The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reported the abduction of it’s lawyer who went to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to collect certified true copies of election materials and results.
Addressing the press, the Publicity Secretary and Spokesman for the 2023 Campaign Council said the unsavory situation which began at the weekend with arrest of APC lawyers to fighting at INEC gates and at APC secretariat has continued.
The spokesmen, Darlington Nwauju and Sogbeye Eli said the very unsavoury developments and acts of aggression against the by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State had git worse.
They told newsmen that they had just been informed about the abduction of Godswill Dike (PhD), a lawyer, member of their party and brother of the State Legal Adviser, Azubuike Dike, this evening right inside the Rivers State Headquarters of the INEC on Aba Road, Port Harcourt.
They said Dike was invited to the Commission to take delivery of the certified true copies of the INEC documents that APC applied for pursuant to the provisions of Section 74 of the Electoral Act 2022.
“Acting apparently on a tip-off, Edison Ehie and Samuel Nwasonike, aided by the surge of the PDP mob outside the premises swooped on him inside the INEC office shortly after Dike signed for the documents and sped away with him to the State Assembly residential quarters behind the INEC State Headquarters.
Read also: Election tracking NGO alerts INEC, security agencies to danger signals in Rivers
“Our initial reaction was to establish contact with the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Jackson Alalibo Semikien, to report the criminal abduction of the aforementioned Dike. Curiously, the REC who has done nothing beyond a Press Release two days ago directing political parties to proceed to LGA Offices of the Commission for the election documents they may require, told our governorship candidate emphatically that there was nothing the Commission could do, having released the documents we applied for to Dike.
“Contacts have also been made with the Deputy Speaker who assured his caller that Dike would return safe but the materials they took from him should be forgotten.
“Calls made by our governorship candidate to the military also yielded no fruit with the hierarchy stating that until the military receive invitation from the Police they cannot be involved in a purely civil operation.”
The APC said in the circumstance, they were left with no option but call on the Nigeria Police and other security agencies to immediately go after the Deputy Speaker, Edison Ehie, and the Ikwerre Council Chairman, Samuel Nwanosike to safeguard the life of Dike and retrieve our election materials from his abductors.
“You will recall that the APC has been inundated with all sorts of attacks, arrests and other illegal actions by the PDP in Rivers State to obstruct our quest for justice at the Elections Petitions Tribunal as allowed by law. From the arrest of our lawyers in a hotel and carting away of our party’s copies of elections materials, laying siege on the INEC State Headquarters to physically assaulting our governorship candidate, Arc. Tonye Cole, Mni who was at the same INEC State Headquarters last Monday invitation by the REC to the attack on our State Secretariat here where flags were pulled down and vehicles were destroyed at will, the ruling party has conducted itself with grave impunity since the rape of the rights of Rivers people and the electorate in the State to freely elect their Governor and representatives at both the National and state levels.
“Nothing could have emboldened the kidnap of Dike this evening shortly after PDP members who had been camped at INEC invaded the Complex than the statement by Gov Nyesom Wike endorsing the illegal obstruction of opposition parties seeking to access the Commission’s Headquarters ahead of filing their petitions.
“We have been subjected to several acts of provocation by the PDP yet have maintained equanimity of spirit to keep the peace in our State. Yet, our opponents are not about to allow the peace reign.
“Consequently, we call on the President and Commander-in-Chief to rise to the occasion by calling the Governor of Rivers State to order and rescue our dear State from the anarchists who are Hell bent on self-perpetuation in power or destruction of Rivers State where their undemocratic plot fails. Up until now, we have done our bit as a law-abiding party as the rest of the nation has taken notice. The APC is asking that Governor Nyesom Wike and the PDP be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order in Rivers State.”
Efforts to get the response of the Rivers State Police command on the matter proved abortive all Thursday evening.
