PDP Alleges Plot by APC, Security Agencies to Cause Havoc, Abort Elections in Rivers · Warns: We have capacity, will to resist intimidation

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has alleged that the All progressives Congress (APC) is determined to violently prevent elections from holding in the state using security agencies.

It however warned that it has the capacity and the will to mobilise its supporters to resist intimidation and defend the collective rights of the people of the state to exercise their franchise.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, the Director General of state PDP Campaign Council, Desmond Akawor, said the party was forced to seek the intervention of Nigerians and the international community because of the threat and actions of the APC as well as the security agencies.

In the text titled: 'Plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to Cause Havoc, Destabilise, Rig and Abort the 2019 General Elections in Rivers State', Akawor said: “The purpose of this press conference is to draw the attention of Nigerians and the international community to the plot and brazen determination of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to violently prevent the general elections from holding in Rivers State and scuttle the rights of our people to freely and fairly elect their leaders on the 23rd of February and 9th of March 2019.”

He noted that on January 23, some leaders of the APC addressed a world press conference where they issued a direct and specific public threat to the effect that: “…there will be no National Assembly, Governorship and State House of Assembly elections in Rivers State until all the cases pending before various courts have gone to the apex court for final decisions…"

He said while the threat was widely circulated in the electronic, print and social media, the Federal Government-controlled security agencies turned deaf ears.

He recounted several other threats from leaders of the APC, especially the Minister of Transportation and Director General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Chibuike Amaechi, at the party’s presidential Campaign Rally in Port Harcourt where he promised to deal with the Governor of Rivers State and the PDP.

Akawor said: “Whilst the APC and its leaders continue to publicly declare their perverted intentions to take the laws into their hands and disrupt the general elections in Rivers State with maximum violence, neither the security agencies nor the Presidency have deemed it necessary to reprimand, investigate, caution and or arrest and prosecute the Transportation Minister, Prince Tonye Princewill and the leadership of the APC on the possible consequences of their outrageous and inciting utterances, threats and hate speeches to the peace, public order and security of lives and property in the State.

“Instead, we have started witnessing concerted efforts by the APC, INEC and the security agencies, especially the Nigerian Army and the Police to actualise both the intent and content of the dangerous agenda of the APC to truncate the electoral processes in the State, as we get closer to the election dates.

“For instance, on Friday 15 February 2019, 24 hours to the now rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly elections, the APC-led Federal Government deployed full military arsenal to cordon off, overrun and prevent voters and normal residents from getting to the Local Government Areas of Akuku Toru, Andoni, Asari Toru, Bonny, Degema,  Okrika and Opobo/Nkoro.

“Indeed, in Okrika Local Government Area, indigenes and residents were physically barred by masked gun-trotting soldiers from returning home as early as 6.00 p.m. on Friday 15th February 2019 on the directives of the General Officer Commanding the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Jamil Sarham. This is in spite of the fact that the restriction order on movement of persons by the Acting Inspector General Police was to take effect from 6.00 a.m. on 16th February 2019,

“Earlier on the same day, that is, Friday 15th February 2019, the said Major General Sarham sent military officers to the Central Bank Office, Port Harcourt to prevent INEC officials from distributing the available sensitive election materials to the 23 Local Government Areas of the State.

“We are also aware that the military has planned to cordon off collation centres across the State and prevent PDP agents’ access to these centres in order to rig the rescheduled elections on Saturday February 23 2019.”

He also alleged that the APC has procured armed thugs, military uniforms and branded military and police vehicles for the purpose of rigging the rescheduled elections.