The Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council has taken a swipe at the publication on Page 46 of The Nation Newspaper of Wednesday, March 20, 2018, titled, “Rivers State Electoral Crisis: Need To Urgently Stop Looming Insecurity And Disaster”, credited to some All Progressives Congress (APC) members under the name of “Concerned Leaders and Elders of Rivers State”, describing them as ‘leaders without honour’.
In a statement issued, in Port Harcourt, on behalf of the council, last Wednesday, the Director of Information and Communications, Barrister Emma Okah, noted that the concerned elders failed the state at a time the people needed them most, to stand up for truth and leave enduring legacies that future generations would be proud of.
According to the statement, “Rivers people faced peculiar violence inflicted upon them by the APC during the 2019 elections, and any Rivers person who does not see this unfortunate turn of events orchestrated to deny Rivers people the opportunity to freely choose their leaders is an enemy of Rivers State and cannot profess love no matter how beautifully couched”.
Okah said the concerned elders, without shame, are now appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to salvage them by appointing a governor for them after they failed to win election for the President and their beleaguered governorship candidate.
“Credible elders and leaders live beyond themselves and stand up to be counted in moments of truth. While the leadership of APC in the state was running hostile agenda against the state government and demarketing the state, these elders threw away their honour and looked the other way.
“They saw nothing; said nothing; and heard nothing. While one man was busy tearing the state APC apart, did these elders ask for peace and reconciliation of the warring factions? While a section of the APC was disobeying court orders and shutting down courts in Port Harcourt, did these elders speak up?
“As if that was not enough, while the problems of the APC in the state raged, did these elders advise against the subsequent adoption of a hitherto unknown party and governorship candidate to match the political war chest of Governor Nyesom Wike?”, Okah queried, pointing out that the president wants to be a statesman and will not allow himself to subvert the INEC and appoint an unknown governor who did not win one unit in the election to make the concerned dishonourable elders happy.
“Concerning the role of the Army and F-SARS, and loss of innocent persons who died as a result of Army and F-SARS’ undue interference during the elections, it is a calamity that the concerned elders justified the excesses of these coercive institutions despite the havoc their involvement has caused in terms of human casualties in Rivers State.
“We are amused that the concerned elders are only extending condolences to the families of those killed during the elections weeks after their death and when the APC plot to impose a governor on the people failed. How else can anyone describe hypocrisy and shedding of crocodile tears by concerned elders and leaders?”
On the state of the governorship election in Rivers State, “The council is embarrassed by the demand of the APC leaders whose party was not in the ballot that the President should stop INEC from carrying out its constitutional duty regarding Rivers State Governorship and remaining House of Assembly elections.
“It is ironical that while the concerned elders and leaders are cleverly unable to explain to Mr President why they lost in the Presidential election despite the money and institutional support given to the APC in the state, they have now found a voice in the governorship election by supervising and glibly judging which INEC officer did his job well and those that did not.
“The PDP Campaign Council needs to remind the concerned elders that elections in Rivers State took place in the polling units and results generated from there were aggregated and found their way to the State Collation Centre. Nobody can change the unit results and forcing the INEC to change it by the elders will be like crying over spilt milk.
“We advise the elders to be honourable and face the truth at all times as nothing can change the course of destiny as God has designed it for Rivers State,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conclude the collation process for Rivers and Bauchi states, saying that the losers can approach the election tribunal to seek redress.
Speaking during a solidarity visit to the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike at the Government House, Port Harcourt, last Wednesday, PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, said it was illegal for anyone to stop an election midway.
Wike said: “I call on the INEC chairman not to drag the country into crisis because of inconclusive elections. This manoeuvre is not good for the nation’s democracy.
“He should go ahead and conclude the process of elections in Rivers and Bauchi states. We should move ahead. Those aggrieved should approach the tribunal”.
The PDP national chairman said that leadership of the party are with the Rivers State governor.
“We are here to say that we stand with you. We have prayed with you in private and we are standing with you at this crucial and trying moment. We ask God almighty to ensure that you cross this red sea”, he said.
The National Secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Tsauri said that the military should concentrate on the protecting the nation’s territorial integrity instead of getting involved in election matters.
He said that the negative involvement of the military in the Rivers State governorship election was a threat to nation’s democracy.
“The military should protect the territorial integrity of Nigeria. They should not be involved in electoral matters. The involvement of the military in the governorship election of Rivers State is an attempt to truncate the nation’s democracy”, he said.
He called on INEC, security agencies and the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to work within the law at all times.
The PDP national secretary said INEC should do what is right regarding the Governorship and State Assembly elections in Rivers State by declaring the results.
He described Wike as a pillar of the party, who worked for the PDP when it mattered most.
“We are here to identify with you. If we talk of PDP, Rivers State is the first to be mentioned and you are the pillar of the party. We are confident that justice will be done. God is with you and the people of Rivers State are with you”, he said.
He noted that the people of Rivers State voted overwhelmingly for Rivers State governor because of his excellent works.
Responding, Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike said that the enemies of the state were struggling to stop the collation and declaration of the governorship election.
He said that the police were now inviting electoral and collation officers to intimidate them over collated results in the governorship election.
The governor said: “The police are trying to intimidate collation and electoral officers by inviting them for one offence or the other so as to impinge on the collation process.
“Imagine where the police are inviting the entire returning officers, the entire electoral officers and entire electoral officers because allegations have been made against the INEC officials. This is just to let the entire world see what we are talking about”.
The governor said that the enemies of the state continue to roll out strategies to destroy the governorship election collation process.
“They go by this strategy, if it fails, they go by the other strategy. They brought the Army, it failed. They have gone to the court and now they want to use the police”.
Wike said that the good people of Rivers State will overcome all the challenges thrown at the state by the system.
“Like I said, this victory will be the best. It will be the sweetest amongst all the states. That is what I see coming. There is no election that will be held in this state and another party will win.
“Not to talk about a party that is not on ground. They have failed and that is the truth of the matter”, he said.
Wike said the political situation in Rivers State has exposed the negative aspects of the system.
“In the end, PDP will emerge victorious in this state. It is a victory that can be delayed, but not denied.
“This morning, the other political party went to court to stop collation. As God will have it, the court did not grant them their request.
“You see how funny it is. The candidate of AAC said he won the election. The same candidate has gone to court to stop collation and seek for the cancellation of an election, he claimed that he won”, he said.

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana