Council Boss, Others Defy Police, Declare For APC

The Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government Council, Hon. Cassidy Ikegbidi has condemned the action of the police in the local government secretariat of an event to mark the declaration of the leadership and members of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) to join the APC at the weekend.

The chairman who spoke shortly after the police fired teargas at the venue left, blamed the leadership of the PDP in Rivers State for the planned disruption of the event.

He expressed satisfaction that his supporters resisted the Police peacefully, adding that “the event was 100 per cent successful”.

Said Ikegbidi: “we declare for APC today; we are no longer for PDP, though just a few people still remain in the PDP, with time they will join us”.

Ikegbidi assured those left in PDP of grand reception once they decided to join APC as they were their sons and daughters.

“I want them to come back because we know that the governor of Rivers State would not lead us to a bad party.

“Before the governor of Rivers State decided to join APC, he had his good reasons”, he said.

While re-assuring the governor that Ahoada East Local Government now belonged to APC, he said the “governor should go home and sleep with his two eyes closed”.

Speaking to The Tide earlier, the former Director, National Orientation Agency, (NOA), Rivers State, Andy Nweye said what the police did was wrong in a normal democratic setting.

“We are here to formally declare for APC and the police is conniving with the other people to disorganise the event.

“You can see they are throwing tear gas into the premises. It is abnormal and it is not supposed to be so”, he said.

While expressing the hope that there would not be a breakdown of law and order, he said, “This is the impunity we have been talking about”.

The Supervisory Councillor forAgriculture, Mr. Robinson Ewoh and Eze Sunday Ayah also condemned the action of the Police.

Said Ayah: “we are not surprised that the Police just came in and tear gased everywhere.

“It happened to Governor Amaechi, so it is not a new thing to us”.

However, in an interview with The Tide, the Co-ordinator of the GDI in Ahoada East Local Government, Mr. Ben Eke denied that such event took place.

As at press time efforts to speak with the Police Area Commander were not successful.