APC dissociates self from the arrest of suspected criminals in Okrika and Ogu/Bolo

The Rivers State Chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has denied the accusations by the PDP that the the party was involved in the arrests of its members reportedly made in Okrika and Ogu/Bolo by the Nigerian Police yesterday.  

APC Rivers State

The State Working Committee of the APC in a statement confirmed that no member of the APC at the units, wards and local government levels of the party in the areas in question was involved in the said security operations by the Police.

“If the PDP is claiming that alleged criminals arrested by the police are its members, then the PDP should look inwardly with diligence to ascertain the reasons and not to raise false accusations against the APC or try to obstruct the security agencies from doing their job” the party said  

According to the APC, “we, like most residents of Rivers State, are aware that insecurity especially kidnapping, armed robbery and cultism have recently surged across the State including the axis in question. Right within Port Harcourt Metropolis, a policeman was brutally gunned down two days ago less than 24 hours after 3 policemen were also reportedly shot dead and the gunmen reportedly escaped through the waterways along the axis in question.” 

The APC said, “If the police, and indeed other security agencies follow the trail of criminals and make arrests, we expect the PDP to support such an action or, at best, be quiet and let the security agencies do their work. That is why the APC refrains from making hasty comments on matters of security as not to unduly jeopardise the good work the security agencies are doing trying to make us all safe.” 

“However, the hasty, unguarded and often distorted alarms the PDP raises whenever the Police set out to work tend to suggest that they may know more about the crimes and the criminals behind them than they are ready to tell the world. The PDP in Rivers State should not always politicise everything including matters of security” the APC advised . 

The APC called on the heads of security agencies in Rivers State and their overall bosses in Abuja to disregard and ignore the false alarms and distractions by the PDP and concentrate on carrying out their constitutional responsibilities to ensure that security of life and property return to Rivers State.

 

APC dissociates self from the arrest of suspected criminals in Okrika and Ogu/Bolo 

Mrs. Jonathan arrives Okrika allegedly for “dirty job” - APC

By Ehi Ekhator, Naija Center News

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has raised alarm over the presence of the wife of the President, Patience Jonathan in Okrika.

Mrs. Jonathan arrived Okrika, her birthplace, for the Governorship/House of Assembly elections.

Though she was expected to have been in Otuoke with her husband, Jonathan, to vote in the House of Assembly election.

But her presence in Okrika flares APC who believed that Patience Jonathan went to her birthplace to possibly force the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to rig the governorship election in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Mr. Ebebuwon Nyesom Wike.

The APC also accused the outgoing First Lady of planning to carry out some undemocratic activities in Okrika all in the bid to secure victory for the PDP.

Mrs. Jonathan, who had been in Port Harcourt in the last 3 days, was ferried into Okrika on Friday at about 3.37pm(local time) in  armoured helicopter.

Soon as she arrived Okrika, Mrs. Jonathan called for a meeting of the largest Okrika families, demanding undiluted obedience from them.

“During the March 28 Presidential/National Assembly elections, Mrs. Jonathan had commissioned a local town-crier to disseminate her fiat that whoever voted for any party not PDP, would receive heavy penalty. Ex-militants, most likely following her directives, sacked several families of All Progressives Congress, APC, even as they inflicted degrees of injuries on other parties’ members.

Those who dared to express their freedom of choice at the polls were whipped with canes by ex-militants supervised by the First Lady’s loyalists.” APC accuses.

APC also claimed that Mrs. Jonathan mission in Okrika is to do her last dance, and is planning to capture every votes in Okrika and Ogu/Boko respectively.

The party also claimed that the Fist Lady is billed for a lot of dirty jobs and planning to move to INEC office in Port Harcourt to supervise collation and the declaration of result.

NAIJA CENTER NEWS reported yesterday that APC raised alarmed over President Goodluck Jonathan visit to Jimi Agbaje, the governorship candidate of Lagos State, a day before the election, adding that the President mission is to manipulate the election in the favour of his party.

 

Mrs. Jonathan arrives Okrika allegedly for “dirty job” - APC

Police arrest three Okrika mayhem suspects

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Police detectives have queried top Rivers Peoples Democratic party (PDP) members over the mayhem at an All Progressives Congress (APC) rally in Okrika, hometown of First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan, The Nation learnt last night.

Okrika Police

Hon. Evans Bipi, who claims to be the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, was, on Wednesday, quizzed by the police.Two other prominent members of the PDP, including Hon. Bright Tamuno Gogo, were also invited  to explain their roles in the incident.

The lawmaker, who represents Ogu/Bolo constituency in the state legislature, has been accused by the Rivers APC leadership of being the mastermind of the bombings and shootings at the rally.

Bipi told the detectives that he was nowhere near Okrika on that day and also threatened to sue the APC for making such an allegation against him.

The rally, which was being addressed by the APC governorship candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, was attacked by hoodlums. A policeman was killed and a Channels Television reporter, Charles Eruka, was stabbed. Several others sustained injuries either from the explosions or the gun shots. Vehicles were destroyed.

Following the directive of the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, on February 20, the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Zone 6 Tunde Ogunsakin, visited Okrika National Secondary School, the scene of the February 17 violence.

