We Have Lost 55 Members To Election Violence In Rivers – APC

Rivers_State

The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday alleged that it had lost about 55 members to election violence in Rivers State. It also accused members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state of attacking its members ahead of the April 11 governorship election.

Speaking at a conference in Abuja, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed alleged that, “PDP and its governorship candidate, Mr Nyesome Wike, aided by the security agencies, have continued to kill and maim our members and supporters. We have lost 55 members of our party to political violence in Rivers State.”

“Though this marauding started before the March 28 Presidential and National Assembly elections, it has become progressively worse as the governorship elections approaches.

“APC members have been subjected to persistent harassment and intimidation across the state, using the Police in Rivers and the Zone 6 in Calabar. Over 150 prominent members have been victims of this unprovoked persecution,” he alleged.

Lai Mohammed said the party has therefore “decided to give the details of the relentless killing, maiming, harassment and intimidation of our members and supporters in Rivers State before, during and after the presidential and national assembly elections, so that Nigerians can see that everything has been done, and is still being done, to make sure that free, fair and peaceful elections do not hold in the state.

“We are therefore using this opportunity to call on local and international observers, as well as the Civil Society Organisations under the aegis of The Situation Room, to pay a close attention to Rivers State, as well as other states considered to be flash points, during the forthcoming governorship and house of assembly elections.”

The party also called on the heads of the security agencies and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to ensure that they read the riot act to their members posted to Rivers State in the governorship and House of Assembly elections, coming up next week Saturday.