Loading ...Gentlemen of the press,
On behalf of the elders and leaders of Rivers State, we express our deep sympathies to the families of all those who lost their lives including security forces during the last presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.
We must condemn the reported plans by the leadership of the APC to destabilize the state and perpetuate violence during the governorship and state house of assembly elections as a ploy to be used to declare a state of emergency in the state and/or to ensure that the elections in Rivers State are inconclusive.
It is noteworthy that the APC is not on the ballot in the forthcoming election, so the participation of APC leadership is not only illegal but aimed at disenfranchising the Rivers State electorate of their constitutional rights.
The Rivers people were not in any way responsible for the crisis that led to the situation the APC find themselves. Amaechi, Ojukaye, Abe, Cole and co. should realize that the rest of the state were not involved in their internal crises, and so should take responsibility for their actions and not put the blame on somebody else, in this case the people of Rivers State.
It is the height of cowardice and irresponsibility for anyone to imagine that Rivers State is his personal property and if he does not get what he wants, the state can burn.
This state predates all political parties, both APC, PDP, and will be here after all current parties have ceased to exist.
As leaders of the state, we consider it an obligation to draw the attention of the entire nation and the international community to this dubious plot designed to cause conflicts and possibly lead to a full military invasion of the state.
Events of the recent past and in particular, the vicious killings and torture of voters in different parts of the state by political thugs and some men of the military during the just concluded presidential election succinctly represents the inherent dangers faced by voters in the state if the excesses of our security forces and the APC in their total disregard for the rue of law is not addressed by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
We therefore call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari to step up and take full responsibility for the peace of Rivers State and to ensure that the integrity of the electoral process during the governorship election in Rivers Sate are protected.
We are appealing to all the ethnic nationalities of Rivers State to unite and defend our hard earned state and know that no outsider can help us better than ourselves. Stand for your constitutional rights. Stand up for Rivers State.
SIGNED:
- Sen. (Dr) Bennett N. Birabi
- Hon O.C.J. Okocha (SAN)
- Chief Hon. Bapakaye I.J. Orabere J.P
- Annkio Briggs
- Hon. A. J. Egbelu J.P
- Ledum Mitee
