With about five days to the rescheduled governorship election in Southern Ijaw LGA and over 100 other polling units, the Peoples Democratic Party has demanded the arrest and prosecution of General Africa, Ogunbos and others, including the “compromised law enforcement agencies” who spearheaded and supervised the brutalization and killing of voters during and after the December 5 polls.
The party regretted that despite its petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the leadership of the security agencies, the perpetrators were still walking on the streets freely strategising on how to unleash mayhem in the forthcoming January 9 election.
The PDP demands were contained in a statement issued on Sunday in Yenagoa by its Bayelsa State Chairman, HRH Chief Serena Dokubo-Spiff; Secretary, Hon. Keku Godspower and Publicity Secretary, Osom Macbere.
The party recalled that INEC has scheduled fresh elections for the entire Southern Ijaw LGA and over 100 other units statewide to take place on Saturday January 9 2016 as a result of widespread disenfranchisement of its supporters “who were attacked, brutalised, maimed, and even killed before, during, and after the election.”
The PDP described as scandalous, the fact that nothing has been done to address the failure of various law enforcement agencies to protect citizens during the December polls.
The party said, “The under-reported case of Brass LGA is heart-rending. Our members and major party functionaries were targeted and attacked. The acting Chairman of the PDP barely escaped being murdered. The Police, Navy, and DSS who were all within, less than ten minutes drive from the location of the attack refused to come to the aid of hapless citizens being shot at, stabbed, macheted, and brutalized and their houses destroyed and looted.
“Among those attacked are Chief Ebi Mathew, S.G. Olofoni, Brass Local Government Chairman of PDP, His Highness Kune Igoni Claudius, Ward Leader, Brass Ward 2, Eben Dokubo, Speech Writer to the Governor, and Sir Engr. Henry Domo Spiff Allen, PDP Stalwart. The ruins are there for all to see.
“Elections conducted under such conditions do not meet local and international standards. Our party agents protested on the day of the election. Our party also filed formal protests with INEC at both the state and national levels, yet a bogus result which gave the APC over 21,000 votes was declared and announced.
“One month after such brigandage in broad day light, the armed thugs still walk around freely, committing murder, kidnapping and sea piracy while the same leadership of the security apparatus look the other way, just as they did in the first week of last December. The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase and heads of security agencies should act fast and effect the arrest and prosecution of these harbingers of violence.”
The PDP queried whether the government of President Muhammadu Buhari would sit down and watch while its members are brutally denied the right to freely elect their own leader come Saturday January 9.
“As the people of Southern Ijaw LGA get ready to vote on Saturday January 9, the headship of the same security apparatus which did not prevent the mayhem caused by cultists and militants from frustrating the democratic process remain intact.
“The PDP is already leading by a wide margin in the announced results of the governorship polls held on December 5 and 6, 2015 in six LGAs. Having campaigned for votes from community to community, the peace-loving people of our dear state will vote for Peace, Development and Prosperity (PDP). We will uphold the dignity of our people”, the statement said.
