Rivers, Akwa Ibom Rulings: PDP Warns Against Looming Chaos

Wike: We shall prevail and retain our mandate

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned the All Progressives Congress (APC)led administration against precipitating a political crisis that may threaten the country’s democracy through undue interference in the adjudication of election cases.

The PDP also urged all its members, supporters and lovers of democracy across the country to rise up and use all lawful means to resist anti-democratic forces now using the judiciary and security agencies in their desperate scheme to subvert the will of the people and destroy the nation’s democracy.

It said though it seeks peace, it was not ready to accept the peace of a graveyard, neither was it willing to surrender the mandate freely given to it by the people in any part of the country, particularly in Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Abia, Taraba and other states where it won in the last general election.

“Let it be known, and clearly too, that no matter the strong-arming, threats and manipulations by the APC government, the PDP is not willing to, and will never surrender the mandate freely given to us by the people in states where we won in the last general election, neither are the people of those states willing to allow sectional invaders to exert influence on those to be in charge of their affairs,” the party said in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, yesterday.

The PDP said the desperation so far exhibited by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government in manipulating sensitive agencies of state like the judiciary and the security to further its bid to take over the oil-rich states of Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Delta was totally against the spirit of democracy and peace bestowed by the PDP in conceding defeat at the presidential election, but instead, an affront to the people and recipe for crisis in the polity.

The party maintained that the prejudiced rulings by the Rivers and Akwa Ibom governorship election tribunals, with their inherent contradictions, were a direct fallout of interference from the APC and some elements within the Office of the President of the Court of Appeal, adding that they should be held responsible should there be any breakdown of law and order in the system.

It also strongly cautioned against any interference in the Rivers and Akwa Ibom cases at the appeal level, as well as any further intrusion in the Abia, Taraba and Delta governorship election tribunals, which it alleged the APC was already boasting of controlling.

The PDP warned that this would be a clear invitation to chaos in the land.

“In the last five months, after conceding defeat at the presidential election and other polls where we lost, Nigerians are witnesses to the fact that the PDP has remained calm and steadfast to its commitment to providing a mature, decent and civil opposition with more interest on the peace, unity and corporate interest of our dear nation.

“However, the ruling party and the APC federal government in their dictatorial inclinations are much more interested in playing crude, selfish and sectional politics and trying to use manipulation of judicial processes to forcefully take over states where we genuinely won in the elections.

“Nigerians have noted APC’s definition of credible elections wherein governorship elections in Imo, Ogun, Plateau, Lagos and Yobe were all credible while those of Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Taraba and Abia were rigged and must by all means be annulled.

“In the light of the foregoing, leaders of the PDP across the country are now converging on a consensus not to surrender our national destiny and fate to the whims and caprices of the sectional interests of the Daura and Bourdillon mafia.

“We want all to know that this party is able, willing and now ready to call up our members and supporters to use all means within the limits provided by the laws of the land to resist this evil plan to decimate the PDP and opposition.

“The peace we seek is not that of a graveyard, it is such as guaranteed by a well-recognised democratic system that treats all as equals before the law, irrespective of partisan and political affiliations.

“We hereby raise a rallying cry to all our members and supporters of PDP nationwide, all patriotic citizens and all lovers of democracy to join the PDP in this fight to save our nation from the hands of the lying, deceitful and false prophets, who are bent on parading themselves as cruel conquerors of our democracy.

“Furthermore, we request the international community to note that never in the history of our democracy has the nation witnessed such a divisive and anti-people government, whose actions have so polarised the polity, and undermined national unity and cohesion, a development that spells doom for our democracy, if not checked.

“We are therefore duty bound to counsel President Muhammadu Buhari to be cautious of tendencies that provide avenues for the destruction of the nation’s democracy, which he is a huge beneficiary of.

“In the same vein, we call on the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed to note the looming danger and save the nation’s democracy and the institution of the judiciary by immediately checking negative actions emanating from elements operating within the Office of the President of the Court of Appeal.

“Finally, it has become necessary to remind all that this democracy was built on the principle of the rule of law and no political party, individual or group must be allowed to, by any means, appropriate or attempt to appropriate the will of the people at any time and under any guise whatsoever,” the opposition party said.

Also, in another reaction to the nullification of his election, the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, yesterday assured the people of the state that he would retain his mandate despite Saturday’s verdict of the governorship election tribunal, which nullified his election.

In a state broadcast, Wike faulted the decision of the tribunal, adding that he was certain that superior courts would give him justice.

“We all know that on April 11, 2015, Rivers people in their millions joined the rest of the country and enthusiastically participated in electing their governor and members of the state House of Assembly.

“Apart from the reported malfunctioning of the card readers supplied by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which placed no advantage on any of the contestants, the election took place throughout the state and was adjudged both by local and international observers to be largely peaceful, transparent, free, fair and credible.

“Following the success of the election, I was returned as duly and lawfully elected by the INEC, having satisfied all the necessary legal requirements,” Wike said.

He said it was regrettable that despite the failure of APC and its gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, “to discharge the burden of proof with respect to their contradictory, wild and false allegations against the conduct of the election, the state governorship election petition tribunal nullified my election on the basis of INEC’s alleged infraction of its administrative guidelines on the use of card readers”.

He emphasised: “It is common knowledge that INEC’s card readers malfunctioned throughout the country in the 2015 general election. It is also common knowledge that wherever the card reader malfunctioned, manual accreditation, which is the only process recognised by the current Electoral Act, was used to accredit voters all over the country.

“So far, I am not aware of any state where the election was postponed as a result of failure of card readers. Furthermore, the Court of Appeal in Agbaje v Ambode clearly stated that the partial or non-use of card readers was not the basis for the cancellation of an election.

“Yet, against all legal odds and the grains of logic, the tribunal in its wisdom decided to accord undue legal weight to the straw of statements around the use or non-use of card readers to support its decision in the face of a hopelessly bad case of the petitioners.”

Wike noted that the nation’s judicial system was built on the doctrine of hierarchy of courts in which lower courts are bound by the decisions of courts higher in hierarchy on the same or similar issues.

“It is therefore strange for the Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal to arrive at a decision that negates subsisting judgments of the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court,” he said.

He expressed confidence that appellate courts would reverse the verdict of the tribunal.

“Being an implacable believer in the majesty of our judicial system as the last hope of the common man, I have implicit confidence in the ability of the appellate courts to correct the mistakes of the tribunal and right the wrong that has been done to our collective psyche and aspiration,” he said.

Wike disclosed that he had already instructed his legal team to commence process and “have the decision of the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal upturned for good”.

While calling on his supporters to remain calm and go about their legitimate duties in a peaceful manner, Wike insisted: “By virtue of the Constitution and the Electoral Act, I am still your governor and will remain your governor until the exhaustive conclusion of the appeal process at the Supreme Court.

“Therefore, be assured that your mandate, which you freely gave to the Peoples Democratic Party and my humble self, is intact, safe and secure. God will not allow your mandate to come to naught.”

While thanking the people of the state for their support, Wike said he would not be distracted by the tribunal verdict.

“I am highly humbled by the show of solidarity from all and sundry and in particular

the confidence in our ability to move the state forward, and the overwhelming satisfaction with what we are already doing as our government to reposition the state.

“I wish to further assure you that my team and I will not be distracted by this minor irritation. We shall remain focused on our vision and continue to deliver on our fundamental promises on improving security, massive development of infrastructure and socio-economic empowerment in Rivers State.

“Finally, be assured that by the special grace of God, we shall ultimately prevail over our adversaries, retain our mandate and return the glory to God Almighty our maker and refuge,” he said.