The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has berated Senator Magnus Abe, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Rivers Senatorial rerun election, for refusing to appear before a public hearing on military invasion of Ogoni land.

In a statement issued on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, Bro Felix Obuah, Chairman of PDP in Rivers State, said: “When the carnage and pogrom committed by the Nigerian Army at the instance of certain Ogoni opposition politicians against the Ogoni communities particularly the Yeghe people in the wake of the recent inconclusive re-run elections in Rivers State was made public, not many believed it.

“To some people, it was a fairy tale. And to others, it was yet another political gimmick to stigmatise certain persons and, or politicians for the purpose of currying political sympathy.

Not until this evil and inhumanity to man was forced to the notice and sensibility of some responsible Nigerians and the National Assembly by concerned persons and groups that it was considered giving a little attention. It only took a few video clips of the heinous actions of the so called soldiers of the Nigerian Army against innocent children and women, including pregnant women murdered with careless abandon as though they were fighting in a battle field that the conscience of most Nigerians was pricked.

“The revelations showed that the incident was even grossly under-reported.

Consequently, the National Assembly was moved to invite the Civil Liberty Organization (CLO) that anchored the petition for an interface. The shocking findings have nonetheless compelled the House of Representatives to consider organising a public hearing on the issue. Invited to the public hearing are major characters in the incident, who are also the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming Legislative re-run elections in Rivers State. They are Messrs Magnus Abe and Barinaadaa Mpigi for Rivers South-East Senatorial District and Oyigbo-Eleme-Tai Federal Constituency respectively.

“While the controversy over who gave the unconstitutional order to the Nigerian Army for the slaughter of the hapless Ogoni people still subsists, the House of Representatives according to the law and in strict adherence to its oversight function may have for the sake of justice and posterity decided to ensure that all facts of the incident and those behind it are unmasked as a way of ensuring an end to such inhuman senseless killing of law abiding Nigerians. But rather than receive and embrace such invitation with honour and joy that at last the evil against his own kin and kith (the Ogoni people) he is opting to represent in the National Assembly at any cost, is now on the front burner of public discourse, Mr. Magnus Abe is angry, agitated and offended, and is threatening fire and brimstone.

“What does that tell you? Why the barking, you may wish to ask. Rather than appreciate the House of Representatives for initiating the public hearing, Magnus Abe has unwittingly taken on the Honourable Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, alleging all manner of evil deeds against his person and office simply because the public hearing is expected to expose the facts and offer the majority of Nigerians the opportunity to hear and see how he, Magnus Abe manipulated soldiers of the Nigerian Army with the obvious backing of his collaborators to kill and maim his own people just to stop them from voting in an election he was sure to lose.”

•Photo shows Bro Obuah.

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