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They Have Started Rigging 2023 Election, Wike Alerts
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has raised the alarm that Federal Government under the leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC) has started rigging the 2023 general election, following the appointment of the Personal aide of President Muhammadu Buhari as National Commissioner in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Wike raised the alarm, yesterday, while addressing thousands of youths who were demanding an end to SARS and police brutality against harmless Nigerians as well as total reform of the police at the entrance to the Government House, Port Harcourt.
He said: “How can INEC be independent when Mr President appointed his personal aide as National Commissioner in INEC. They have started the rigging process of the 2023 general election already”.
He called on all Nigerians to support the total reform of the police in the interest of the nation, stressing that the scrapping SARS by the Federal Government was the right thing to do.
The Rivers State Chief Executive said the campaign should not begin and end with the scrapping of SARS since they were also in the mainstream of the police, insisting that what was needed was total reform of the Nigeria Police Force.
He expressed disappointment that when the campaign against SARS started in Rivers State, other states felt unconcerned because it was not their people that were dying and being kidnapped, saying that today that other states were suffering the same thing that Rivers State had suffered, Nigerians were now protesting.
Noting that the blood of Rivers people was important, Wike urged citizens from other parts of the nation to feel concerned when negative issues affecting other states are brought up, emphasising that whatever affects one part of Nigeria affects all.
“Remember when there was so much kidnapping in Rivers State, I raised alarm to the Federal Government, but they said it was politics. And I told them, don’t worry, very soon, armed robbery, and kidnapping will take over the country. Today, it is all over Nigeria”.
Wike, who noted that Rivers State lost so many lives in the hands of SARS operatives, expressed disappointment that governors of other states did not feel concerned when he was shouting over the atrocities being committed by SARS in the state.
“Rivers blood is very important to me. Rivers State can’t play second fiddle in Nigeria. It is not just to end SARS, we need total reform of the police”, the governor added.
Earlier, a coalition of civil society groups in Rivers State had led #EndSARS protest march across major streets of Port Harcourt, demanding an end to police brutality, torture, extrajudicial killings, and total reform of the security outfit in the state and the nation at large.
The protesters carried various placards to register their grievances on the alleged brutality and inhuman disposition of the FSARS operatives to the citizens.
The protest, which took off at Pleasure Park, and terminated at the state Government House Gate, was held in violation of an earlier order by the Rivers State Government against any form of protest in the state.
The protesters, who were not only calling for end to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), which was proscribed last Sunday, but also insisted that the government take pragmatic actions to end police brutality, extortion, extrajudicial killings and torture of citizens in detention.
Some of the protesters, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, demanded for justice for victims of police brutality and impunity.
They complained that young people who own cars, iPad, Phones and other electronic devices have suddenly become victims of police recklessness, especially SARS operatives.
The Tide reports that the security agents deployed to dispatch the protesters; were later seen providing cover and adequate protection to the protesters from Port Harcourt Pleasure Part through Aba Road to Government House Gate.
Some family members of victims of police brutality in Rivers State urged the police to end brutality against innocent citizens in the state, and described some of the actions of the police as “organised crime”.
According to them, their relatives who were shot dead and tortured never committed any crime before they were killed, just as they called for justice in the victims.
On his part, the state Chairman of Civil Society Organizations, Enefaa Georgewill, advocated the need for security vote to be directly paid to security agencies, saying that such move would enable the security agencies to discharge their responsibilities efficiently.
Our correspondents, who monitored the #EndSARS and police brutality protest, report that the protesters blocked Rivers State Government House Gate on the Azikiwe-Lagos Bus Road axis in Port Harcourt, leading to heavy traffic along the ever-busy road while forcing vehicles to take alternative routes to access their destinations.
However, The Tide reports that protest was generally peaceful, as the youths maintained a high level of orderliness throughout the period of the protest.
Chris Oluoh & Akujobi Amadi
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won 20 out of the 23 local government areas in the just concluded local government election in the State, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clinched three local governments.
According to the results released by the Rivers State independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), yesterday, the APC won the chairmanship seats in Abua/Odual, Andoni, Opobo Nkoro, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Okrika, Ogu/Bolo and Khana local government areas.
APC also won in Gokana, Tai, Oyigbo, Bonny, Eleme, Etche, Omuna, Akuku Toru, Asari Toru, Degema, Ikwerre and Emohua local government areas.
The Commission, however, said the PDP won in Port Harcourt City, Obio/Akpor, and Ogba Egbema Ndoni local government areas.
Chairman of the Commission, Dr Michael Odey, who announced the results at the Commission headquarters in Port Harcourt, said Ofori Owolabi of the APC scored 28,755 votes to emerge winner of the election for Abua Odual while Solomon Ochomma, also of the APC, emerged chairman elect for Ahoada East after scoring 54,509 votes.
Odey said Eugene Epelle also of the APC scored 84,125 votes to emerge winner in Ahoada West, while Bob Fubara was elected the chairman-elect for Akuku Toru after scoring 63,593 votes.
