The Greater Together Campaign Organisation, GTCO, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to as a matter of urgency, call the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Ezebuwon Nyesom Wike, and the armed wing of the party in Rivers State, Grassroot(sic) Development Initiative, GDI, to order before they set the entire state ablaze.
GTCO has accordingly, condemned the Tuesday attack launched on members of All Progressives Congress, APC, and other 16 political parties under the aegis of ‘Concerned Political Parties in Rivers State’ by members of the GDI, saying the unprovoked aggression during which the PDP militia used dangerous weapons leading to injuries, was undemocratic and meant to provoke other political parties.
“PDP is doing everything possible, including the use of force and deployment of its armed militia, the goal being to create anarchy and render Rivers State insecure for free and fair election, thereby achieve its plan to scuttle Nigeria’s democracy”, GTCO’s statement read in part.
The Dr. Peterside campaign outfit in a statement on Tuesday by Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, who is the Director of Communications, wondered why Wike and PDP would send their armed militia to attack innocent Nigerians who had gone to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to deliver a protest letter to the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, over the lopsided recruitment of Supervisory Presiding Officers, SPOs, for the March 28 and April 11 elections, respectively.
“We must bring to the attention of Mr. President that Wike and PDP are set on burning down Rivers State especially now that it is clearer that they will be beaten silly at the coming polls. But must Rivers State go down with Wike? Must Wike and PDP shed more blood of Rivers people just to achieve their goal? Or, are they building a blood bank for a Fraternity? Must Wike climb to power through the path of blood?”, the campaign organisation asked.
GTCO noted that INEC, as a democratic institution, created a space for complaints from members of the public and political parties over its lists of ad-hoc electoral officials, which it noted, was what the 17 political parties set out to explore.
“Rather than allow those political parties exercise their rights, and let INEC listen, PDP assumed the role of a tyrannical referee, throwing stones, hitting people with sticks and other dangerous weapons.
In their rage, they attacked even journalists doing their legitimate job, wounding several including Mr. Ibrahim Lawal of TopNews Newspaper, at whom the PDP militia hauled a heavy stone while he attempted an escape.
