Court of Appeal Verdict: Peterside hails judgement, counsels PDP

Court of Appeal Verdict: Peterside hails judgement, counsels PDP

Dr. Dakuku Peterside, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Rivers State has commended the verdict of the Appeal Court sitting in Abuja which sacked National Assembly members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The APC chieftain who spoke shortly after the announcement described the judgement as victory, not only for the long-suffering people of Rivers State but also for those who voted at the March and April elections.

Peterside  in a press statement signed by Sylvester Asoya, his Special Assistant  on Media  and available to NF-Reports, said truth, which is essential in the quest for justice has prevailed.

He contended that the actions of the erudite Justices of the Appeal Court are demonstrative of a new Nigeria where a few will no longer stifle the voices and collective decision of the majority.       

He also wondered why Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is still living in self-denial even as their ignoble actions during the elections are well known across Nigeria and beyond. 

“I know that everybody in Rivers State, including our opponents in the last general elections expected these sweeping judgements because we were all witnesses to the widespread violence and irregularities that marred the various elections.

“As a party and law abiding citizens, we are happy that at last, light has overshadowed darkness, and this in itself is encouraging. Although the journey has been winding and most painful but we have remained steadfast knowing full well that at all times, truth will always take the limelight over lies and evil, no matter how hard human beings try.  Therefore these landmark judgements are vindicating and heartening.  

“For our opponents, I wish to counsel them to quickly come to terms with the new reality which intensely abhors electoral violence and fraud. No society can make progress in an atmosphere of brute force, violence, ignorance, intolerance, intimidation and all the vices our rivals employed and exhibited before and during the elections. As a people, we must strive to remain civil and accommodating of other views no matter our position for that is the only way to support the growth and sustenance of democracy and liberty.

“Therefore as we prepare for the impending but crucial re-run elections across our dear state, I call on our people to remember that Rivers, like other states in Nigeria, deserves the very best of representation. We cannot afford to support candidates who are evidently lacking in capacity and in all the necessary tools needed in modern day governance. God bless Rivers State!”
 

Rivers APC Demands Immediate Resignation of Wike

Rivers APC Demands Immediate Resignation of Wike

Congratulates Rivers people on successful Black Monday ceremony

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has demanded the immediate resignation and prosecution of Chief Nyesom Wike as Governor of Rivers State.

The APC made the demand in a statement issued to mark the Black Monday organized by a coalition led by the party’s governorship candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, to honour over 100 party members in the State killed in the course of the campaigns and the 2015 elections held on March 28 and April 11.

“We demand the immediate resignation and prosecution of Chief Nyesom Wike not only because of these deaths but also for showing no sign of repentance over these deaths by authorising further attack on innocent APC supporters on their way to the Black Monday rally and burning of 10 supporters' buses. Apart from these heinous acts, Wike has demonstrated naivety and lack of understanding of what governance is all about,” Rivers APC Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, said in the statement issued in the State capital, Port Harcourt.

Continuing, the statement alleged that over 60 of its supporters from Omuma, Etche, Eleme, Degema, Gokana Asari-Toru and Akuku-Toru local government areas escaped death when PDP gunmen attacked the buses conveying them to the venue of the rally at the Polo Club, Evo Road, GRA, Port Harcourt, the state capital with ten of our buses burnt.

The party maintained that, “Today is a special day. We set out today to honour those killed before, during and after the elections. We are calling on the Federal Government to look at the report of the Commission of Enquiry, headed by Prof. Chidi Odinkalu. After that revealing report, nobody has been arrested; today, more crimes are being committed with impunity. This is not the Rivers State of our dreams. The only way for the victims of the 2015 general election to have peace is to bring the perpetrators of these heinous crimes to book.”

The party hailed party faithful for ensuring that “against all odds, evil machinations, threats and intimidation by the criminal wing of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State threatening brimstone and further killing should the Rivers State people go ahead with the Black Monday procession arranged to mourn the over 100 Rivers APC members killed by PDP in order to install Chief Nyesom Wike as Rivers State Care-Taker Governor, the Dakuku-led Rivers Coalition Group received massive support as it went ahead to hold a very successful procession in honour of these martyrs of our democracy.”

Rivers APC announced its decision “to make the Black Monday an annual event to be used to remember all those killed by the mindless agents of darkness currently ruining the economy of our State as they have made kidnapping, armed robbery, criminality, sacking of innocent Rivers people from their places of work policies of government.”

“We will like to reassure those murdered by Wike and his group that we will not rest until these wicked people are flushed out from brick House. We congratulate our leader, Dr Dakuku Peterside, and all those that made the maiden Black Monday possible, even as we commend the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, for ensuring a peaceful procession contrary to what Wike and his cohorts envisaged for the State this Monday,” the statement said.

Some of our people killed before, during and after the elections include: Cyracus Wobodo; Christopher Adube, a former Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area; his two sons – Lucky and John Adube; his brother, Iyke Ogarabe and his driver, Samuel Chukwunonye,: Hope Allison, Sampson Oreke, George Eweh, Nwabueze Robinson, Clever Orukwowu, Miss Ada Wele, Saturday Lekia, Divine Dimkpa, Chima Uchendu, Ezekiel Thompson, Emenike Obulor, Daniel okiridu, Paul Adube, Sampson Okike, Aduche Odinionwu, Chukwuebuka Mbamalu, Beatrice ledum Deadum and Precious Dimari Pepple amongst others.

Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze      

SSA on Media and Public Affairs to the State Chairman, APC Rivers State

Appeal Court declares Igbuya winner of Sapele Constituency Seat

Appeal Court declares Igbuya winner of Sapele Constituency Seat

The Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Monday Igbuya, on Tuesday labelled his victory at the Court of Appeal as triumph for the common man and for democracy.

He also described his victory as significant for the development of the state, particularly Sapele Constituency.

In a statement in Asaba, Igbuya not only praised the judiciary for dismissing Felix Anirah’s case but said his election was a well-deserved mandate.

He thanked the people of Sapele for the confidence reposed on him.

“My confidence in the nation’s judiciary is renewed. The court judgment went in my favour despite the speculation that the outcome will go in favour of my opponent whose party is at the centre”.

Igbuya also described the April election as the most transparent ever seen in the history of Sapele,

“God saw me through the challenging times of the electioneering process, the litigations that followed and of course my emergence as first Urhobo speaker in Delta State.

He urged the people to support him to succeed especially as Speaker of the sixth Assembly.

 “I am grateful to the people of Sapele Constituency for the mandate as demonstrated in their overwhelming votes to the PDP in the April election”.

Igbuya while extending a hand of fellowship to his opponent and brother from Sapele, said now that the litigations are over, he should join him in the task of developing Sapele Constituency.

Igbuya said the victory would spur him to work harder to improve the welfare of the people of his constituency

He noted that he is inspired by the victory at the Appeal court, promising to continue to serve the House of Assembly which he is the Speaker with the fear of God.

“I am grateful to God for this victory. He has never failed me. This is not just my victory but that of Sapele, Delta State and the House of Assembly. My heart is filled with great joy” the statement added.

Appeal court sitting in Benin-city, Edo State Tuesday upheld the ruling of the Election Petition Tribunal, Asaba which declared the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya winner of the April 2015 House of Assembly election for Sapele constituency.