Rivers Youths Besiege RSIEC, Insist LG Election Must Hold

Edith CHUKU

Hundreds of Rivers State youths, on Friday, took over the entrance to the office of the state Independent Electoral Commission RSIEC at Aba road, Port Harcourt, on Friday.

The youths who came out en masse defying the heavy downpour explained that the aim was to prevent a repeat of an incident that occurred on Friday morning.

According to them, the gathering was also to insist that the local government elections be conducted as scheduled without the Police nor any external interference.

Recall that about 1 am on Friday, some Policemen, alleged to have been led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), attempted to take over RSIEC office.

The rogue Policemen were said to have attempted to scale through the gates and strong room of the Commission to cart away sensitive electoral materials meant for the conduct of Saturday’s LG election in the state.

A release by Mr. Nelson Chukwudi, the Chief Press Secretary to governor Siminalayi Fubara, revealed that the deployment was supposedly ordered by the Inspector-General of Police.

In an attempt to prevent a reoccurrence, the aggrieved youths stormed RSIEC office on a protest, singing and chanting ‘Election must hold’.

They mounted canopies, singing and drumming, with one side of the road blocked.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with TNN, Mr. Paul Christopher expressed dismay over the happenings in the state.

He said, “this is uncalled for, how can we be fighting ourselves instead of seeking ways to better the state and it’s citizens.

“What is happening in Rivers State currently as it concerns the LG election, just as the governor has said it, the election must hold.

” I am seeing a man who wants to control Rivers State from Abuja, that will not happen. Rivers people are supposed to be benefiting from him not suffering this setbacks.

“Tomorrow I will go out with my PVC and cast my vote for my preferred candidates peacefully without quarreling anybody. All we are begging is that they should allow peace in Rivers State.”

Christopher further appealed to the youths, “don’t allow anybody to use your head. Their children are abroad, living well, schooling, they will give you 5,000 naira to kill and scatter things, make we use our head, who die now don die go. At least think of your family before becoming a slave to any politician.”