The
United States Consul-General to Nigeria, John Bray, has called for an end to
the violence and deaths in the presidential and National Assembly elections in
Rivers State.
This
is as the state Governor, Nyesom Wike, vowed to seek justice for families of
the slain electorate, accusing security agencies of colluding with the All
Progressives Congress (APC) to kill the people in their quest for votes.
Addressing journalists at the Government
House, Port Harcourt on Sunday after a meeting with Rivers State Wike, the
diplomat decried the violence that greeted the polls in some parts of the
state.
Violence
trailed elections in the state with the Nigerian Army confirming the death of a
lieutenant and six others at Abonnema, Akuku Toru Local Government Area, while
the police confirmed two other deaths in Andoni.
The
APC earlier alleged killing of four persons in Andoni while the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) members were killed in Abonnema.
The
party also said the military killed two PDP sgents in Emohua Local Government
Area on Saturday.
The American Envoy told journalists: "I
am here as an international observer. We
have been watching elections in Rivers State.
"I
am not here to grade elections or anything like that. I am just here to say
that there has been enough violence.
"Enough
people have died. I am here today to speak with all the different candidates
and party leaders."
Meanwhile, addressing journalists later in
Port Harcourt, Rivers State Governor, Wike, declared that the state government
would pursue justice for all those murdered in cold blood by soldiers of the Nigerian Army, allegedly
recruited by the APC to unleash mayhem on PDP members in Abonnema and other towns during Presidential and National Assembly
elections.
The
governor said all those involved in the cold blooded murder of innocent Rivers
people to feather the Presidential Ambition
of their benefactor would not go unpunished.
He
particularly berated the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi; the
General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division of the Nigerian Army , Major
General Jamil Sarham; and the Federal Special Anti-robbery Squad (FSARs)
Commander; Akin Fakorede, for their
roles in the murder of Rivers people
during the elections.
He
said: "Let it be known that those who masterminded the murderous assault
on Abonnema and other communities in Rivers State last Saturday have
bloodstains on their hands, for which they are all answerable before the
Almighty God.
"I wish to assure all and sundry that
we shall as a government pursue justice for the families of the victims against
the perpetrators of the mayhem, killings and destructions in Abonema, Buguma,
Degema and other places no matter how powerful they may seem and how long it
may take".
Wike
called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately direct the army to
pull out of Abonnema, so that the people can resume their normal lives.
"I
call on Mr. President to please, in the name of God direct the army to withdraw
the occupation and siege on Abonnema and Bonny communities so that the people
can go about with their normal lives", he said.
He
wondered why the Minister of Transportation would connive with the Nigerian Army to spill the blood of Rivers people just for
the purpose of political relevance.
"But,
like all well meaning Nigerians, I dare to ask: does the ambition of Mr.
President to cling on to power warrant the gruesome and coldblooded murder of
innocent souls in Rivers State by the Minister of Transportation and his armed
gangs?
"Must
the Minister of Transportation shed innocent blood, desecrate the land of
Abonnema and humiliate our people in pursuit of the re-election of our
President?
"Are
the people of Abonnema and indeed,
kalabari happy with the occupation of their land and the way it was turned to a
minefield of killings and destruction by the army on account of someone’s
ambition to remain relevant in national politics and hopefully be
re-appointed?" he said.
He
berated prominent Kalabari sons whom he said
collaborated with the Minister of Transportation to kill their own
people because of electoral success.
He asked: "Are the APC leaders of
Kalabari, especial Mr. Tonye Cole, Prince Tonye Princewill and Professor
Charles Dokubo pleased with the killings and destruction in Abonnema and other
parts of kalabari by the army?
"Can
they in all conscience defend and or be happy to be the among the principal
actors with the Transport Minister to inflict such horrendous levels of
killings and devastation to their own people and communities just to prove how
connected they are to the Federal Government and the nation’s military? What a
shame?"
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