The forthcoming Local Government Elections in Rivers State elicited excitements from Rivers people, more so, members of the People’s Democratic Party, that an opportunity they had long clamoured for, is about to become a reality.
Sequel to the primary elections that was to select the flag bearers for the 319 councillorship and 23 LGA Chairmanship positions, Governor Wike, had called a stakeholders meeting at the Rivers State Government House and promised intending aspirants that there will be no imposition of candidates as long as he remains the leader of the party in the state.
But that talk of no imposition of candidates now seems to be a smokescreen as the Governor has gone ahead to break his words and oversaw imposition of candidates in different LGAs.
For example, the Governor made Ikwerre, Akuku Toru and Ahoada East Local Government Areas a no-go area for the chairmanship position, as he had already anointed his loyalists. In Phalga ward 3, the Governor drove to the venue of the primaries and told an aspirant to step down for another, who the Governor said had suffered for the party and deserves to be compensated.
Same occurrence also trailed the councillorship primaries of Ahoada East ward 9, where a 65-year-old woman was given the councillorship ticket over a vibrant young man , on the instruction that it was an order from above.
For some L.G.A’s, the imposition of candidates was swallowed as a bitter pill, but for some others , the imposition of candidates has brought about violence.
In just one week, there was a free for all fight in Bonny Local Government Area during the council primaries. In Oyigbo Local Government Area, Assembly member Chisom Dike had his car burnt to ashes during their own primaries. In Degema, their pre-election debate witnessed heavy shooting, which led to the disqualification of all the chairmanship aspirants.
In another incident, the NYCN President of Rivers State and the Chairman of the Petroleum Task force, Rivers State, were attacked on their way back from Kula, after the Akuku Toru primaries with two members of their team killed.
Few days ago, Gun men attacked Rumuoro community in Emohua Local Government Area of the state, killing four persons including a pregnant woman and ripped out her unborn child.
While one expresses regret over these incidents, it will not be out of order to say that renewed violence in the state could be fuelled by disgruntled elements, who feel that they or their candidates have been wrongly treated by virtue of the approach by the prime actors during the primaries.
With memories still fresh from the Rerun electoral violence, one cannot but express disappointment at the caliber of persons involved in the imposition of candidates, which has brought about renewed violence in the State.
One can only hope and pray that the Governor calms angry nerves of his party men and their loyalists, so as to end the spate of violence currently rocking the state, as the lives of Rivers people should be greater than that of any political ambition in the state.
