Cole Fumes As Police Feign Ignorance Of Alleged Security Infractions In Rivers
By Davies Iheamnachor, PORT HARCOURT, Vanguard News
The Governorship Candidates of the All Progressives Congress, Tonye Cole, has expressed worries that the Assistant Inspector General of Police and Five other Commissioners of Police deployed to lead police operations during Saturday’s Governorship and State House Assembly elections said they are not aware of the security challenges in the state.
Cole spoke in Port Harcourt, today, when he, Guber candidates of Social Democratic Party, Magnus Abe, Africa Democratic Congress, Tonte Ibraye, Accord Party, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs have led hundreds of their supporters in a protest to the headquarters of police in Rivers State alleged intimidation by the state government.
It would be recalled that the Secretary of these APC in Ikwerre Local Government Area, Osaruonu Amadi, Ohuokiri and one other person (members of APC) were this week picked by alleged policemen, while an attempt to arrest others failed.
It would also be noted that Governor Nyesom Wike, in his statewide broadcast, Thursday, declared 28 persons who are in opposition to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, wanted.
Wike declared wanted, Dr Leloonu Nwibubasa, Gabriel Pidomson, Bright Nwinyoodee, Barika Bareh, Friday Sinee, Dumbari Deezua, Neeka Ikina, Giobari Poiba, Barisi Bonikoo, Mike Amachree, Paul Lawrence Paul, Anosike Odua, Mr Ogbams, Ojimah, Kenneth Chinda Smiles Azundah.
Others are, Gift Welebe., Nwobueze Amadi, Chidi Wosa, Ugochukwu Wosu, Ndidi Erim, Lucky Mmai, Baridi Edmund Katara, Solo Filiman, Charles Anyanwu, Christian Don Pedro,Iworiabo Amachree and Arokosimiya Ikalama.
However, when the protesters arrived at the state police command, one of the CPs posted to the state told the governorship candidates that they are not aware of the alleged arrests and security infractions.
But, Cole who disclosed this while addressing press men, said an election cannot hold in a situation where police chiefs do not know what is happening in a state placed in their control.
Cole said: “We are here based on some disturbing things we are seeing in the political settings in the state. This is a multi-party decision. We have on good record that we are being victimized, intimidated our members are being arrested.
“As we speak now party members across the board are being arrested. We came to the command, we met the CP briefly. He said he will go out and be back in an hour, but we have waited patiently he is not back.
“We told him what the situation was. But he said he is not aware of what is happening in the state. There is an AIG posted for this election, who does not know that people are being arrested in this State. An election cannot hold under this situation.”
