Finger-pointing in PDP, APC camps over Rivers’ rerun elections

As final countdown to the December 10, 2016 rerun elections that have been decreed a must comes flying nearer, the two rival political parties in the state, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that controls the state and the All Progressives Congress (APC) that now controls the centre have moved from one level of intrigue to another.

Now, each party has ‘uncovered’ one major plot being hatched by the other, evidence that, of a truth, these two parties are product of one political thinking before breaking into hate-camps that pose as political parties. PDP is controlled by Nyesom Wike, governor, who was Chibuike Amaechi’s man-Fridayfor years. Both kinsmen are now sworn-enemies, a scenario that fuels the kind of politics that the state must taste.

Each party has recently uncovered plots to rig the elections. Next, they uncovered plots to kill each other; plots to use either the police or thugs to unleash mayhem, plots to acquire results sheets; and now, it is about plots to put the other out of circulation.

What the PDP ‘uncovered’:

The Rivers State chapter of the PDP has raised alarm over yet another plot to track down at all cost its chairman, Felix Obuah.

The party in a statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to state chairman, Jerry Needam, said it is shocked that the life of Obuah is still being threatened sequel to a failed attempt Wednesday, November 30, 2016 to arrest him by feigned security operatives at the instance of the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State, Davies Ikanya and the defeated APC Governorship candidate, Dakuku Peterside.

The statement unequivocally accused Peterside and Ikanya of being responsible for the plot against its State chairman. The plot, according to the statement, also includes the use of militants disguised in police and military uniform to effect the arrest of the State PDP chairman before or during the December 10, re-run election, frame up false allegations against him with a view to incriminating and incarcerating him as long as they wish and eventually prosecute him.

“This gives credence to intelligence reports on other plans by same persons to get at the PDP State chairman by any means possible, or preferably lynch him to death”, the statement added.

In the face of this deliberate act to cause breach of the peace in the State, the PDP warns that any such attempt in whatever disguise not minding the social status of those behind it will be resisted with its full might.

“It’s dangerous not to allow the sleeping dog lie because we cannot, we repeat, cannot be intimidated no matter what”, the PDP warned, stressing that both those behind the plot and those being used to prosecute the evil must think twice and desist forthwith.

The PDP wishes by this alert to inform the security agencies and all relevant authorities.

What the APC ‘uncovered’:

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged a plot by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to pull down the President Muhammadu Buhari Administration and weaken the ruling APC. The party, in a statement issued on Thursday in Port Harcourt, fingered the State Chapter of PDP and Governor Nyesom Wike as leaders of the plot using their unrelenting campaign against the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as a ploy.

The statement signed by Rivers APC Chairman, Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, disclosed that, in the latest manifestation of the plot, Wike and the Rivers State Government paid a whopping $1.5m to a movie producer to produce and syndicate fabricated video clips on how Amaechi and the Rivers Commissioner of Police purportedly plan to rig the December 10 rerun legislative elections in the state. The party said that such a rigging plot exists only in the demented mind of Wike and other Rivers PDP leaders.

It described the desperation of the factionalised PDP to demonise and bring down Amaechi as callous, vindictive, wicked, diversionary and betraying the party’s morbid fear of Amaechi. “Most importantly, this is one of the ploys by the PDP and enemies of President Buhari to undermine his administration while also weakening and destroying APC before the 2019 general elections,” Rivers APC said.
According to the party, the plot had the endorsement of some other governors and former PDP governors now in the National Assembly who have allegedly collaborated in sponsoring various attacks and casting aspersion on the person and integrity of Amaechi to ensure that he does not play a pivotal role in the 2019 general elections.

“We are also aware of the fact that Wike and PDP are desperate to pull down Amaechi so as to ensure that our expected impact during the forthcoming Rivers rerun legislative elections is reduced to the barest minimum. The third reason is that by reducing the influence of Amaechi and ridiculing him, the target of destroying APC and the Presidency of Buhari would be easily achieved.”
Continuing, Rivers APC said: “This latest plot after all the past failed attempts to destroy, diminish and tarnish the image of Amaechi, the Rivers State Police Commissioner, INEC and APC as a party is to demonstrate how Wike and PDP are not ready for this rerun election and have to resort to blackmail as a way of escape for the defeat that awaits him and his party come December 10.
“This latest plot hatched in Wike’s office at the Rivers State Government House was to contract a popular movie producer in the Nollywood industry to assemble different clips of the Transport Minister at different times saying things as someone negotiating a price with some people. The idea was to project the Minister where he was asking the Judges to pervert justice. But that was later abandoned when the affected Judges were contacted. The two embattled Supreme Court Judges were said to vehemently opposed the idea as that may backfire on them, considering that they should have long submitted the video evidence to the former CJN or the DSS in order to prove their innocence. Having backtracked on that plan, the governor’s hatchet men and spin doctors who were worried that they may be asked to refund the money approved to them for the purpose then suggested the idea of implicating the State Commissioner of Police, Francis Odesanya, and the top echelon of the Police in the state.

“The video of a meeting between party chieftains of APC will be aired with someone speaking in the CP’s voice, purportedly showing them discussing plans on how to rig the forthcoming rerun elections. We wish to alert the general public to watch out as a concocted video clip aimed at throwing mud at the Police boss in Rivers State is set to be uploaded on different platforms including YouTube. Let us reiterate that these unwarranted satanic attacks are an exercise in futility as we have explicit confidence in Amaechi and his efforts to assist to move our party and nation forward.”

Conclusion:

These numerous allegations never get beyond the pages of newspapers to the point of actual investigation with a definite verdict to allow the public know which is true and which is not. Soon, another plot will be ‘uncovered’.

Ignatius Chukwu