PDP members abducted our lawyer inside INEC’s office, says Rivers APC

The Rivers chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged that one of its lawyers who is also a member of the party Dr. Godswill Dike was abducted on Thursday morning inside the premises of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in Port Harcourt.

According to the party, Dr. Godswill Dike was invited to INEC to take delivery of the Certified True Copies CTC of the INEC documents that APC Applied for pursuant to the provisions of Section 74 of the Electoral Act 2022.

But the party said apparently acting on a tip-off, PDP protesters who have been occupying the premises of INEC swooped on the lawyer shortly after he signed for the documents and abducted him.

He was subsequently taken to the State Assembly residential Quarters behind the INEC State Headquarters, the APC said in a press statement jointly signed by Darlington Nwauju the Publicity Secretary of the party and Sogbeye Eli,the Spokesman its 2023 Campaign council.

They said said the party’s initial reaction was to establish contact with the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Jackson Alalibo Semikien, to report the criminal abduction of the lawyer

“Curiously, the REC who has done nothing beyond a press release two days ago directing political parties to proceed to LGA Offices of the Commission for the election documents they may require, told our governorship candidate emphatically that there was nothing the Commission can do, having released the documents we applied for to Dr. Godswill Dike”.

The APC officials said Edison Ehie, Deputy Speaker Rivers State House of Assembly was subsequently contacted. According to them, he assured his caller that Dr. Godswill Dike would return safe, but the materials with him should be forgotten.

The APC officials said further that calls made by its governorship candidate, Tonye Cole, to the military also yielded no fruit. According to them, the military said they must get invitation from the Police before they can be involved in a purely civil operation.

The party said “In the circumstance, we are left with no option but call on the Nigeria Police and other security agencies to immediately go after the Deputy Speaker, Edison Ehie, and the Ikwerre Council Chairman, Samuel Nwanosike to safeguard the life of Dr. Godswill Dike and retrieve our election materials from his abductors”.

The party recalled that its officials have been victims of all sorts of attacks, arrests and other illegal actions by the PDP in Rivers State meant to obstruct the party’s quest for justice at the Elections Petitions Tribunal as allowed by law.

“From the arrest of our lawyers in a Hotel and carting away of our party’s copies of elections materials, laying siege on the INEC State Headquarters to physically assaulting our governorship candidate, Tonye Cole, who was at the same INEC State Headquarters last Monday invitation by the REC to the attack on our State Secretariat here where flags were pulled down and vehicles were destroyed at will, the ruling party has conducted itself with grave impunity since the rape of the rights of Rivers people and the electorate in the State to freely elect their Governor and representatives at both the National and State levels”.

APC warned that nothing could have emboldened the kidnap of Dr. Godswill Dike this evening shortly after PDP members who had been camped at INEC invaded the Complex than the statement by Governor Nyesom Wike endorsing the illegal obstruction of opposition parties seeking to access the Commission’s Headquarters ahead of filing their petitions.

“We have been subjected to several acts of provocation by the PDP yet have maintained equanimity of spirit to keep the peace in our State. Yet, our opponents are not about to allow the peace reign.

” Consequently, we call on the President and Commander-in-Chief to rise to the occasion by calling the Governor of Rivers State to order and rescue our dear State from the anarchists who are Hell bent on self-perpetuation in power or destruction of Rivers State where their undemocratic plot fails. Up until now, we have done our bit as a law-abiding party as the rest of the nation has taken notice. The APC is asking that Governor Nyesom Wike and the PDP be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order in Rivers State”.

Our Correspondent reports that today, Thursday, marks the fourth day PDP Lawmakers and supporters laid siege at the INEC office insisting that they will not allow any party to collect Certified True Copies CTC or inspect electoral materials unless it is jointly done by all the political parties.

At the time of filing this report, no reaction has come from the Commissioner of Police, CP Effiong Okon,of the Rivers Police Command, and the Spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko despite attempts made to through phone.

