Rivers Rerun: Army Arrests 3 PDP Chieftains, 62 Others

A combined team of security operatives, led by soldiers, yesterday arrested three chieftains of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and 62 suspected hoodlums on alleged electoral offences as the conclusive rerun legislative elections took place in Etche and Omuma Local Government Areas of Rivers State.

The PDP chieftains arrested include the Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Rivers State, Hon. Samuel Nwanosike and former caretaker committee chair men of Akuku-ToruandAsari-Torulocal government areas of the state, Hon. Rowland Sekibo and Hon Odiari Princewill respectively.

N wan os ike however lamented that his arrest was stage-managed to pave the way for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to win the election because he was his party’s collation agent for the poll.

These came as there run election in Etc he and O mum a, which was to elect lawmakers for Etc he Constituency 1 in the Rivers State House of Assembly and Etche/ Omuma Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, witnessed low voter turn-out and relative peace considering the violence that made elections in the area inconclusive in two previous trials.

Speaking to journalists at Ulakwo II Community in Etche local government area of Rivers State after parading those who were arrested, the Acting Commissioner of Police for Rivers State, Ahmed Magaji (DCP), said the arrests was a result of the security measures put in place for the election.

Magaji, whois also thedeputy commissioner of police (Opera- tions), said, “In the course of the on-going rerun elections in Etche and Omuma, adequate security arrangement was put in place involving members of the armed forces, the police and sister agencies.

“At one of the points the army made an arrest of 62 or 63 persons. We are currently screening them. Very soon we will come out with a clear announcement on the whole issue.”

On the arrest of some PDP leaders, he confirmed the arrest of some party leaders but refused to say categorically why they were arrested. “If I say anything now, it may affect the outcome of the investigation. As we go on with our investigation, we will find out if they are involved in electoral malpractice or not,” he said.

After parading the suspects and some cutlasses and drugs recovered from them, and the address by the acting commissioner of police, the 62 suspected thugs were transported by military truck to Port Harcourt while the party chieftains were moved by military Hilux van.

But while he was being forced into an Army Hylux van under the supervision of an army colonel, Nwanosike said his arrest was to pave the way for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to win the election by stopping him from performing his duties as his party’s collation agent.

He kept screaming that he was not a criminal but the collation agent for the PDP in the election as well as the state publicity secretary of the party.

He yelled: “The Zonal INEC Officer has said here that the military has a right to select who will be a party collation officer. This is wrong. “