Rivers council chairmen.
Ikwerre world press statement and Gov Nyesom Wike statement on GOC 6 division and FSARS.
General Elections: Rivers Council Chairmen blame Amaechi, GOC 6 Division and Akin Fakorede for plot to cause violence.
The 23 Local Government Council Chairmen of Rivers State have declared that the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the General Officer Commanding 6 Division of the Nigerian Army , Major General Jamil Sarham and the State Commander of Special Anti-robbery Squad, Akin Fakorede should be held responsible in case of the breakdown of law and order before, during and after the General Elections.
In a press conference in Port Harcourt on Thursday, the Elected Council Chairmen under the aegis of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, stated that the Minister and the security agencies are working hard to create crisis during the elections.
Mayor of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Hon Victor Ihunwo presented the position of the Rivers Council Chairmen.
He said: “As law abiding citizens of this country, we are calling on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Chief of Army Staff, Acting Inspector General of Police and other Security Agencies to demonstrate to us that we are part of this nation and under the same constitution as the third tier of government.
“They should also call the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, the GOC 6 Division, Nigeria Army, Major General Jamil Sarham and the Commander of FSARS, Mr Akin Fakorede to order in the interest of public peace.
“Finally, we are saying also they should be held responsible if there is any breach of the peace and order in this state before, during and after this election if they go ahead with their wicked act”, he said.
The council chairmen vowed to resist any attempt to arrest them two days to the general elections in Rivers State.
“We have gotten credible intelligence that the Goc IN CHARGE OF 6 Division, Nigerian Army by name Major General J. Sarham in connivance with the newly posted Director of State Security Services (DSS) who was posted from Ebonyi State Useni Bello Abdullahi , ACP Akin Farkorode are on a mission to arrest all the 23 local government chairmen 2 days to the general election to pave way for APC to rig the election in their favour This instruction was given to them by Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, the Hon Minister for Transportation in the Buhari administration.
“However, we wish to remind the general public that the above instruction is in line with the war song he sang in the presence of Mr President.
“We are not against the investigation or arrest of chairmen who have any matter to answer as required by the law. But our concern is that why should it be 2 days to the general election.
“We as chairmen after our meeting held today 21st of February 2019 have resolved to resist any person in any guise of military, police or SSS planning to arrest all chairmen until after the election”, the Rivers Council Chairmen stated.
The ALGON in Rivers State drew the attention of Rivers people, Nigerians and the international community to recent political developments in the state.
They said: “As leaders, our duty is to promote peaceful and free atmosphere before, during and after the polls in our various local government areas.
“The atmosphere of hostility is being brewed by the unholy relationship between the APC and security agencies. It has become a major source of worry, threatening peace and communal tranquility in our various local government areas”.
Similarly, Ikwerre nationality made a powerful statement warning the security agencies to stay away from their plan violence.
Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor, Emouha and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas Holds World Press Conference ahead of the Saturday 23rd February and 9th March 2019 General Elections.
Earlier, DEZ MAYORZ Nigeria reported that Gov Wike has revealed the plan of APC and Amaechi to arrest council of chairmen in the coming election .
GOC 6 Division Plans to arrest Rivers Council Chairmen ahead of the general elections says Governor Wike
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that the General Officer Commanding 6 Division of the Nigerian Army , Major General Jamil Sarham has planned the arrest of 10 Local Government Council Chairmen in the state in a bid to scuttle the elections in the state.
Addressing journalists on Thursday, Governor Wike said that the intention of the the GOC 6 Division of the Nigerian Army is to generate insecurity and violence through undue provocation of the people.
Governor Wike added that the GOC 6 Division of the Nigerian Army has also pencilled down 182 persons who will be arrested across the 23 Local Government Areas. He said majority are PDP members.
Governor Wike said: “The GOC 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Jamil Sarham has stated that he will arrest the Chairman of Ikwerre, Abua/Odual, Mayor of Port Harcourt, Chairman of Bonny and Degema Local Government Area.
“Other Chairmen to be arrested by the GOC include, Akuku-Toru, Asari-Toru, Gokana, Khana and Eleme Local Government Areas”.
The governor noted: “What offence have these council chairmen committed to warrant this illegal intimidation? If they committed any offences, were these offences committed within the election period? Why were they noted arrested before now.
“These are the actions that will lead to crisis . Allow the people to vote freely and their votes must count. Rivers people must be allowed to vote”.
He said that Rivers State is for Rivers people and security agencies will not be allowed to waste the lives of the people in the name of elections.
“If Major General Jamil Sarham has been promised the post of the Chief of Army Staff, it will not be at the expense of the lives of our people”, he said.
Governor Wike expressed concern that the security agencies are misinterpreting the Presidential Directive on ballot box snatching. He said that the Nigerian Army and the Federal Special Anti-robbery Squad have seen the directive as a leeway to kill innocent people, even when the Army and Police are the real culprits.
The governor regretted that police and army fake uniforms are being produced for the purpose of disrupting the elections on Saturday by APC leaders.
He noted that despite the directives by heads of national security agencies, the situation in Rivers State is different as the GOC 6 Division of the Nigerian Army and the Federal Special Anti-robbery Squad Commander, Akin Fakorede are engaged in illegal activities during the elections.
“The Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is moving around with a battalion of soldiers. Several trucks of soldiers are at his residence of Ernest Ikoli in Old GRA.
“While Amaechi is using the soldiers to commit electoral atrocities, the GOC 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Jamil Sarham and Akin Fakorede are obviously partisan, supporting the APC” he said.
He noted that APC is not participating in the core of the elections as they will field candidates for National Assembly, State Assembly and Governorship Elections.
The governor said that the function of the security agencies is to secure voters, ad-hoc staff and election materials.
Simeon Nwakaudu