By Mark Lenu
For over 30 minutes, no fewer than two security helicopters were flying over the residence of the Edi-Abali of Kalabari Kingdom, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo Asari during last Saturday’s local government election which took place in all the 23 LGAs of Rivers State.
The security helicopters launched an intensive surveillance patrol at the Obuama hometown of Alhaji Asari in an unprofessional manner to serve the will of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike who was alleged to have masterminded the provocative patrol of the helicopters.
The local government election was conducted peacefully, especially in the three Kalabari-speaking LGAs where the Edi-Abali has been keeping safe and secure despite the deliberate move by the conventional security agencies not to provide security for the election.
A statement issued by the state Police Spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko cited the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court as the reason the police decided not to participate in the election.
Updates from the election aftermath had it that the RSIEC Chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebell, (retd) had declared 22 APP chairmanship candidates, the winners of the election, out of the 23 chairmanship seats.
The election was widely peaceful except for the APC secretariat in Port Harcourt and the Obio/Akpor council secretariat where incidents of twin explosions were confirmed.
Reacting to the unnecessary rovering of surveillance helicopters over the residential roofs of the Edi-Abali; some described it as a sign of weakness on the part of the conventional security agents.
While Alhaji Asari was quoted as saying that:
“For the last 30 minutes, two security helicopters sent by Wike have been flying over the roof of my house. Nigeria can not surrender to Wike. I repeat, Wike is nobody.”