Read the full statement of APC below

ABDUCTION OF DR. GODSWILL DIKE BY DEPUTY SPEAKER, RIVERS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, EDISON EHIE, AND SAMUEL NWANOSIKE, CHAIRMAN IKWERRE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL

A CALL FOR HIS SAFETY AND URGENT RELEASE OF BOTH MAN AND INEC CERTIFIED ELECTION MATERIALS

Gentlemen of the Press, this Press Conference by the All Progressives Congress (APC) Rivers State under the aegis of the State Publicity Secretary and Spokesman for the 2023 Campaign Council is called to intimate you of the continuation of the very unsavoury developments and acts of aggression against us by the People’s Democratic Party in the State.

2. We have just been informed about the abduction of Dr. Godswill Dike, a lawyer, member of our party and brother of the State Legal Adviser, Barr. Azubuike Dike, this evening right inside the Rivers State Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Aba Road, Port Harcourt. Dr. Godswill Dike was invited to the Commission to take delivery of the certified true copies of the INEC documents that we applied for pursuant to the provisions of Section 74 of the Electoral Act 2022.

3. Acting apparently on a tip-off, Edison Ehie and Samuel Nwasonike, aided by the surge of the PDP mob outside the premises swooped on him inside the INEC office shortly after Dr. Godswill Dike signed for the documents and sped away with him to the State Assembly residential Quarters behind the INEC State Headquarters.

4. Our initial reaction was to establish contact with the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Jackson Alalibo Semikien, to report the criminal abduction of the aforementioned Dr. Dike. Curiously, the REC who has done nothing beyond a Press Release two days ago directing political parties to proceed to LGA Offices of the Commission for the election documents they may require, told our governorship candidate emphatically that there was nothing the Commission can do, having released the documents we applied for to Dr. Godswill Dike.

5. Contacts have also been made with the Deputy Speaker who assured his caller that Dr. Godswill Dike would return safe but the materials they took from him should be forgotten.

6. Calls made by our governorship candidate to the military also yielded no fruit with the hierarchy stating that until the military receive invitation from the Police they cannot be involved in a purely civil operation.

7. In the circumstance, we are left with no option but call on the Nigeria Police and other security agencies to immediately go after the Deputy Speaker, Edison Ehie, and the Ikwerre Council Chairman, Samuel Nwanosike to safeguard the life of Dr. Godswill Dike and retrieve our election materials from his abductors.

8. You will recall that the APC has been inundated with all sorts of attacks, arrests and other illegal actions by the PDP in Rivers State to obstruct our quest for justice at the Elections Petitions Tribunal as allowed by law. From the arrest of our lawyers in a Hotel and carting away of our party’s copies of elections materials, laying siege on the INEC State Headquarters to physically assaulting our governorship candidate, Arc. Tonye Cole, Mni who was at the same INEC State Headquarters last Monday invitation by the REC to the attack on our State Secretariat here where flags were pulled down and vehicles were destroyed at will, the ruling party has conducted itself with grave impunity since the rape of the rights of Rivers people and the electorate in the State to freely elect their Governor and representatives at both the National and State levels.

9. Nothing could have emboldened the kidnap of Dr. Godswill Dike this evening shortly after PDP members who had been camped at INEC invaded the Complex than the statement by Governor Nyesom Wike endorsing the illegal obstruction of opposition parties seeking to access the Commission’s Headquarters ahead of filing their petitions.

10. We have been subjected to several acts of provocation by the PDP yet have maintained equanimity of spirit to keep the peace in our State. Yet, our opponents are not about to allow the peace reign.

11. Consequently, we call on the President and Commander-in-Chief to rise to the occasion by calling the Governor of Rivers State to order and rescue our dear State from the anarchists who are Hell bent on self-perpetuation in power or destruction of Rivers State where their undemocratic plot fails. Up until now, we have done our bit as a law-abiding party as the rest of the nation has taken notice. The APC is asking that Governor Nyesom Wike and the PDP be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order in Rivers State.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

DARLINGTON NWAUJU
State Publicity Secretary
Rivers APC

SOGBEYE C. ELI
Spokesman, Rivers APC 2023 Campaign Council

April 6, 2023.