Theย All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned of the impending anarchy inย Rivers that may have far-reaching consequences beyond the state, unlessย President Goodluck Jonathan urgently reins in his supporters who, backed by a gross-partisan police, have now resorted to bringing inย ex-militants from neighbouring states to attack innocent people inย Rivers.
”Having lost confidence in the ability of the police to protectย them and keenly aware of the President’s deliberate refusal to allowย peace to reign in their state, the patience of the people of Rivers isย wearing thin, and there is an increasing possibility that they mayย resort to self help, which can only result in a blood bath,” the partyย warned in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
”Because we abhor anarchy, which is the very antithesis ofย democracy, we hereby call, for the umpteenth time, on President Jonathan to act today to stop the looming anarchy in Rivers unless of course heย is bent on throwing the country he was elected to govern into chaos,”ย it said.
APC also warned that the decision of the desperate pro-Jonathanย politicians and their supporters in Rivers to resort to ferrying inย ex-militants from Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom to cause mayhem in Rivers andย make it ungovernable for Gov. Chibuike Amaechi will have far-reachingย consequences in the months ahead, most serious of which is that it willย revive militancy not only in Rivers but in the entire South-South.
”The ex-militants, who are being hired daily by the anarchists inย Rivers today, will turn against them and the people tomorrow when, oneย way or the other, the present situation in the state is resolved. Theย outcome will be a resurgence of insecurity, including hostage taking and attacks on oil and other infrastructure, in the entire region. This isย why we are warning those who believe they are having a free rein todayย to tarry a while and retrace their steps,” the party said.
It expressed absolute shock that a President who has been widelyย quoted as saying his political ambition is not worth the blood of anyย citizen is now standing by, pretending to be oblivious to the happenings around him, as the same citizens’ blood is being used to water hisย ambition to have a second term in office.
”This President has deliberately refused to listen to the calls byย numerous individuals and organisations, including the oppositionย parties, labour unions and the National Assembly for peace to be allowed to reign in Rivers. He has tacitly egged on the police to champion theย worsening impunity in the state and even thumbed his nose at theย Constitution, while the Police Service Commission has suddenly lost itsย steam and is even defending the arrowhead of the anarchy in Rivers.
”It is instructive that while the police have stood by and allowedย hired ex-militants to attack innocent citizens whose only offence isย that they are exercising their constitutional rights of freedom ofย association, movement and speech, the same police have providedย protection for pro-Jonathan and anti-Amaechi elements who have turnedย the state into a battle ground.
”Twice in eight days, peaceful rallies organized by the Save Rivers Movement have been brutally broken up by police-backed hoodlums, whoย shot at innocent citizens including women and children; a servingย Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has been shot and is nowย being treated in a foreign hospital and, as we write this press release, hoodlums brought in from Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom have gathered atย different points in Port Harcourt to protest any attempt to removeย Police Commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu, the man who is now using the policeย against the same people they are paid to protect,” APC said.
The party also chronicled, for the record, the series of impunityย that has helped prepared the ground for the looming anarchy in Rivers:
– Mbu practically provided the needed backing for a group of hired thugsย and ex-militants with dangerous weapons to unlawfully and forcefullyย invade the Rivers State House of Assembly to terrorize its members, sack them and other management staff members from the complex and preventย the lawful exercise of legislative functions.
– A caretaker committee lawfully set up for Obi/Akpor Local Government Area was prevented from delivering governance to
the people due to the sealing of the LGA secretariat by police operatives acting under Mr. Mbu’s directive.
– Security details were withdrawn from the principal members of theย state government, including but not limited to the Speaker of the Stateย House of Assembly, Attorney-General and principal judicial officers ofย the state
– Mbu again provided cover for a sponsored protest by over 5,000ย ex-militants and other criminal elements brandishing dangerous weaponsย to completely take over and parade the streets of Port Harcourt, thereby creating fear and an atmosphere reminiscent of pre-amnesty siege in the minds of right-thinking residents.
– Mbu almost engineered an unnecessary but deadly riot by directing hisย men to restrain over 500 people – including traditional rulers – fromย the Orashi communities of Rivers State from paying a scheduled andย legitimate courtesy and solidarity visit to the State Governor atย Government House, Port Harcourt.
– A potential bloodbath at the Island Community of Bonny was avertedย only by the maturity exhibited by the young members of the Riversย Leadership Advancement Foundation in the face of serial provocation byย members of the Rivers State Police Command
– When five colleagues of Governor Amaechi – who felt they wereย exercising their constitutional ย rights of free movement and associationย – had the temerity to pay him a solidarity visit in Port Harcourt, they were molested and humiliated at the Port Harcourt Airport by hiredย thugs under the protection of Mr Mbu
– Police operatives used tear gas to cause a potentially-deadly stampede through the forceful dispersal of 13,201 newly-recruited and trainedย teachers who had gathered at the Liberation Stadium in Port Harcourt for the final round of their training, orientation, mobilization andย deployment to primary and secondary schools.
– The Rivers State Command, acting on the orders of Mbu, blockaded aย road leading to the Government House in Port Harcourt, forcing theย Governor’s convoy to turn back and take another route to his officialย residence.
– Police prevented a plane chartered by the Governor from taking offย ostensibly because it was carrying a lawmaker said to be wanted by theย police. When the lawmaker was not found on the plane, no apology wasย issued to the Governor.
”We have decided to remind Nigerians how the situation in Riversย state got to the present dangerous level, even as calls by the nation’sย lawmakers, labour unions and other well-meaning Nigerians for theย redeployment of Mbu have fallen on deaf ears.
”Our party has also intervened numerous times to warn the nationย that President Jonathan is using Rivers as a testing ground for fascism, especially ahead of the 2015 general elections, all seemingly to noย avail as the crisis has worsened instead of abating.
”It is in this light that we reiterate our fears of a loomingย anarchy, which is the outcome of months of impunity, as the man whoย swore to an oath to ensure the welfare and security of all citizens –ย the raison d’etre for any government – has now become the quiet sponsorย of violence against the same citizens. It is time to stop the madness in Rivers!,”’ APC said.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed
Interim National Publicity Secretary
