Recommended articles
![Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno [Twitter:@_PastorUmoEno]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20width%3D'100'%20height%3D'100'%20data-ring-placeholder%3D'1'%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E "Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno [Twitter:@_PastorUmoEno]")
About 10 people are said to have died during the conduct of the polls while many others were left injured by the rampant violence which occurred in the state.
An immigration officer was shot dead at a registration centre at Abalama in Asari Toru Local Government Area (LGA) while four persons were reportedly killed in Buguma within the same LGA.
A young man identified as Tombari was killed by thugs in Nonwa, Tai LGA while another voter was killed after a stray bullet hit him at Rumuokuta roundabout. Also, four more persons were said to have died in the Ogoni area in Rivers South-East.
ADVERTISEMENT
Many thugs and a few of Wike’s associates were also arrested by security officials for participating in electoral malpractice.
The widespread violence which was recorded in the state has forced the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the exercise in eight out of the 23 local government areas of the state.
However, in his comments about the elections, Wike stated that he was satisfied with the security arrangements.
“I am impressed with the security arrangement for the election. Most people have boycotted because of fake result sheets. I think that INEC is not prepared for the election. If they are not ready, they shouldn’t be telling people that they are ready,” the governor said.
Wike’s party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), went ahead to blame President Muhammadu Buhari and Amaechi for the violence.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Rotimi Amaechi, president Buhari and the military are responsible for the deaths of Rivers people today,” the PDP wrote via Twitter.
Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose also believes that Buhari is to blame for the deaths which occurred in Rivers.
“Members of Buhari’s party, All Progressives Congress (APC) are emboldened to unleash violence on the people of Rivers State and other states in Nigeria because they know that the president won’t lift a finger provided his party members are the ones perpetrating evil,” Fayose said via a statement released by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka.
“What are they going to call Rivers election since they called that of Ekiti State EkitiGate? Are they going to call Rivers election in which several people were shot dead allegedly by security agents, election inconclusive, fake Results Sheets produced by INEC RiversBuhariAmaechiGate?” Fayose asked.
The blame for the debacle in Rivers lies on many shoulders for various reasons, but the bulk of the fault should be assigned to Wike and Amaechi.
ADVERTISEMENT
Amaechi and Wike, by their statements, heated up the polity and laid the foundation for the bloodshed that was witnessed in Rivers.
Amaechi dared Wike and his people to bring out their guns, yet it wasn’t him that was felled by the bullets. Wike advised his associates to resist arrest and urged them to beat up Amaechi if he was seen at any polling unit but instead, it was innocent people that got injured.
The two politicians acted irresponsibly and started the chain reaction that led to the deaths of Rivers residents. However, as this is Nigeria, where impunity is encouraged, they will probably never be held accountable for their actions.
This scenario presses home the truth to Nigerian citizens that it is time to abandon the politics of blood and war, because, truly, no politician is worth dying for.
![Umar Damagum, the acting Acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party. [Daily Nigerian]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20width%3D'300'%20height%3D'172'%20data-ring-placeholder%3D'1'%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E "Umar Damagum, the acting Acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party. [Daily Nigerian]")