to the proscription of Boko Haram and described it as ”unconstitutional and unjust”. This was after the terrorist organisation had slaughtered over 20,000 innocent and defenceless Nigerians. Such is the love that the APC have for violence and those that revel in it.
It is interestring to note that when Buhari’s supporters butchered a number of people, including some youth corpers, after he lost the election in 2011 he refused to apologise to the families of those that were so brutally and callously murdered and he showed absolutely no remorse. This was despite the fact that the killings were done in his name and despite the fact that the entire world expressed their outrage about those killings and the attendant acts of violence, arson, rioting and vandalisation that went with them. Yet no-one should be surprised about the fact that he refused to apologise because that is Buhari for you: uncharitable, rigid, adamant, stubborn and lacking in compassion even where human life was lost.
One wonders if the same spirit still resides in him? Is there any indication that he has changed? Is he preparing for a repeat performance of what his supporters did after losing the election in 2011? Does he still hold to his ”baboon and dog will both be soaked in blood” philosophy if he loses the february election? Are his supporters and allies still threatening to ”make the country ungovernable” after he loses the election? We sincerely hope not because this time around he and his supporters may not get away with it so lightly.
We wish to take this opportunity to serve them notice of a final warning: if they do not desist from these unprovoked attacks and if anything untoward should happen to President Goodluck Jonathan whilst he is on campaign or even after the election the consequences will be grave and worse than they can possibly imagine. Buhari was not attacked by supporters of the PDP when he campaigned anywhere in the south so why should President Jonathan be attacked by supporters of the APC when he campaigns in the north? Enough is enough. The behaviour of the APC in this respect is utterly reprehensible and we condemn it in the strictest terms. Under no circumstances should violence be condoned or encouraged by them or anyone else because this is simply an election and not a war. The truth is that the APC have become utterly desperate because they can see defeat staring them in the face. They have found it difficult to come to terms with the fact their their candidate is a man with questionable health who has been rejected by the Nigerian people and who does not have the strength, energy, fortitude or vision to govern Nigeria.
They also find it difficult to accept the fact that he is a confirmed perjurer who falsely swore to an affidavit and lied under oath that he had a secondary school certificate and that that certificate was with the army. This obnoxious and odious mendacity goes to the very heart of the issue of character and integrity and it is indicative of the fact that not only is Buhari wholly unfit to rule Nigeria but also that his party is a haven of morally reprehensible and questionable individuals. If this were not the case what can what make of the assertion by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in Benin that ”certificate or no certificate” the Nigerian people must vote for Buhari.
Our position is that Buhari is not qualified under the law to run for the Presidency because he has not been able to produce or display his secondary school certificate as required by law and this is the basic requirement for anyone that wishes to aspire to that exalted office. We also believe that he was not even qualified to have gone to the Officers Training College of the Nigerian Armed Forces in 1968 because he never had the prerequisite qualifications to be admitted. At best he ought to have remained a non-commissioned officer and not a commissioned officer of the Nigerian army. We believe that based on that he ought to be stripped of all the entitlements and ranks that he attained within the army over the last 46 years.
The truth is that with Buhari the more you look the less you see. His story and whole history is shrouded with false claims, double-speak and double-standards and we shall continue to alert Nigerians about the dangers of electing such a dubious man as their President and putting him in power. The latest development is that these desperate men have now fraudulently procured a fake and forged result sheet which is meant to fool Nigerians into thinking that Buhari actually passed his exams. Yet the Nigerian people have not been fooled. They know that if they were to give such questionable people power it would result in disaster. Buhari’s quest for power and his mantra of change is a mere illusion. He will fail simply because our people wish to move our country forward and they do not want a return to the past.
By their consistent and continued acts of violence and vitriolic words of hatred Buhari and his APC have not only violated the historic Kofi Annan-led Abuja Peace Accord but they have effectively raped it. Despite their desperate attempts to malign and intimidate us we shall continue to raise issues about their policies and conduct that they cannot defend and that are making their leaders very uncomfortable. I happen to take pleasure in watching them wriggle and sweat so they should get ready for far more. The game is on. Fani-Kayode is the spokesman for the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation
