The All Progressives Congress APC in Rivers state condemns in the strongest terms another round of attack on its members in Tende-Ama community in Ogu-Bolo LGA of Rivers state by thugs and hoodlums known to be allegedly loyal to Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi who doubles as the Minister for Transportation and the godfather of APC Rivers state. We waited till today to make this statement because we needed to investigate and come up with a full report.
This attack which took place on Sunday January 24, 2021 when our members were almost concluding their peaceful enlarged meeting in preparation for the party Primaries, a buildup to the Local Government Council election slated for April 2021, is one too many. The Party LGA Caretaker Committee Chairman Hon. Bright Tobi-Kalama had briefed us that while they were holding an expanded Executive Committee meeting, some men armed with Machetes and other dangerous weapons stormed the venue and started destroying the chairs and tables, pushing some of our members to the ground. Our members as law abiding citizens held themselves from retaliating in order to avoid bloodshed but this does not make our members cowards in anyway. The thugs then came hard on the LGA party Chairman, slapped him on his face and physically assaulted others. We commend the leadership of the Party who ensured that our members did not revenge thus averting tension in the area.
It will be recalled that not too long ago, the Minister’s supporters also physically attacked our members during a meeting of this nature in Asari-Toru LGA. It is public knowledge that sometime in 2020, a group of persons came out openly in a viral video and threatened to kill some party leaders in the state who disagree with Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi and further threatened to destroy Rivers State and even the federal government of Nigeria and and also threatened to make Rivers state ungovernable through insecurity. The Minister of Transportation Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi swiftly on a live National Television came out boldly and stated, accepted that those thugs are his supporters. This is a caution sign an we call on all relevant authorities to take notice. Politics is not war but self defense is legal and justified in every situation under the 1999 Constitution as amended including international legal instruments which Nigeria is a signatory to. Although we are of their plans to carry out further attacks on our members, we charge our members not to be deterred as we trust the appropriate institutions to ensure justice and protection for all as we continue with our preparations for the forthcoming LGA elections in Rivers state.
Signed:
Hon. Golden Ben-Chioma,Acting Caretaker Committee Chairman,APC Rivers StateJanuary 28, 2021
