Guber Polls: Situation Report Across Rivers State

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines Saturday, April 11th, 2015

The Governorship/Houses of Assembly Elections in Rivers State have been a miniature war with armed militias and thugs working for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Elections in Rivers State appear to be a do-or-die battle for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDD, and its chieftains. Yesterday, Friday April 10, Sports Minister, Dr. Tamuno Danagogo, arrived his native Abonnema, Akuku Toru local Government, in company with security agents and armed militiamen went around the community terrorising supporters of All Progressives Congress, APC.

The heavily armed militiamen working for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP seized electoral materials in Akuku Toru Wards 15, 16 and 17. They stormed the area where officials were distributing materials in a gunboat manned by one Chief Isimama Ikiriko, hijacked all materials at gunpoint. The attackers were led by two notorious cultists who were identified as

Hope Dan Opusungi and Kenneth Dan Opusungi.

Having seized the materials, the armed men barred polling agents of the All Progressives Congress, APC, from escorting the materials to the distribution centre. The two Opusungis’, like Chief Ikiriko, are all known card-carrying members of PDP. Kenneth Opusingi and his crew were lodged at De Don Hotel in Abonema. All these activities were carried out in the presence of Security Officials.

Sports Minister, Dr. Tammy Danagogo’s close associate, Roland Sekibo, also known as gun runner, was moving with soldiers, policemen and suspected cultists. The cultists used machetes and other dangerous weapons to unleash terror on All Progressives Congress, APC. Many people were driven into the bush where they sought refuge, while Sekibo, military men, policemen and crew took over the Abonnema Bridge turning back APC chieftains and supporters. Shooting continued and still ongoing as at the time of the report.

Prior to the elections, Dame Patience Jonathan wife of the President and a native of Oba ama Okirka, had visited Rivers State meeting with Tom Ateke, an ex militant leader, security chiefs, DPO and other INEC personnel. From threatening to cajoling she appealed that she will be disgraced by an APC win in Rivers State.

To ensure that she achieves her aim she has turned Rivers State into a killing field. In Idu, ONELGA, the youth leader, Hon. Clever Orukowu was reported dead. Also in Borokiri, Rex Lawson Extension, a policeman was killed.

In her hometown, the Election Officer has forced manual accreditation on all parties regardless of resistance by agents. militia men, Nna Alibi, Solomon Opusiki, Jeremiah Opuikpaki, Angbona and Ogubi are going round from ward to ward shooting and retrieving the result sheets. They have hijacked materials in wads 2,4,5,6,7,8 and 9. In ward 3, PDP members were thumb printing in the home of Daibi Biamofori.
Yet all isn’t gloom in Tai Local Government Area, Local Government Areas, MOPOL56 2ic recovered materials meant for nine wards in the home of Dr. Jacobson Nbina’s house in Semi, Tai. However attempts were being made to release the culprits as at the time of filing this report.

Elsewhere in Abua/Odual – most materials were hijacked by PDP led by Henry Ogiri (DFA, NDDC) in connivance with INEC EO to Okolomade via Bayelsa State. PDP thugs chased all APC agents and other party members out of Units 4 – 9 in Ward 003 and carted away with all the electoral materials. Marshall Uwom from Ward 003, Otari community, hijacked INEC materials with thugs just now. In Ahoada East – INEC Presiding Officers, POs, lodged in Palm Royal Hotel by PDP officials. Promised N100,000 each to rig in favour of PDP. No security presence at all and materials are about to be moved. While in Emuohua, armed militia men, sponsored by Elder Chinedu Tasie/Nwabueze who lives in town and they have camped in Chineme Madume’s house in Omuaran village in Ibaa Ward 6 in Emohua LGA. In ward 4 in Emuohua, SPO, Adona Igwe has carted away with the result sheets and other sensitive materials. She was eventually located.

In Tombia, Degema Local Government Area, and ex-Niger Delta warlord and House of Assembly candidate on the platform of PDP, Farah Dagogo, and his group terriorized the community, shooting and threatening all those who would not vote for the PDP.

In Andoni, hometown of Rivers state Deputy Governor, Tele Ikuru, Security threat against APC members by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, led by suspected Islander Cult group who were lodged in Ebukuma Town, Andoni local government. Gun shots were fired by the PDP armed men warning APC members not to come out on Saturday to vote. In Ward 007, PU 002, thugs with guns threatening the community people. Accra Titus Jones who was caught with AK-47 Riffles with four others by the police is from Andoni Ward 5, Ikuru Town and a notorious cultist. He is the same boy that led PDP thugs to the ward to hijack election materials in the last elections. Thugs hired by a PDP women leader Mrs Tonye Oyinda are presently mounted in the polling unit to prevent Ibinabo Briggs (APC) agent from going close to the materials.

