Politics

Thugs Attack APC Campaigners In Rivers

Published

1 year ago

January 31, 2023

Editor

Tension is rising among opposition political parties in Rivers State following repeated attacks on their campaign rallies as the 2023 general election draws closer.

Recall that report had it that the campaign train of the Social Democratic Party governorship candidate in the state, Magnus Abe, was attacked with sporadic shooting by suspected political thugs in Ahoada West LGA.

Similarly, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in the state, Tonye Cole’s campaign train was attacked in Opobo town, Opobo/Nkoro LGA on Tuesday, with a member of the party kidnapped and later released.

This was as three members of the APC on a door-to-door campaign in Omuma LGA were inflicted with machete cuts amidst alleged threats that the party would not be allowed to carry out its scheduled campaign rally in the area.

Speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, the leader of the APC in Omuma LGA, Onyekachi Ojiegbe, stated that the LGA was not safe for them following activities of armed political thugs.

Ojiegbe disclosed that the party had written about 17 different petitions to the state Commissioner of Police, Okon Effiong, and the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investment Department, but that they had yet to get any response.

He appealed to the Inspector-General of Police to set up a Special Crack Team and deploy them to the Omuma LGA in Rivers State and the state in general before the elections.

The Omuma APC leader warned that if this appeal was not heeded, there might be a total breakdown of law and order in the area.

He stated, “Omuma is unsafe. Since two years now we have been living in fear. We have written to the Commissioner of Police and DC, State CID. We have written over 17 petitions and they have been unattended to.

“Recently, our governorship candidate was ambushed and attacked in this LGA. The matter was reported to the police and arrests were made and we went to court. As we speak, the matter is dead. Last Saturday, our members went for door-to-door campaign, they were attacked with machete. Three of them are still hospitalised because they sustained serious injuries.”

Continuing, Ojiegbe said, “We are afraid. We don’t know what will happen next. We are having a mega campaign on the 6th of February, 2023. I have received several calls that the campaign will not hold. I am calling on the IGP and the Director, Department of State Services, to come to our aide because the place is not safe.

“We are also appealing to the general public to urge the IGP to set up an independent crack team to be in Omuma. If this is done, these people causing insecurity will be arrested. It looks as if the CP in Rivers State is paying deaf ears to our cries and to what is happening in the state.”

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command said it launched an investigation into the attack on the governorship candidate of the SDP, Abe, on Monday.

The spokesperson for the command, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, however, described the incident as a pre-rally attack.

She stated that immediately the command was alerted of the attack, it deployed the tactical teams and normalcy was restored.

The statement partly read, “There was a pre-rally attack by unknown armed men on the campaign convoy of Senator Magnus Abe, while on his way to attend a rally at Akinima in Ahoada West Local Government Area. Security personnel attached to him were able to rebuff the attack.

“Upon receipt of the information, tactical teams were immediately deployed to the area to reinforce the personnel earlier posted to provide security at the campaign venue. The teams were able to restore peace and normalcy in the area, paving way for a successful rally.”

But a chieftain of the SDP disagreed with the police, saying that the rally was aborted following the shooting by hired thugs allegedly working for the PDP.
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Politics

Edo Guber: We’ll Fight If… – Obaseki Threatens

Published

7 hours ago

May 4, 2024

Editor

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has warned members of Legacy Group within the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to state away from the party else they’ll face his wrath.

Obaseki gave the warning weekend at the inauguration of the state campaign council of the PDP in preparation for the September 21 gubernatorial election in the state.

Obaseki, who described the Legacy Group as disorganised, sheep without shepherd, alleged that they have collected money from the party, adding that is why they are fighting to disorganised the PDP in the state.

The Governor who expressed confidence in the 363-member campaign council, noted that the structure of the campaign council was rooted in all the 192 wards across the state, adding that every organ of the party was captured.

Obaseki, who noted that the PDP has the best candidate and programmes for the people of Edo, said: “The time table is out, can you see any of them (Legacy Group)? Can they organise themselves? PDP leads, others follow.”

Obaseki further said: “PDP is one. Those who are fighting PDP have collected money from the other parties, and they want to sell out, join me so that we can flush them out of our party. Because we are not going to allow anybody to divide us, we are one party; one indivisible party in Edo State.

“The money they have collected is enough, let them go and enjoy it; let them go and spend it outside. We don’t have anything to fear. I will fight them if they try us; we will fight them if they try us. They know us, we never fight and lose, let them come and try. They have collected money, let them stay outside with their money, and not disturb us, because this election is ours and we are going to win by the grace of God.”

