28th January, 2015
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
The Rivers state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly condemned the plot by the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to ridicule traditional rulers in the state when the party’s presidential candidate, Goodluck Jonathan, visited the state capital, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday, January 28, for his re-election campaign rally.
APC said it has come to its knowledge that Rivers PDP under the leadership of Nyesome Wike wrote traditional rulers in the state, directing them that the Presidency has requested them to report at the Port Harcourt International Airport on Wednesday to receive him.
The party said it is false as no ‘presidency’ has made such a declaration or request. APC said it understands that the traditional rulers will be made to move from there to the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium for the President’s rally so as to give the impression that they are supporting his re-election bid.
The party said the purported directive is not only condemnable and immoral but also wicked, deceitful and unacceptable. Rivers APC Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, said in a statement issued Tuesday night in Port Harcourt.
He described the plot as mischief of the highest order, pointing out that in all the states where President Jonathan has so far campaigned; there was no where in which traditional rulers were made to wait and receive him at the airport or to attend such rallies.
“During his rally in Kano, Mr. President visited the Emir of Kano; in Anambra he visited the Obi of Onitsha; while in Ekiti, Ondo and other states no traditional ruler was compelled to come out to wait or receive Mr. President at the airport; instead, it was Mr. President that paid homage to these traditional rulers in their palaces.”
The party wondered why revered traditional rulers would be dragged into murky waters of politics and exposed to public ridicule while treating their colleagues in other states with the desired respect.
Ikanya wondered why PDP in Rivers state descended to this low depth and debased traditional institutions out of desperation to shore up its doomed fortunes in the February general elections.
“It is a pity that Mr. President could allow his party in Rivers State to debase our traditional institution in this manner while he accords respect to traditional rulers in other states by paying them courtesy calls at their palaces. Why not accord ours the same respect, dignity and honour given to others? To worsen the situation, the plot of PDP to force these traditional rulers against their will to follow Mr. President to the rally venue is to make the world think that they are all PDP card-carrying members. What insolence! What injustice! What a desecration of the traditional institution!”
The party said, however, that it is not surprised over the development as Wike, the man behind it, has no regard for traditional rulers in the state.
He put President Jonathan and PDP on notice that “no sound Rivers State person will vote or support the candidature of President Jonathan or any PDP candidate due to the injustices we have suffered in the hands of the PDP-led Presidency of Dr. Jonathan.”
Rivers APC said it was as a result of PDP’s rejection by Rivers people that the party could not muster enough people from the state to fill half of the stadium during President Jonathan’s Wednesday rally and has hired supporters from neighbouring Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Abia and Enugu states to give the impression that the party still exists in Rivers.
The party urged Rivers people to conduct themselves peacefully and endure all provocation that PDP may unleash on them during Jonathan’s visit and get prepared to punish them accordingly with their votes come February 14 and 22.