The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that there are emerging facts exposing clandestine moves by the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the state pushing for another postponement of the re-scheduled Rivers re-run legislative elections fixed for this month, October.

The PDP said in a statement issued on Monday in Port Harcourt by Jerry Needam, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Rivers PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah that it has been alerted by some credible sources, confirming the grave plan by the leadership of the APC, in conjunction with some very senior staff and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), aimed at effecting another shift in the conduct of the elections, alleging insecurity in the state and logistic problems on the side of the Commission as reasons for the postponement.

The party said it was worried and disappointed “over such retrogressive action by the APC.” However, it also claimed that the moves did not come to it as a shocker, as right from the onset “the APC has never shown any readiness to genuinely participate in a free, fair and non-violently elections in the state, obviously for fear of losing in the contest.”

Accordingly to Obuah, one of such plans by the APC is the sustained blackmail and distortion of facts bordering on government actions on security challenges in parts of the state, not taking into cognizance the pragmatic efforts of the Governor Wike led-government in tackling insecurity, armed robbery, kidnapping, cult related clashes and other social vices across the state, as well as his unprecedented support for the state Command of the Nigeria Police and other sister security agencies operating in the state.

Obuah berated the APC’s push for another postponement, saying there is no justification for doing so, wondering why APC leaders are unperturbed by the continued absence of Rivers State representatives in the Senate and its partial presence in the House of Representatives following the inconclusive elections in the state.

The PDP Chairman said he had earlier taken it with a pinch of salt but has been further made to believe completely when the APC candidate for Rivers South-East Senatorial district, Mr. Magnus Abe, and other APC chieftains were again spotted at the INEC offices in Abuja and Port-Harcourt, even as their proxies and aides continue to make frequent visits to and maintain constant presence at the Commission’s offices in the state.

“This is unhealthy and retrogressive for the nation’s democracy and political development of our state, and therefore, condemnable,” Obuah noted, calling on the people of the state to resist any attempt by individuals, institutions or group to deny the state and the people of the respective constituencies their right of representation at the National and State Assemblies.

He also urged INEC “to discontinue any compromised step taken so far or about to be taken aimed at shifting the expected rescheduled re-run legislative elections in Rivers State, scheduled for this month, October, while calling on Mr. Abe and his colleagues in the APC to, rather than struggling for short-cut or undemocratic means of attaining political power, be ready to make themselves available for open and transparent electoral contest and genuine voting process, at the end of which the real winner will emerge.

“We’ll resist anything short of open, free, fair and non-violently conducted elections in the state,” Obuah declared.

•Photo shows Bro Obuah.

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