…Army Claims Credible Intelligence Of Politicians Planning To Arm Youths With Military Uniform
Daniel Efe
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Campaign Council in Rivers State today, Tuesday February 19, raised alarm over it claims to be plans by the All Progressives Congress, APC, in connivance with the security agencies, especially the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, F-SARs to scuttle the general elections in state.
In a press briefing by the Director-General of the Campaign
Council, Amb. Desmond Akawor at the PDP campaign office in Port Harcourt
alleged that some notable members of APC Leadership in the state had at various
times in the recent past threatened that there will be no election in the state
if the party is denied the right to participate in the elections.
PDP alleged for instance, that on Friday 15 February 2019, 24 hours to the now rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly elections, the APC-led Federal Government deployed full military arsenal to cordon off, overrun and prevent voters and normal residents from getting to the Local Government Areas of Akuku Toru, Andoni, Asari Toru, Bonny, Degema,  Okrika and Opobo/Nkoro.
Also, according to the party in Okrika Local Government Area, indigenes and residents were physically barred by masked gun-trotting soldiers from returning home as early as 6.00 p.m. on Friday 15th February 2019 on the directives of the General Officer Commanding the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Jamil Sarham. This is in spite of the fact that the restriction order on movement of persons by the Acting Inspector General Police was to take effect from 6.00 a.m. on 16th February 2019.
The party further claimed
that earlier on the same day, that is, Friday 15th February
2019, the said Major General Sarham, sent military officers to the Central Bank
Office, Port Harcourt to prevent INEC officials from distributing the available sensitive
election materials to the 23 Local Government Areas of the State.
PDP campaign Council also
claimed that the party is also aware that the military has planned to
cordon off collation centres across the State and prevent PDP agents’ access to
these centres in order to rig the rescheduled elections on Saturday February 23
2019.
The party further claimed that
the information available to it indicates that “APC has procured armed
thugs, military uniforms and branded military and police vehicles for the
purpose of rigging the rescheduled elections.”
The Commander of the Rivers State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) Mr. Akin Victor Fakorede, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) with Force No: 41985,whom the state government has been having a running battle over accusation of haven worked for  APC in 2015 elections.
The Police Officer has always
denied the allegation claiming he was investigated by a the Inspector General
of Police panel and exonerated, is now alleged to have been recruited as its
mercenary to actualize the party’s plan to either rig or prevent the peaceful
conduct of the 2019 general elections in the State with impunity.
PDP also claimed that  Mr. Akin Victor Fakorede was earlier deployed to Bornu State Police Command on election duties specifically, Bornu South Senatorial District, vide IGP’s deployment signal of 11th February 2019.
 The party also claimed that “in line with their defined strategies, Mr. Akin Fakorede and his SARS team were seen arresting indiscriminately, supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Khana, Gokana, Tai, Eleme and some other Local Government Areas of the State on Friday February 15, 2019 even when the elections had not commenced and without reasonable cause”.
The party also alleged
that Major General Sarham in conjunction with Mr. Akin Fakorede and
SARS operatives have also been detailed to track, arrest and detain leaders of
the PDP across the State from Thursday 21st February 2019 until
after the Presidential and National Assembly elections on Saturday 23rd of
February 2019 to actualize their plan to rig the elections in the State.
PDP campaign council further claim
that majority of the Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) and Presiding
Officers (POs) INEC has recruited are card-carrying members of the APC, who
have been meticulously trained, directed and motivated to work with the security
agencies to actualize its overarching desire to rig the Presidential elections,
and thereafter prevent the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections
from holding in the State.
The said that with this Presidential Order given by President Muhammadu Buhari  the military and the Police now have the motivation to use maximum violence to disrupt the voting process at will and even kill PDP supporters who try to resist or question the legitimacy of their unlawful activities at the polling stations.
As a responsible party, we of the
PDP are desirous of ensuring that the general elections are peaceful, orderly
and credible in Rivers State. No political party has worked as hard as the PDP
for the general elections in the State.
Party warned that no one therefore
take its obedience to the rule of law and constitutionality in the pursuit of
our democratic rights to vote and be voted for through the electoral process as
an act of cowardice, acquiescence or capitulation to intimidation, lawless
behavior and dictatorship. No one has the monopoly of violence.
“We have the capacity
and the will to mobilize our teaming supporters to resist intimidation and
defend the collective rights of our people in Rivers State to effectively
participate in the democratic process and frustrate those who are bent on
denying our democratic rights, as expressly guaranteed by our constitution.
Earlier, in the day the 6 Division
of the Nigerian Army has alerted that credible intelligence available to it has
uncovered an unholy plan by some political actors within its Area of
Responsibility (AOR) to arm and sponsor miscreants in addition to using
military-like fatigue dress for deception to cause pandemonium at polling
stations for their political gain.
In a press statement signed Colonel Aminu ILyasu, Deputy Director Army Public Relations, said that  covert efforts are on-going to track the source of the weapons and the agents involved in conjunction with sister security agencies, authorities of 6 Division NA but unequivocally stated that anyone found to be disrupting the electoral process under any guise will be decisively dealt with in accordance with the laws no matter how highly placed he or she is.Â
READ ALSO: 6 Division of Nigerian Army Vows To Deal With Political Thugs In Army Uniform During Elections
“To this end, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division
and Land Component Commander (LCC) OPDS Maj Gen Jamil Sarham wish to reassure
the good people of Niger Delta of providing adequate security in conjunction
with other security agencies before, during and after the 2019 General
Elections”
He also thanks the good citizens of the Niger Delta for their
cooperation and assistance so far rendered to the Division particularly in the
area of information dissemination and urge them to do more.