Obaseki, who declared that the opposition has no space in Edo, boasted that the PDP has put together hardworking campaign council members who, according to him, were going to deliver 80 per cent of the total votes to the party.

He further said: “By the grace of God, this campaign council will deliver nothing less than 80% of our votes.

“We can’t find them anywhere. They have no place here. They cannot destroy us at the centre and want to still come and destroy us here. We will not allow it. The hunger is too much out there, we are preventing the hunger from coming to Edo.

“Everybody sees what is happening in Nigeria today. You can see the suffering in the land. You can see the struggle in Edo, but we pulled Edo out of those problems. So, our campaign is going to be based on the hope we will give our citizens in Edo State.”

Earlier, the State Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, disclosed that the campaign council consisted of 363 members, excluding the women and youth wings.

Politics

Edo Poll: PDP Inaugurates Campaign Council, Obaseki Mocks Legacy Group, APC

Published

1 day ago

May 3, 2024

Editor

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo

Ahead of the September 21 gubernatorial election in Edo State, the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Friday, inaugurated a 363-member campaign council, with Governor Goodwin Obaseki describing the other faction known as Legacy Group as disorganised, sheep without sephard.

The governor who alleged that the factional PDP members fighting in the party have collected money from opposition parties to distabilise the party in the state, warned such persons to stay away or face his wrath.

Obaseki said: “PDP is one. Those who are fighting PDP have collected money from the other parties, and they want to sell out, join me so that we can flush them out of our party. Because we are not going to allow anybody to divide us, we are one party; one indivisible party in Edo State.

He further said: “By the grace of God, this campaign council will deliver nothing less than 80% of our votes.

“Everybody sees what is happening in Nigeria today. You can see the suffering in the land. You can see the struggle in Edo, but we pulled Edo out of that problems. So, our campaign is going to be based on the hope we will give our citizens in Edo State.”

He noted that the structure of the campaign council was rooted in all the 192 wards across the state, adding that every organ of the party was captured.

Earlier, the State Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, disclosed that the campaign council comprised of 363 members, excluding the women and youth wings.

In his acceptance speech, the Director-General of the state campaign council, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, thanked the governor and PDP faithful for the opportunity to serve the party.

Iduoriyekemwen, however, promised to lead the party to victory come Sept.

In his remarks, the PDP governorship candidate, Barr. Asue Ighodalo, who thanked party faithful and leaders for the confidence repose in him, said Obaseki had laid a functional foundation at every sector that he would build upon.

Politics

Edo Poll: LP Group Hails Tinubu For Adhering To Zoning, Says Party Has Murdered Sleep In The State

Published

3 days ago

May 2, 2024

Editor

A pressure group known as Shine Your Eyes Group, ( SYEG), Thursday, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leaders of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Edo State for adhering to the principle of fairness, equity in the choice of it governorship candidates and running mate.

The group in a statement signed by its Chairman, Comrade Jonah Ifada and Secretary Osagie Omoregie, and made available to INFO DAILY late Thursday night, said the LP has murdered sleep in the state when the leadership of the party decided to go against the core principle of fairness, equity and justice by throwing a candidate from Edo South in a skewed primary.

The group members who are members of the LP in the state, was apparently reacting to a news report by the Benin Youth Council, (BYC), on Wednesday where its appealed to Barrister Ken Imansuangbon to sheath his sword and join hands with Olumide Akpata in his governorship bid.

Shine Your Eyes Group said Akpata should rather step down to a more popular Imansuangbon to avoid embarrassment at the September 21st governorship election in the state, noting that it is not the turn of Edo South.

The group argued, “Look at what President Tinubu and the leadership of APC did in Edo State. They decided to abide by the principle of fairness, equity and justice which are fundamental to any development just like what the PDP did. The Labour party should have taken a cue from the APC.

“Are you saying Olumide Akpata is more popular than great and experienced politicians like Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Lucky Imansuen and others who decided to drop their ambition in support of zoning? Akpata should do the needful and step down for Imansuangbon now and save the Labour party from shame. Imansuagbon has vowed to fight his case to a logical conclusion”, SYEG noted.

Recall that Imansuangbon had gone to court to challenge the emergence of Olumide Akpata as the candidate of the Labour Party.

Imansuangbon, in his petition, stated that Mr Olumide Akpata committed offences ranging from giving false information to the acquisition of citizenship of another country, which is a grand departure from the Nigerian Constitution’s accepted norms

The educationist wanted the court to determine whether Akpata “has not supplied or otherwise given false information to the INEC within the meaning or contemplation of the provisions of section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022 read together with section 182(1) (a) and (j) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), among other allegations.”