The Rivers State Chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, said the
party’s attention has been drawn to the relentless noise on radio,
television and in the newspapers by the Rivers State Chapter of Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, through its State Chairman, Felix Obuah and the
Publicity Secretary, Samuel Nwanosike attempting to foul the air over
the release of March 19 rerun election results for Tai Local Government
Area...
The APC in a statement signed by the party’s State Publicity Secretary,
Senibo Chris Finebone said, the APC has “so far, repeatedly reminded the
PDP that the Electoral Act clearly specifies how results of elections
including legislative polls are released and by whom at all levels. The
Tai rerun election results were announced by the statutorily recognised
INEC officials at the appropriate levels. Whether the Commission had
issues to establish about those results is inconsequential, internal and
merely administrative.”
The statement reads: “The PDP has always talked about a dubious and
largely suspect court order they obtained restraining INEC from
releasing the said results. We would like to advise the PDP to confirm
whether they can obtain an order against action that has already been
taken. Indeed, they should ask themselves whether someone can obtain a
court order against the delivery of a child that has already been
delivered.
“Assuming without conceding that the PDP has a subsisting court order
restraining INEC or its agents from releasing Tai results, under what
circumstances can a political party or indeed anyone take an order
restraining a statutorily established government entity from performing
its constitutional roles? The PDP must tell Nigerians whether it can
obtain a court order restraining, for example, the Rivers State House of
Assembly or National Assembly or National Population Commission from
carrying out their statutory functions.
“It is the conviction of the APC that the said court order the PDP has
been making reference to exists only in the imagination of the PDP
leaders in Rivers State. We challenge them to publish that court order
for public scrutiny because they have placed the matter in public space.
“Again, assuming without conceding that a genuine court order
restraining the release of Tai rerun election is in the possession of
the PDP, what are the detailed specifics of such an order? What is the
challenge of the PDP in returning to court to get INEC charged for
contempt of court instead of threatening crisis and breakdown of law and
order?
“The APC believes that repeated threat of crisis by the PDP follows in
the character of their leader, Gov. Nyesom Wike who said during their
second ill-fated national convention that he was allowing peace to reign
because of the presence of visitors in the state. By that statement,
Rivers people became aware why peace has never reigned in Rivers State
especially when we did not have visitors in the State. It helped us to
understand why killings returned to Rivers State the very day the NBA
conference wound up especially the gruesome killing of an NBA member,
late Ken Astwete a few days later.
“The APC condemns the unwarranted threat to law and order by words and
actions of PDP leaders in Rivers State. There is no doubt that this sort
of behaviour was responsible for the spate of violence that has
enveloped Rivers State and brought her infamy since 2014.
“We wish to remind the PDP that after the rerun elections of March 19,
INEC has released results in favour of the PDP in many parts of Rivers
State. APC members had either taken it with equanimity or peacefully
approached the courts to seek redress. We have not threatened anyone or
the peace of Rivers State.
“The APC calls on relevant security agencies to take particular notice
of the drum of war being beaten for the umpteenth time by the PDP over
matters they have the clear option of seeking judicial intervention if
they believe in democratic tenets.”
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