By Ayodele Oni
The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has observed that peaceful protests by some groups in the State are turning to violence.
The Party also described as crude the decision of Security Agents to continue with occupation of Local Governments in the State.
A statement on Wednesday by the Party’s spokesman, Darlington Nwauju, stated that from observation, the protests appear to be orchestrated and stage-managed to justify call for State of Emergency, even where no such situation ordinarily exists.
“We received with utmost consternation, the detonation of an improvised explosive device (IED) yesterday June 25, 2024, at the Hotel Presidential axis of Port Harcourt on the busy Aba Road of the Garden City by an alleged protester.
“For clarity, the protest is organized against all advice and caution by a political group loyal to the FCT Minister, same group that has called for impeachment of the sitting governor, same group now calling for State of Emergency in the state.
“To all reasonable persons, the protests appear to be orchestrated and stage-managed to justify their call for State of Emergency, even where no such situation ordinarily exists.
“We are miffed by the deployment of guerrilla warfare to our polity and wonder why this ugly narrative must always headline political activities in Rivers State.
“Regrettably, this shameful and unfortunate incident reminds us of the January 19th 2023 bombing of the APC campaign venue at Rumuwoji town hall, another suburb of Port Harcourt, which left six APC members injured, and all the signs point to the same group who seem to have the privilege of getting away with whatever violent crime they launched.
“We challenge Police authorities in Rivers State to rise to the occasion this time by quizzing sponsors/leaders of the protest of 25th June 2024 who are not only known political hunchos, but apostles and sympathizers of the call for a state of emergency in Rivers State.
“They seem to apply the notion that whatever you can’t get you destroy. Their modus operandi which is now common knowledge is that whatever evil they want to launch, they first raise public outcry and point fingers to the opposite direction to deceive the public.
“We sadly recall that a similar bombing incident linked to political activities occured in February of 2023 which led to the untimely death of the mastermind, Mr Destiny Igbanibo.
“Rivers people waited in vain for details of the outcome of Police investigations on that traumatic incident, but, like other very disturbing acts of violence against the opposition and security breaches that occurred in the lead-up to the 2023 elections, it has been a matter of coverup or ‘the more you look, the less you see.’
“The remote reason for the so-called protests which clearly is targeted at scare-mongering and instilling fear in residents and investors, is the shutting down of local government council Secretariats in the state and we dare say, that the intervention of the Police must balance public order and rule of law.
“The idea of physical occupation of workspaces by the Police is completely out of tune with modern realities. How does denying civil servants access to their workspaces connect with or to the likely outcome of Court decision(s)?
“It’s more strange that the people carrying out violent protests on the streets are claiming they are doing so ‘in support of the police seal off of the LGA Secretariats’.
“It beats all logic that a group protesting in support of an action are at the same time perpetuating violence and bombing. This is a cup of tea for the Rivers State Police Command to unravel to avoid being seen by members of the public as being complicit in the unfolding drama.”
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