Rivers Rerun: The Asari-Toru Example

While the December
10, 2016, national and state legislative rerun elections have come and gone, the dust raised therefrom is not likely to settle anytime soon. Indeed, the brutal and murderous intrusion of security operatives in the electoral process has remained the most talked about issue arising from that exercise.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and the All Progressives Congress, APC and their adherents have also not ceased from trading accusations and counter-accusations over the conduct of their members and the federal forces especially. Other political parties which participated in the contest and civil society organisations which monitored the exercise have also not shied away from making their voices heard on the brazen display of federal might and its overall effect on the outcome of the polls.
Unfortunately, lost in the cacophony of this unfortunate narrative is the fact that in greater part the state where the same elections held, the story was that of free, fair, peaceful and credible conduct. One of the shining success stories is that of Asari-Toru Local Government Area.
It was in this LGA that electoral violence claimed, among others, the life of a Peace Corps member during the botched March 19, 2016 exercise. A former chairman of the council and stalwart of the APC, Hon. Ojukaye Flagg-Amachree is presently standing trial for alleged killing in related circumstances in the run up to that contest.
Fast forward to December 10,2016 and the story is a radical departure from the past and a sign post of an ideal poll.
“This is the first time, since 1999, that we’ve had an election that is peaceful in Asari-Toru, no death was recorded, no injury was recorded,” Alabo-George Kelly told The Tide in Port Harcourt.
According to Alabo-George Kelly who is the leader of the PDP in the local government area, “people voted and we ensured that there was no single case of violence in Asari Toru. There was no gun shot, not even a knock out shot in the whole of Asari Toru.”
While giving God all the glory, the seasoned politician acknowledged the concerted painstaking efforts of the political class and the traditional institution for the success achieved in the area.
“At the level of my local government and at the level of the state, political leaders discussed while planning for the election,” he said, adding that “Especially the PDP, we told ourselves that as much as possible, we’ll avoid violence” and adopt peaceful means of resistance in the case of any attempt to rig or to steal the mandate of the people by anyone else.
The PDP stalwart attributed the peaceful and orderliness that characterised the polls in Asari-Toru and most parts of the state to the resolution of his party and blamed the major drawbacks of the polls on the lack of restraint by the opposition in the state and the unwholesome involvement of the security agencies.
“It was quite tasking, it was quite expensive but we give God the glory that it worked out and we had a very peaceful and hitch-free election,” he noted, and thanked “the political leaders in Asari Toru Local Government Area and the entirety of the Kalabari ethnic nationality. I also thank the Amayanabo of Kalabari and his Council of Chiefs that worked with us to strategise and ensure that peace was possible.”
Confirming most of the claims of Alabo-George Kelly in a separate interview, a voter in Ward 12 of Asari-Toru Local Government Area, Amos Peters noted with delight that “this is the first time I’m seeing an election where there was not even a stone thrown among ourselves. The materials came and they came complete. We did the accreditation and voted. All through the day, there was peace. At the end of the day, the ballots were counted before everybody and the result was declared at the ward level before the Ward Collation officer took it to the LGA.”
“For the first time, I also saw members of opposing parties mingle together without fighting, eating, drinking and chatting together,” Mr Peters said and expressed gratitude to God while appreciating the effort of the political class as well as the traditional rulers.
“I was made to understand that the King (Amayanabo of Kalabari) caused town criers to go round, gathered the people, talked peace to them and reminded them that there was no need for anybody to lose their lives. I think that the people themselves have realised that they need the peace. Based on our past experiences in the previous elections, we’ve seen that anytime there is elections, it is our sons that we’re losing. Anybody dying is not from any other part than from the local government,” Mr Peters said.
“Of course, the kudos also goes to the politicians because it is obvious that the gladiators also talked to their followers to calm down and let’s get it right this time around,” he volunteered, adding that “if election is always like this, there’s nobody who will not come out and vote. If election is always, like this, nobody will say I don’t like election. This one in Asari Toru, the one I experienced now, I think is a good thing and I think we should continue and strengthen it in subsequent elections,” he said.
In the same vein, Alabo Goerge Kelly expressed the hope that the gains of the last electoral exercise in Asari-Toru Local Government Area will be sustained and built upon as a standard for subsequent polls in the area.
“I also want to thank the people of ASALGA for cooperating with us to have a peaceful and hitch-free election. And I want to enjoin all of them that in subsequent elections, we should make it this way. I don’t consider it an electoral victory even if one life is lost. I consider it victory when it is peacefully done, nobody is wounded, no life is lost,” he emphasized.
“With the cooperation of the Asari Toru people and the council of chiefs, this is going to be a standard for subsequent elections going forward. We will do all we can to ensure that every other election follows this pattern,” he pledged.
The veteran politician identified desperation among some politicians in Rivers State as a major cause of violence that had attended electoral contests in the state and admonished all to tow the path of dialogue and constructive engagement of the electorate in soliciting for their mandate.
“How can you begin to spill blood haphazardly, using security agencies, just because you want to get a senatorial seat that will last for two years?” he quarried, adding that “when you bend the hands of the people and steal their mandate, there’s one God somewhere that will take it back from you at the right time.”
According to him, political leaders in the state have no need to orchestrate violence, but to properly connect with the people in order to win their confidence and their votes, arguing that it was no use planning to kill the same people they were canvassing to lead.
“The advice I have for the political class is not to play the politics of desperation but to play the politics dialogue and popularity. If you have done things for your people, they’ll follow you. If you live an exemplary life style and you’ve impacted on them positively, they’ll have a good reason to follow you,” he said adding that “I will also advise those politicians that prefer to hire militants and thugs and criminals to cause mayhem, to unleash terror on their people to stop doing that.”
“I am looking forward to a Rivers State that will be militants-free,” he declared while calling on his fellow political leaders to ensure that elections in their areas are peaceful and every avenue is exploited o give the youths “a re-orientation and redirect their path and conscientise them.”

Opaka Dokubo