Army arresting PDP members – Rivers govt

Rivers State government has accused the Minister of Transportation Chibuike Amaechi and the GOC of 6 Division, Nigeria Army of masterminding alleged mass arrest of prominent members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

According to a statement by Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Emma Okah, who was reacting to the arrest of the State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Tamunosisi Gogo Jaja and his family members by soldiers yesterday, the essence of the arrests was to precipitate crisis and cause the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the elections in Rivers State.

He alleged that the APC wants to use the vacuum created by the absence of arrested PDP leaders and rig the governorship election and force a candidate of his choice against the will of the people.

“We have been saying it repeatedly that the Minister of Transportation has been commanding the army in Port Harcourt to do unprofessional things. He has been boasting that he has brought soldiers from Sokoto and other states to carry out his political agenda,” he said.

The commissioner said the plan was to keep any arrested person behind bars till after the governorship and state House of Assembly elections in the state.

“A lot of prominent persons have been pencilled down for arrest. Some of them are His Excellency, Sir Celestine Omehia, former governor of Rivers State; Austin Opara, former deputy speaker of House of Reps; state PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah; elder statesman, Chief Ferdinand Alabraba; former Chairman of UBA; Senator Olaka Nwogu; Chief Sergeant Awuse; Senator Lee Maeba; Dr. Tammy Danagogo, former Sports minister; Dr. Abiye Sekibo, former Transport minister and Ambassador Desmond Akawor, former Ambassador to South Korea.

Others, he said, are Prince Emma Anyanwu; Sir Kenneth Kobani, SSG; Ejor N. Ejor, Prof Blessing Didia, members of the House of Assembly; PDP candidates and National Assembly members-elect; Alabo David Briggs, all commissioners and special advisers; council chairmen, Senator Thompson Sekibo and Chief Adokiye Amiesimaka, among others.