The secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Port Harcourt suffered second bomb attack early morning of Saturday, according to Tony Okocha, the recognized leader of the party by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.
The first attack destroyed the billboard and gates at the secretariat on Aba Road. The party has two state secretariats, one at the GRA 2 for the court-recognised camp which is by the elected state executive council (believed to be loyal to Chibuike Amaechi) while the other is by the caretaker committee (CTC) led by Okocha but recognized by the NWC.
Conduction journalists round the affected secretariat, Okocha raised alarm, saying the APC was under attack in Rivers State. “You were with us yesterday when we briefed the press that what the court gave was a judgment, not an interim order. The court was clear that the election slated for today did not comply with the Constitution and the laws of the state, and to that extent, it is considered illegal. You can see that the same court barred the police and the state directorate of security services (DSS) from participating in it.
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Imagine where police and DSS are not part of an election. How do we secure the state?”
Giving details, he said his secretary alerted about the explosion at 3am Saturday. “We have seen the shattered places. Thank God the one they dropped at the base did not detonate, otherwise, the building would have gone down. This is the second time of attacking this building.
“This structure is not our own. There is no voting unit here. Every time there is an event that the governor and his people are involved, there would be an attack here.
“Help us tell Nigerians that APC and its members are under serious attack in Rivers State. We need security from the FG because we know that they cannot give us here. It is not because we cannot retaliate but we are cultured. We respect the rule of law. Let the governor respect the rule of law.”
Blaming Gov Sim Fubara for the attack, Okocha said: “If he didn’t go ahead with the election, everybody would have gone to his or her business. We want the FG and the international community to see our plight. It is not an offence to belong to a political party.
“We are no longer in opposition because the governor is without political party since APP is nowhere. So, we are now the main party.”
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Supporting the call by Okocha, Chibike Ikenga, Publicity secretary of APC, said it is clear that the APC was the targets. “APC Rivers State is under attack by the Rivers State government-sponsored hoodlums.
“Our call is that we need peace in the state, but let investigations be conducted. We can only have peace by obeying court orders and allow the rule of law. There is a correction between peace and development.”
In his own reaction, Chisom Dike, a former member, House of Representatives, it was a needless attack because APC as a party made it clear it was not participating. “We should not be seen as a hindrance. So, why attack our party.
Why is this happening in Rivers State?
“APC Rivers State cannot be linked to violence or attack. We only use press statements and peaceful protests.
“We believe and continue to preach peace, but the act of destroying our secretariat and implore the security agencies for proper investigation.”
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