The bombed All Progressives Congress secretariat in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State... on Sunday
Political violence raged in parts of the
country on Sunday with an explosion rocking the All Progressives
Congress secretariat in Abam Ama, Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers
State.
Just as the news of the explosion hit
Port Harcourt, another round of violence was recorded in Rumueme,
Obio/Akpor LGA where four APC members were machetted by persons believed
to be political thugs.
The Rivers incidents came less than 24
hours after two campaign buses of President Goodluck were set ablaze
by some youths at the Mangu Street junction in the Jos North LGA of
Plateau State.
The Rev4mation's World learnt that
unidentified persons threw dynamite into the three-storey APC
secretariat at about 3.14am which caused extensive damage to the ground
floor.
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The
APC Chairman in the LGA, Mr. Christian Asifamak, who narrated the
incident, said that his office was the worst hit as the entire wall
was pulled down by the impact of the explosion.
“In the early hours of Sunday, some
unknown group of persons threw dynamite into our party secretariat, he
explained, lamenting that the attack was “a deliberate provocation
by our opponents, the Peoples Democratic Party, to draw the APC into a
battle that could destabilise our LGA.”
He warned that “the APC in Okrika would not allow Okrika to become a hotbed of crises as the PDP would wish.”
Asifamak claimed that the PDP had
resorted to violence because of its rejection by the Okrika for failing
to bring development to their LGA.
He added, “Till now the East-West Road
through which we access our community has been left abandoned by a
PDP-led Federal Government while Governor Chibuike Amaechi who is not an
Okrika man built a ring road in Okrika and also rebuilt the portion of
the federal road that links the LGA to the Port Harcourt refinery.
“We however wish to warn our brothers in
the PDP to remember that the land of Okrika has been known to defend
itself and its people against aggression and that any Okrika person who
brings crisis to the land answers for it.”
Also, the governorship candidate of the
APC in the state, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, who was in the community to
assess the extent of the damage, expressed worry that the PDP and
its supporters had initiated a pattern of attacks on the people of the
state.
He said, “The Police and other security
agencies should tackle the excesses of the opposition party. This
development is very sad and it is unfortunate that some persons in the
society have decided to choose this path.
“If you have noticed, there has been a
pattern of violence lately. On January 6, when we had our presidential
rally at the Adokiye Amesiemeka Stadium, you would have noted that some
of our people who were coming from Abonnema, Degema and Asari-Toru axis
were attacked around Sa-Ama junction.
“The persons who were coming from Kaani
and Gokana were attacked around Saakpenwa junction. Some other groups
who were coming for the same rally were attacked around Elele. All
fingers point to the other political party, the PDP.
“We have raised these issues with the
Commissioner of Police; we have raised it with the security agencies.
Not much has been done after then. Aside from that, you must also have
observed a trend. A few days ago, they were in Abonnema to campaign; a
faction of PDP fought with another faction of the PDP and two persons
were confirmed dead.”
When contacted, the state Police
Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmad Mohammad, said the police were
already investigating the explosion.
“The command is aware of the incident
(in Okrika). Information at my disposal is sketchy. However,
investigation has commenced,” Ahmad said.
In Rumueme, three out of the four
injured APC members were rushed to the Kesley Harrison Hospital in Port
Harcourt for treatment.
The APC leader in Obio/Akpor LGA and a
House of Representatives candidate, Chief Tony Okocha, said that a
Warri chief who was in Rumueme for the APC rally on Sunday, was
machetted several times.
Okocha, who personally drove the three injured person to the hospital, lamented that the whereabouts of the chief was unknown.
He warned in a telephone interview
with one of our correspondents that members of the APC were almost
exhausting their patience over the continued attack on them by persons
believed to be PDP thugs.
Okocha urged the state Police command to
invite the leaders of the political parties to a meeting and warn them
against violence.
Police station burnt as soldiers arrest 13
Meanwhile, 13 people have been arrested in Jos in connection with the burning down of Jonathan’s campaign buses on Saturday.
A police post was however set ablaze
by some people protesting the arrests by the soldiers attached to the
Special Task Force on security in Jos.
The state Police Commissioner, Mr.
Nasiru Oki, told our correspondent in Jos that those arrested had
yet to be handed over to the police.
The Governor, Jonah Jang, condemned
the burning of the campaign buses, vowing that security agencies would
apprehend more of those behind the incident
Jang, at a church service to mark the
Armed Forces Remembrance and Emblem Appeal week, said, “Plateau is PDP
and the people of the state would continue to support the party. The
PDP shall form the next Federal Government; the, PDP will win the
governorship election in Plateau State in 2015.”
The Acting Chairman of the PDP in the
state, Mr. Raymond Dabo, said that despite the burning of the two
campaign buses, President Goodluck Jonathan and the party’s governorship
candidate, Mr. Gyang Pwajok, would win the February elections.
Dabo described the incident as unfortunate, adding that the party had advised its supporters to remain calm and focused.
Also on Sunday, the Presidency said
the burning of the vehicles had further demonstrated the level of
desperation by the opposition and their plot to intimidate Nigerians
out of the political space.
It added in a statement by the Special
Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Prof. Rufai Alkali,
that would not deter Jonathan from ensuring that free and fair elections
were conducted nationwide next month.
The statement read in part, “We have
observed a dangerous trend of politically- motivated violence unleashed
on innocent Nigerians by supporters of those who have shown desperation
to assume political power at all costs.
“While we are not surprised by acts of
desperation already shown by these people who have no articulate agenda
for nation building, we are amazed at how quickly they are willing to
manifest their evil intentions on our dear country.
“The incidence in Jos, Plateau State
where our campaign vehicles were torched by irate youth underscores the
need for vigilance as we progress towards the General Elections. This
criminal behaviour, which is meant to intimidate others and deny them
their freedom of choice, stands condemned.
“The leaders whose utterances and
conduct have encouraged this kind of behaviour must bear full
responsibility for this. With the way things are going, it seems the
ultimate agenda of making Nigeria ungovernable as prophesied by these
politicians is underway.
“We declare unequivocally that no
Nigerian citizen should be prevented from campaigning in any part of the
country. We therefore call on the law enforcement Agencies to protect
and guarantee the safety of every Nigerian legitimately canvassing for
votes all over Nigeria.’’