AIG Ogunsakin constituted a team of detectives to investigate the incident. According to a source close to the investigation team, the team has made major discoveries.

The team, said a source, has invited several key stakeholders and “they have made useful comments to assist the police”.

The Ogunsakin-led team, according to a source close to the team, has arrested three suspects who shot at security operatives. It was also disclosed that some of the items recovered from one of the perpetrators belong to an APC member.

AIG Ogunsakin did not answer his calls and did not reply any of the text messages sent to his telephone.

A source close to a member of the team said 10 cars were burnt as against the earlier report of four.

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Police arrest three Okrika mayhem suspects

PDP, Wike denies involvement in Okrika shooting

The Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party and its governorship candidate, Barr Nyesom Wike have denied involvement in the shooting at the campaign ground of the State chapter of the All Progressives Congress in Okrika, describing it as part of the ground design of Governor Rotimi Amaechi to destabilize Nigeria.

Nyesom Wike

The Chairman of the PDP in Rivers State, Bro Felix Obuah in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Jerry Needam stated this while reacting to allegations by Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Dakuku Peterside and the APC, that the PDP had a hand in the incident.

Amaechi has lost every sense of decency and decorum and is behaving like a drowning man.

“How will Amaechi associate the first Lady, Her Excellency Dame Patience Jonathan who is currently mourning the death of Bayelsa women who lost their lives in a motor accident with the shooting at Okrika. It shows the degree of hate Amaechi has for the First family. The First Lady is currently going about consoling the bereaved families, and cannot be part of violence. She deserves sympathy at this sad moment” PDP said.

The PDP describes Barr Wike as an advocate of peace, non violent and God fearing, saying as a God-fearing man, he cannot be part of violence.

Barr Wike was at the time of the incident campaigning to market women in Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt Local Government Area and Eleme, in Eleme Local Government Area and has no time to contemplate instigating violence.

The PDP therefore dissociates the party, Her Excellency, the First Lady, Dame Dr Patience Jonathan and tue Rivers PDP Governorship candidate, Barr Nyesom Wike from the crisis in Okrika, advising the APC to settle their internal crisis and leave them alone.

 

Source – Naija Center News

PDP, Wike denies involvement in Okrika shooting

Peterside calls off rally in honour of Okrika gun attack victims

All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, has called off his planned campaign tour of Ogu/Bolo local government area billed for Wednesday. Dr. Peterside was attacked on Tuesday by heavily-armed gunmen believed to have been led by Mr. Evans Bipi, a Personal Assistant to Mrs. Patience Jonathan, wife of Nigeria’s President. Not less than 2 persons, including a police man, have been confirmed dead and their bodies deposited in mortuaries. Dr. Petertside has since visited the hospitals, including the Braithwaite Specialist Hospital, Port Harcourt where he broke down in tears.

In a statement by Ibim Semenitari, Director of Communications, Greater Together Campaign Organisation, the decision to cancel the Wednesday rally was in honour of the dead. “The decision to call-off the Ogu/Bolo campaign by Dr. Dakuku Peterside, the APC Governorship candidate, was in honour of those killed by the gunmen who attacked the APC campaign on Tuesday in Okrika. Dr. Peterside is grieved over the losses and has sympathised with the families of those killed while wishing the injured quick recovery”.

The statement further explained that Dr. Peterside and the APC stood firmly by the non-violence Peace Accord signed by political parties in Rivers State brokered by the Embassy of the United States of America in Nigeria.

“Despite this deliberate, well-co-ordinated attack on the APC governorship candidate and APC supporters, the candidate and party stand firm to the spirit and letter of the Non-violence Peace Accord brokered by the American Embassy in Nigeria.

“The Greater Together Campaign Organisation condemns the attack and disruption of the APC campaign in Okrika, while commiserating with families that lost their loved ones and breadwinners. That is the tale of woe the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has imposed on Okrika people, which is unacceptable and must be broken through the peoples’ collective resilience”, Semenitari added.

Peterside calls off rally in honour of Okrika gun attack victims

PDP disassociates self from explosion in Okrika, advises APC to look inwards

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The People’s Democratic Party, Rivers State has disassociated herself from the reported violence   which took place during the APC Governorship Rally in Okrika and called for peace in the State as the state prepare for the forthcoming general elections.

The bombed All Progressives Congress secretariat in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State… on Sunday

A statement issued in Port Harcourt by Barr Emma Okah, Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee of the Rivers State PDP Campaign Organisation condemned the act and urged  the Police and other security agencies to investigate the incident and bring the culprits to book.

According to Mr Okah, nobody should encourage violence in our polity. The PDP is a peace loving Party and believes that everybody should be given equal opportunity in all parts of the Country to hold rally and canvass for votes.

“Violence does not end well and it is for that reason that we have continued to encourage our PDP members to remain peaceful and law-abiding despite the recurring cases of provocation by the APC in Rivers State and many parts of the Country”, he said

It will be recalled that at the PDP Governorship Campaign Rally in Abua, Obuah/Odual LGA, the PDP members were attacked by some gunmen suspected to be APC members.

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PDP disassociates self from explosion in Okrika, advises APC to look inwards