Need For Rancour-free Politicking In Rivers
In the recent past, public office seekers who are campaigning to win the heart of voters in Rivers State have had cause to groan and moan, over what they call the intimidations and threats from supporters and leaders of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state.
Among those who have cried out are the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Senator Magnus Abe and his counterpart of the Accord Party, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs.
On more than one occasion, Abe has complained of attacks on his campaign team and accusing fingers are always pointed at the direction of the PDP. The PDP chieftains accused of this have however denied ever sending thugs to disrupt political meetings initiated by opposition parties.
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A few weeks ago, Abe was reported to have said that “the SDP in Oyigbo Local Government Area were to hold a stakeholders meeting, not a rally. And I indicated my intention to attend the meeting in order to encourage our supporters in Oyigbo and also pay a condolence visit to one of the kings and then see the chiefs of Oyigbo as well as visit one or two prominent members of SDP in the area. The meeting was to hold in a hall in Ayama. This hall was built, finished and donated to the community by me when I was in the Senate, as one of my constituency projects.
“When they heard we were to hold a meeting, early this morning, thugs broke into the place, scattered everything and locked up the place, and said we could not hold a meeting there even though approval for the facility had been giving by the chief and elders of the community.”
Lulu-Briggs has used all available media platforms to draw public attention to what he and his campaign organisation has been going through. He is equally accusing PDP sympathisers for his travails. There are many others who have cried loudly against the intimidating posture of the ruling party in the state.
We believe it was cases like this that made the National Security Adviser, Major-General Babagana Monguno, to sound a note of warning to all political parties and their supporters. Reports quoted him as saying that assured Nigerians that President Muhammadu Buhari had given a clear directive that the will of the people must prevail as the country prepares for the 2023 general election.
According to Monguno, who read Riot Act ahead of the elections, the federal government would not tolerate any political crisis in any of the states and therefore warned governors using thugs to prevent opposition from mounting campaign materials in their domains to desist forthwith from such acts, as security agencies would soon go after them, adding that governors in such habit were merely suffering inferiority complex.
The Inspector-General of Police has also spoken in the same vein. “One thing I can assure you is the President has given clear directives that the people’s will must prevail. Let the people choose their leader, whoever they want, then, later they can decide but in the process of selecting who governs them. We must be mindful of the fact that there are people who are hell bent on forcing or bullying and cornering their opponents is not even a function of you know, numbers or function of money. Everybody’s a Nigerian, everybody’s free to do whatever he wants to do, but don’t cross the line and move into another person’s territory.”
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The top security chiefs have spoken well and their position resonates with us. We cannot agree less with the NSA, that any political party that goes all out to intimidate the opponent is only suffering from inferiority complex. Such acts of cowardice are against the interest of our democracy and should stop.
We urge all players in the political scene to play the game according to the rules. The sky is large enough for al birds to fly. The bird should feel free to fly and perch wherever it wants. The eagle should also be feel free to fly and perch wherever it desires, without any encumbrance. Voters know who they want to vote for and should be allowed to vote freely for the candidate and party of their choice without fear of attacks.
We urge the PDP and all other political parties in Rivers State to play the game according to the rules. This is the only way we can grow and sustain our democracy. Without peace, we cannot make progress. Let peace reign everywhere.
