APC COMMENDS MILITARY FOR CLAMPING DOWN PDP THUGS
The Sylva-Igiri Campaign Organisation of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says the Military personnel deployed for the last weekend’s Governorship election gave a good account of themselve to check activities of thugs brought into the state by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The APC wishes to condemn the statements credited to Governor Seriake Dickson to cast aspersion on the integrity of the Nigerian Army just because the military men did not allow him carry on with his plans to compromise the election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
A statement by the Director of Media and Publicity of the campaign, Chief Nathan Egba, said it was regrettable that the Governor displayed his act of desperation by castigating the security forces who had come to help the people curtail the act of gangsterism and orchestrated violence perfected by Mr.Dickson to undermine the election.
It is unfortunate that a sitting Governor will attempt to bring down the credibility of the Nigerian Army just because of a personal political ambition and interest.
The APC had earlier said the party did not need the help of the security operatives to win election but enabling security to allow people come out freely to vote, a development Governor Dickson did not allow in many places because of his desperation.
It is very disturbing to our party that the man who mobilized thugs and compromised the security is the same person raising allegations. It is so bad.
For us, we hold the nation’s military force in high esteem and if not for their intervention, the imported PDP thugs would have succeeded in Southern Ijaw LGA like they did in Ekeremor, Sagbama, Nembe and other places to intimidate and harass innocent people and APC members at the polling units.
We have it on good authority that Governor Dickson mobilized and imported over 5,000 armed thugs to various communities to beat up, chase out APC members and hijack ballot materials, to which they succeeded in many places.
Of particular mention is the bravery of the Military personnel to intercept men of the Operation Doo-Akpo deployed by Governor Dickson, who had hijacked results of election in Amassoma on Monday.
We wish to salute the courage of the troop who intercepted the Police Doo-Akpor team and other PDP thugs deployed by Governor Dickson to cause havoc and rig the election.
The statement said it would be impossible for INEC to conduct free and fair election without heavy military presence because of the difficult terrain in the riverine communities.
Chief Nathan Egba
Director, Media and Publicity
Sylva-Igiri Campaign Organisation
