The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has cried out to the Senate, appealing to it to prevail on the State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, to allow the rescheduled parliamentary re-run elections in the state hold in an atmosphere of peace.

The party made the appeal while reacting to efforts by the Senate to ensure that the polls, which have been delayed because of fear of violence are held soon so as to avoid the denial of the electorate in the affected areas their right to choose their representatives in both the State and National Assemblies.

Rivers APC said in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Tuesday that “We are grateful to the Senate for insisting that the rerun elections in Rivers State be concluded before the end of the second week of December this year. We also commend the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for adhering to the Senate’s position by fixing 10th December, 2016 for the much-delayed rerun elections.

“We as a party will be most relieved if the rerun polls is finally conducted and concluded on the said 10th December – at least to allow our members who have suffered most in this regard to have the opportunity to take their rightful places in both the National and State Assemblies.

“We, however, remain worried that Chief Wike, who has a disdain for democratic principles and who has turned our dear state into Rivers of Blood, has yet to give a guarantee of peace in his capacity as the Chief Security Officer of the state. Therefore, while restating readiness for the 10th December polls, we wish to appeal to the Senate to go further in its concern for the conduct of the ballot by prevailing on Governor Wike to allow for a bloodless and peaceful exercise as he has already shed enough blood, including that of 200 of our members slaughtered by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its agents in the party’s desperation to assume total political control of our state.”

The party also pleads with President Buhari for the sake of peace and security of our dear state to prevail on Gov. Wike to allow peace to reign in Rivers State by stopping to intimidate, frame and arrest members of APC on trumped-up charges and turning the Rivers State Government House into a place of arrest of APC members as he is currently doing. Wike cannot be allowed to continue to act as if he is operating Rivers State as a different country outside another country call Nigeria. This is to avoid setting up the state on fire as there is a limit to the level of lawlessness being exhibited in Rivers State by the PDP government. It is sad that by the recent actions of Gov Wike, he has usurped the functions of both the Inspector General of Police and Director of DSS and sadly nobody wants to call him to order. Why must he create uneasiness in Rivers State whenever there will be an election in Rivers State?

“Wike must stop his desperation in setting up innocent Rivers men and women who are not members of his political party as none of his acts this time around will stop Rivers State people from voting in Senator Abe and other APC candidates during the rerun election.”

The statement signed by Rivers APC Chairman, Chief (Dr.) Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, urged party members and the entire electorate in the affected areas to get ready to punish the bungling PDP on 10th December by voting overwhelmingly for APC candidates.

•Photo shows Ikanya.

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