Similarly APC chairmanship candidate Lucky Otuo Promise emerged chairman-elect for Andoni after scoring a total of 126,181 votes, APC’s George Onengiyeofori emerged winner in Asari Toru after scoring 56,383 votes, while Pepple Blessing Abinye garnered 13,543 votes to emerge winner in Bonny Local Government Area.
Other APC candidates elected include Michael John Williams who scored 16,536 votes to emerge chairman-elect for Degema Local Government; Obarlllormate Ollor (77,452) for Eleme; Dr Chidi Julius Lloyd (114,380) for Emohua; Njoku Boniface (100,649) for Etche; Confidence Deekor (96,478) for Gokana, while Wobodo Charles got 62,746 votes to emerge winner in Ikwerre Local Government Area.
Other APC winners from the APC include Akuro Tobins (32,285 votes) for Okrika; Hon Obasi Uchechukwu (38,530) for Omuma; James A James (38,822) for Opobo Nkoro; Vincent Nemieboka (36,374) for Ogu/Bolo; Hon Mbakpone Okpe (70,080) for Tai LGA, while in Oyigbo, Okechukwu Akara scored 101,495 votes to emerge winner.
Meanwhile, the RSIEC chairman announced Dr Gift Worlu of the PDP with 328,823 votes to emerge winner in Obio Akpor; Shedrack Ogbogu, also of the PDP, scored 51,051 votes for Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area, while in Port Harcourt City, Sir Alwell Ihunda garnered 235,054 votes for PDP to emerge winner.
The APC also cleared the councillorship seats in Abua/Odual, Andoni, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Okrika, Ogu/Bolo and Khana, Oyigbo, Bonny, Eleme, Etche,Tai, Khana Opobo/Nkoro and Degema local government areas.
Similarly APC councillorship candidates also emerged winners in Asari Toru, Degema, Akuku Toru, Gokana and Khana while PDP cleared the councillorship seats in Obio/Akpor, Port Harcourt city, and Ogba Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Areas
Meanwhile, the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions has passed a vote of confidence on the just concluded local government election in the State.
National Chairman of the forum, Hon. Mamman Nda Eri, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt.
Eri said all the chairmen across the country were in Port Harcourt to monitor the election as well as gain experience in an election under emergency rule.
John Bibor & King Onunwor
The National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) says that Nigeria is accountable for 70 per cent of 11 million illegal arms and light weapons in West Africa,
Mr Alex Ebimiebo, the South South Zonal Director of the NCCSALW, made the remark at the Naval Warfare Course 9 Inter-Agency seminar, organised by the Naval War College in Calabar on Thursday.
Ebimiebo presented a paper themed, “Strengthening Security Agencies Collaboration to Counter Illicit Arms Proliferation for Enhanced National Security in Nigeria.”
He said that the illegal arms dealings were largely responsible for Nigeria’s 2.2 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and 26,000 refugees in neighboring countries.
Ebimiebo further said that arms proliferation had led to economic distortions, an increase in violence, crime, and impediment to peace building.
He, however, called for concerted effort from all Nigerians to tackle the menace, saying that NCCSALW would take the fight to the society since security is the responsibility of everyone.
“So, as a result, everybody is a stakeholder, so as such, we need to involve the whole society in this fight and the center has a lot of programmes for collaboration with our sister agencies.
”We also have advocacy and sensitisation programmes that we take to members of the general public from time to time,” he said.
Meanwhile, Rear Adm. Akinola Oludude, Commandant, Naval War College, expressed concern on the influx of illicit arms into Nigeria since 2020.
He attributed this to the extensive borderline of about 4,470 kilometers between Nigeria, the Republic of Benin, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.
He also noted that the nation’s maritime domain that extended over 853 kilometers of coastline and of the Gulf of Guinea had also not helped.
The commandant said that the 2021 survey by the NCCSALW revealed that over six million illegal weapons were in circulation in the country.
Oludude said that out of the figure, about 70 per cent were in the hands of non-states actors.
”The impact of this illicit arms proliferation is profound and multifaceted.
”These weapons bred various forms of insecurity, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes, and armed robbery.
“Inter-agency collaboration is needed to tackle the proliferation of illicit arms and weapons,” he said.
Oludude said that no single agency, no matter how well-resourced, no matter how well-dedicated, could effectively tackle the complex challenge alone.
He stated that the nature of the recent arms proliferation demanded a joint and multi-agency approach.
“Therefore, this seminar provides a vital platform for us to collectively examine the complexities of this complex challenge,” he said.
Also speaking, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Eastern Naval Command, Rear Adm. Kennedy Ezete, urged the participants to translate the discussions and recommendations of the seminar into concrete actions.
He advised the participants to take the knowledge and insights gained to their respective agencies and organisations and implement them
According to him, “we must ensure that the suggestions and way forward developed here are implemented effectively and that the partnerships forged are sustained.
”This requires a commitment from all stakeholders, including the leadership of our security agencies and the wider community.
”Share your experiences, implement the strategies that have been suggested, and continue to work collaboratively to counter illicit arms proliferation.
“We must also continue to invest in training, technology, and intelligence gathering to enhance our capabilities.”
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