Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has urged security agencies to investigate the recent attack on candidates and supporters of the party during a political campaign rally in Opobo town, Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of the state.
The state PDP Campaign Council spokesperson, Ogbonna Nwuke, in a statement issued yesterday also called for the arrest and detention of anyone suspected to have invaded the peace of the area.
Nwuke noted that the need for a proper investigation to be conducted to establish the root cause of the crisis and prevent further occurrences in the future.
He regretted that innocent people were put in harm’s way by the incident that occurred in Opobo, stressing that the perpetrators have no regard for due processes and the rule of law.
He said: “We regret that innocent and defenseless youths were shot at and injured by a group of deviants sponsored by the leadership of the APC who purportedly converged for a rally on Opobo.”
The former federal lawmaker accused the APC leadership of perpetrating the crime, alleging that a chieftain of APC and its governorship candidate supervised the attack to justify the call for emergency in the state.
Nwuke said: “We categorically condemn this atrocious act, and call on state security agencies to investigate circumstances which resulted in the trouble that broke out in Opobo Town.
“Opobo people are decent, orderly, creative and exposed. It is inconceivable that some evil-minded persons will bring calamity on these peaceful people whose only crime is the astute and unshakeable support they are lending to one of their own who is poised to be the next governor.
“We believe that what happened in Opobo is part of a carefully laid out plan by desperadoes that are on a deadly mission in the name of the opposition to cause trouble in a peaceful state.
“We have heard that Dakuku Peterside, a Warisenibo from Opobo Kingdom, and Tonye Cole, the gubernatorial candidate of the APC, supervised the mayhem which occurred in order to justify their call for the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
“We have also secured credible information, including pictures of what actually transpired. We have learnt that most of those who set out to kill and maim were not Opobo people.
“Accordingly, we urge the police and other relevant security institutions to bring in Tonye Cole and Peterside for questioning to explain their role in the fracas that has left many innocent people in the town wounded.”
