The protesting candidates and members of the political parties are Senator Magnus Abe of the Social Democratic Party; Tonye Cole, All Progressives Congress; Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, Accord Party and Tonte Ibraye, African Democratic Congress.
Ahead of Saturday's governorship and State Assembly elections in Rivers State, South South Nigeria, four governorship candidates in the election have staged a peaceful protest at the headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force in the state.
The protesting candidates and members of the political parties are Senator Magnus Abe of the Social Democratic Party; Tonye Cole, All Progressives Congress; Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, Accord Party and Tonte Ibraye, African Democratic Congress.
According to them, the protest was necessitated by alleged intimidation and arrest of opposition party members by security agencies on the orders of Governor Nyesom Wike.
The aggrieved candidates called for the immediate and unconstitutional release of their supporters arrested within this political period.
Governor Wike on Thursday listed 27 opposition politicians he asked security agencies in the state to arrest and prosecute, alleging that they were plotting to disrupt the governorship and House of Assembly elections with armed thugs, cultists, and gangsters in military and police uniforms.
Wike, apart from listing opponents he wants behind bars, also petitioned the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Army Staff and other relevant authorities not to release military personnel to former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi or any politician to interfere in the election process on Saturday, March 18.
Those Wike wants to be arrested are supporters of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a few members of the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the state.
In a state-wide broadcast on Thursday night, Wike listed Dr Lenoonu Nwibubasa, Bright Nwinyoodee, Barika Bareh, Friday Sinee, Dumbari Deezua and Neeka Ikina, Dr Gabriel Pidomson, Giobari Poiba, Barisi Bonikoo, Hon Mike Amachree, Paul Lawrence Paul, Anosike Orduwa, Mr Ogbams Ojimah, Kenneth Chinda, Smile Azundah and Gift Welebe.
Also on the list are Nwobueze Amadi, Chidi Wosa, Ugochukwu Wosu, Ndidi Erim, Lucky Mmai, Baridi Edmund Katara, Solo Filiman Mon, Charles Anyanwu, Christian Don Pedro, Iworiabo Amachree, and Arokosimiya Ikalama.
The governor stated that the state government decided to petition the aforementioned persons based on credible intelligence indicating plans by Amaechi and the APC to disrupt Saturday’s elections in the state with military personnel and civilian thugs as well as cultists dressed in army and police uniforms.
He stated that Amaechi who alongside the APC governorship candidate, Tonye Cole, were indicted by a judicial panel of inquiry for fraudulently acquiring the state’s valued assets and diverting the state’s $50,000,000 to themselves, wants to unleash violence during the elections.
Wike said, “We have written to notify the Hon. Minister of Defence, the Chief of Army Staff of the Nigerian Army, and the General Officer Commanding the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, and requested that no military personnel is released to Rotimi Amaechi or any other politician to interfere with next Saturday’s elections in Rivers State.
“Furthermore, we have noticed that the Anti-terrorism Unit of the State Police Command continues to provide VIP security services to politicians in defiance of the Inspector-General’s order to withdraw all police personnel attached to VIPs during the elections.
“We, therefore, request the inspector-general of police to enforce his order by ensuring that all political leaders are restricted to their polling units and prevented from moving about with police escort.”
The governor said the state government expects the security high command to live up to its assurance of providing adequate security throughout the state to forestall any breaches or breakdown of law and order during and after the elections.
He said, “We assure everyone that we will do everything within our power to resist and prevent a repeat of what happened in 2019 when the Nigerian Army was used to rig, kill our people and destroy property during the elections across the state."