By Anayo Onukwugha, Port Harcourt
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, has called for the redeployment of the Commissioner of Police in the state, Okon Effiong Okon, following repeated attacks on opposition political parties and their candidates in the state by suspected political thugs.
Recall that suspected political thugs had on Tuesday morning attacked the venue of the flag-off of the APC governorship campaign rally at Opobo Town in Opobo/Nkoro local government area of the state and allegedly kidnapped the coordinator of the party’s Campaign Council in the area.
LEADERSHIP observed that the ugly incident occured less than 24 hours after the campaign train of the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, was attacked near Akinima community in Ahoada-West local government area of the state.
Spokesman of the APC Governorship Campaign Council, Sogbeye Eli, in a statement made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, called on both the Inspector-General of Police and National Security Adviser to enforce their commitments not to allow state governors suppress opposition political parties involved in campaign activities in the build-up to the 2023 general elections.
The statement reads: “The attack on the Rivers APC governorship campaign Rally grounds at Opobo this morning ahead of the arrival of Arc. Tonye Cole, Mni, the gubernatorial candidate, is yet another red flag to the boiling cauldron that the State political environment has become on the watch of Commissioner of Police, Okon Effiong Okon.
“Sequel to the attack that had canopies and public address system at the venue vandalized by identified PDP hoodlums, armed men donning snatched the LGA Campaign Coordinator, Boma Brown, and sped out of the town with him.
“However, their plot was aborted in Bori, Headquarters of Khana LGA, when the Sienna vehicle in which he was whisked away was intercepted at the Roundabout following distress calls by terrified party faithful.
“An exchange of gunfire was also recorded between a team of Policemen who claimed to have rescued Mr. Brown on the orders of the Divisional Police Officer, Bori and those attached to the State APC Chairman, Chief Emeka Beke, at Kaana Petroleum filling Station in Bori when one of the Police officers opened fire that could have killed Chief Beke.
“In the circumstance, we call on both the Inspector-General of Police and National Security Adviser to enforce their commitments at the commencement of the campaign season not to allow state governors suppress or interfere with the rights of other political parties involved in campaign activities in the build-up to the 2023 general elections.
“We maintain that is the only guarantee to restore sanity in States like Rivers that have been made volatile by anti-democratic forces working in active connivance with compromised Police Commissioners.”
