Rivers PDP dismisses claims of recruiting thugs to attack Atiku supporters

*We have proof of plans by Atiku’s group to recruit ex-militants, convicts to breach of peace

Ibrahim Bakare /Port Harcourt.

Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party PDP campaign Council has dismissed the allegation that it is recruiting thugs to violently attack members of Atiku Abubakar, Presidential candidate Council and supporters.

Rivers PDP said with the mode of election that will be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, using Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which is an electronic device designed to read Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and authenticate voters – using the voters’ fingerprints – in order to prove that they are eligible to vote at a particular polling unit.

He said with this innovation that will ensure that votes must count, it will be inconceivable for anybody to contemplate the use of thugs to achieve any political mileage.

The Spokesman of Rivers PDP Campaign Council, Ogbonna Nwuke, while briefing Journalists in Port Harcourt today, said at a time that Governor Nyesom Wike has been busy commissioning and flagging off new projects in parts of the State, Rivers people are being fed with unbridled falsehood by members of the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council.

Ogbonna Nwuke said the  Spokesman of the Presidential Campaign Council in Rivers State, Dr. Leloonu Nwibubasa had  claimed in chats with the media that there are plans by the Rivers PDP to dress up some persons in branded T-shirts bearing the face of the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in order to destroy or deface billboards and posters.

Nwibubasa had also alleged that those who attacked the Port Harcourt residence of Senator Lee Maeba, the Chairman of Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council in Rivers yesterday, Thursday December 8, were agents and supporters of Governor Nyesom Wike.

During the attack on Maeba’s house, cars parked at his garage were wilfully vandalized and his relation was injured and was later hospitalized.

Nwibubasa had also alleged through the media that the Rivers PDP plans to recruit 20 political thugs in each of the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State who would be used to intimidate innocent and defenseless citizens.

Nwuke, however, dismissed these allegations “as worthless as the paper on which they are written because there had not been any time that supporters of the PDP in the State that are loyal supporters of Governor Wike pulled down or defaced billboards, carrying the faces of candidates of other political parties, including those that are aspiring for the presidency, are standing elegantly along major roads and streets”. 

PDP said the allegations by the Atiku group are spurious adding that the agents of the presidential candidate have resorted to underhand practices in an attempt to stir distrust and unrest in Rivers State. 

“We have stumbled upon a plan by the pro-Atiku group led by a War Canoe Chief, supported by some rogue politicians who believe in divide and rule tactics, to use murderers, assassins and ex-prisoners to inflict bodily harm on innocent and defenseless Rivers people.”

Nwuke who was a former member of the Federal House of Representatives representing Etche-Omuma Federal Constituency, also former Commissioner for Information Communications, further queried the illogical allegation that plans are afoot by the state PDP to recruit 20 political thugs for each Local Government Area.

“Is Atiku’s Spokesman in Rivers State claiming that the Rivers PDP of which he is part is recruiting 20 thugs per LGA. Some ‘LGAs like Khana and Etche have at least 19 wards. Is Atiku’s Spokesman saying that every ward will have an average of one thug each?”

Nwuke further said that the Atiku supporters  are already running on the theory of the big lie by fabricating all kind of tales, so they can later claim they told us so. 

He said Atiku’s Spokesman, by his utterances demonstrates quite a lot of limited knowledge and crass ignorance of the intentment of the Electoral Act and the content therein making it compulsory that Votes will count in this election.

He reminded Leloonu Nwibubasa that the people will decide who rules them in forthcoming elections. Election results shall be transmitted electronically. 

“INEC has introduced BVAS, meaning that only those who are qualified to vote will take part in the forthcoming elections. The hijack of polling boxes have become obsolete. No one can write results. That practice has become archaic. So, what will thugs do? Besides, the Wike administration has surpassed all expectations in terms of project delivery.”

The Rivers PDP campaign Council said even the supporters of Atiku and the federal government acknowledge the enviable scorecard of Governor Wike project delivery to the people of the state.

Nwuke pointed out that; “Armed with the kind of scorecard that Governor Wike has put on the table, the goodwill that the PDP in Rivers State is enjoying, what do we need thugs for?”

Rivers PDP campaign Council advised Atiku supporters to go about selling the candidature of the PDP Presidential Candidate instead of contemplating violence. 

He said no amount of viled threat will deter Rivers PDP from going ahead with its mission as the party of Rivers people  to keep Rivers people safe, build sustainable infrastructure which will drive the Rivers economy, and grow commerce and industry by establishing a robust partnership with the organized private sector.

Nwuke said that the sterling performance of Governor Nyesom Wike will make it very easy to  market Siminalayi Fubara, the PDP Governorship  candidate of the  party before Rivers people to consolidate the work Governor is doing in the state.

He added that  Siminalayi Fubara shall fulfill his part of the social contract and consolidate on the achievements recorded through the new Rivers Vision enunciated by Governor Nyesom Wike. 

He revealed that on Sunday, the PDP led by the Governor who is the Chairman of the Campaign Council will dedicate the campaign effort of the  party to God to formerly kickstart the political campaigns.