We have been compelled by an increasing swathe of extra-judicial killings, unlawful arrests and detention, continued harassment, threats and intimidation of members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State, to speak to you again barely two days after we’d shared with you and the world the summary of our members’ and party’s woes. No words can capture the mental, physical and psychological trauma and abuse those individual’s and the rest of our party membership have been through. With scores of our members dead, hundreds in police detention and another 400 penciled for arrest and detention, members of the APC in Rivers state have become endangered species. As we speak. our governorship candidate has been penned down for assassination after a failed attempt in Okrika.
We take it that change has a price attached to it. While some come cheap, others exert great cost, and ours appear to be on the latter. But change we must have!
In recent times, we have seen increase in the spate of killings and arrest of APC members by the police of course, at the instance, supervision and sponsorship of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Police cells and detention facilities are filled daily with our members whose single offence is their membership of APC and their obvious desire for change from an incompetent, lame-duck, clueless and corrupt regime to one with the political will to tackle corruption and move Nigeria forward. The current Federal Government has no standards to protect as its record books are full of holes. It is morally bankrupt and desperate to cling to power that it has turned the Nigeria Police into an extension of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, roaming militias.
Regretably, a national Police Force meant to protect every Nigerian has been converted to a private security outfit meant to serve only President Goodluck Jonathan, his wife and PDP. The other day, it was reported that about 2,123 policemen were protecting President Goodluck Jonathan who was in Lagos to bribe Yoruba Obas and Chiefs to influence the March 29 presidential election whereas there were no policemen to protect a bank in the same Lagos were armed robbers struck killing innocent Nigerians. About 2 days it was reported that about 800 policemen were drafted to protect Mrs. Patience Jonathan during one of her campaigns in one of the states in the North. The Nigeria Police is now in their pockets and handbags. Do we mean the two prominent Nigerians should not have adequate security? No! But in providing what is national obligation, other Nigerians, through whose tax the Force is maintained, should also be protected.
Here in Rivers State, the situation is worsening by the day. The police, in criminal alliance with PDP, and desperate to break the APC, have continued to run wild, undermining justice and rule of law. The police have become law to themselves just to impress their master. But we know that in former Yugoslavia, the law eventually caught up with senior police officer who had aided the genocide and crimes against humanity perpetuated on both sides of the Yugoslavian war.
In the face of police partiality and partisanship, the APC in Rivers State is concerned about the March 28 and April 11 elections as there are reports that more APC leaders and supporters will be clamped down and pit out of circulation. This raises serious concern as there would be never be a free and fair election where the police were partisan, and in this instance, are receiving and executing direct orders from PDP. It should be a challenge to rights’ groups and other Non-Governmental Organisations, NGOs, committed to true democracy and rule of law to rise against the impunity and perverse authoritarianism seeking to triumph in Rivers State.
We deserve and demand free, fair and credible elections in Rivers State. We deserve and demand an impartial, non-partisan Police Force that our people can rely on for protection, before, during and after general elections. We deserve and demand for a state where every law-abiding resident is unmolested and free to canvass any political preference and equally vote for candidates of their choice.
So, again for the umpteenth time we call on the Inspector General of Police and the Rivers State Commissioner of Police to police every Nigerian and offer every political party equal and adequate security. Only a free and fair election will move Nigeria forward. For us at the APC this is the basic minimum we demand. Thank you and God bless you
Signed
Hon. Oji Ngofa
Ojukaye Flag Amachree
Nnamdi Wuche
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