In Asari Toru – Commissioner for Women Affairs’ house is being attacked by thugs who are shooting and setting her house ablaze with explosives. No security, PDP thugs are moving about the community shooting guns and dynamites. They have threatened to burn down Dr. Dawari’s George’s house. One Mr. John had his property and car were vandalized. The issue is all over Buguma town. In Ward 019, they informed that there is shooting by thugs and it’s being spare-headed by one Dr. Wokoma in the entire Buguma town. The caller also informed that they threw dynamite. Properties are being burnt right now. The people can’t come out. They are scared. They need security urgently – Ward 005. In Ward 025, the caller reported that all the electoral materials have been burnt.

APC agents in Bonny, staged a peaceful protest as all the SPO’s in Ward 012 were PDP Exco members. An APC agent was detained by INEC officials in Bonny. One Victor Oko Jumbo led over a hundred cult boys loyal to Wike into Bonny. They are familiar faces at the University of Port Harcourt. Leader of the armed cultists was identified as Uche Ekwueme. Efforts to make arrest failed. One PDP Randolph Brown is in-charge of the police. The DPO botched the plan.

In Ward 015, PU 001, Gokana Local Government Area, Chairman has been abducted by Solomon Ndigbara. The entrance has been padlocked and the thugs are armed. Ward 016, PU 002 no INEC staff or material visible as at that moment(8.43am). Ward 004, Result sheets have been diverted. Ward 004 Original Result sheets and ballot papers have been diverted in connivance with INEC officials and INEC adhoc staff who are PDP members.

There were shootings in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Ward 2 Onanelu by PDP thugs. In Omoku, all returning officers are members of PDP. We had hoped that there would be reshuffling. This was some of their strategy last time in Ward 001 and it is working for them again. Festus the Ward Collation Officer reported that the Police DPO did not allow APC agent and the APC chieftain Ofule Enebele to take stock of Election materials. The DPO was later involved in a private discussion with the PDP Stakeholders, Ward 014. Ward 006, no result sheet. Ward 016, PU 015 no result sheet. INEC officials are being replaced with PDP members. Ward 008, no result sheet.

Obio/Akpor – APC agents are not being allowed into the primary school at ward 6 Obio/Akpor while PDP agents Odogu (PDP Ward 6 chairman), Jaja Mgba and Ihianhi Chioma were allowed to go in.

The DPO, Ozuoba Divisional Police headquarters, from the information gathered is assisting the PDP in Akpor kingdom under the leadership of ‘Heaven’, the ward Chairman, to snatch away sensitive materials like result sheets this night. Ammunition arriving through Rumukparali by boat.

Mr .Wilson was escorting electoral materials but had to run for safety when PDP thugs arrived and threatened everyone’s safety. Mr Wilson ran for cover and abandoned his agents’ phone at home.

Materials are being transferred from the INEC truck into a Mitsubishi Bus at Rumuola College of Arts and Science with the assistance of the police.

INEC materials have been tempered with at the Obio/Akpor RAC centre. They have been changed with fake materials but our (APC) agents are fully on ground to make sure no material is distributed to the units until we have verified their validity. But we need security to make sure we are safe. Commander has not answered my calls since.

Obio/Akpor collation centre, the materials were hijacked last night. No PDP agents were found present.

In Ward 006, police manhandling all APC Agents and restricting their access to electoral materials while giving PDP agents full access. Materials are moving to polling units without APC agents accompanying them.

In Ward 011, no result sheet. Call from Rumuola rack centre. police prevented APC members from coming in. at 2:00am a car drove in exchanging materials to the vehicles. Police shut into the air to scare them away. They need the INEC officials to ascertain if the other materials are original.

A special police unit drafted to the RAC covering wards 9, 10 and 11 situate at St. John’s model primary school Rumueme beat up and chased APC agents away to allow Anugbum Onuoha (cousin to the PDP Guber Candidate) to come in with a carton containing some electoral materials and took away original results sheets for those wards. These 3 wards have no less than 90,000 votes.

No result sheet in Rumueme Ward Ward 010, PU 023. In unit 8 inclusive in the troubled area and the caller said it’s Rumuomasi rack centre(where materials for election are to be collected). The caller informed that the policemen brought in materials which were exchanged with other materials.

Caller said the result sheet is missing in Ward 008. Heavy Security presence needed. There is threat to life and property in Ward 004, PU 003. Report as at 8.19.06am of April 11.

Attention situation room, the DPO Ozuoba divisional Headquarter, from the information gathered is assisting the PDP in Akpor Kingdom under the leadership of Heaven, the ward Chairman to snatch away sensitive materials like result sheets this night. Arms and ammunition being brought into Rumukparali.

Despite the crisis and violence visited across Rivers State by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP even before the elections, the All Progressives Congress, APC, was in early lead prompting renewed attacks on APC members and polling units.