One of the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) in Nigeria known as Grassroots For Good Governance (GFGG) has expressed its displeasure over the suspension of the announcement of Rivers State election results that have been successfully collated and entered, despite the manipulation of APC faction in conjunction with the military.
Speaking with newsmen over the weekend in Port Harcourt, the National Coordinator of the group, Princess Joy Kanu observed that the impunity with which the Minister for Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi was recklessly going about his set assignment of removing Governor Nyesom Wike as the Rivers State governor at all cost was condemnable by all well meaning Nigerians.
She used the opportunity to call on the Chief of Army Staff, Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai to advise his soldiers who are obviously under his command and instruction to withdraw into their barracks and contain themselves to their constitutional function of protecting the country’s territorial area, instead of not only meddling in electoral processes but getting involved in open snatching of ballot boxes and aiding and abaiting a particular political party into electoral victory. On the spate of inconclusive elections, the GFGG coordinator said it is a minus on the part of the INEC.
According to her, “if at all the military are to be involved, it should be to guarantee the protection of lives and property including giving protection to the electorates for them to peacefully vote candidates of their choice and not to come and kill, maimed or destroy properties belonging to specific party chieftains,” she declared.
Princess Kanu further used the chance to caution the soldiers and their collaborators, adding that Rivers State is not at war but trying to vote in new leaders to man the affairs of the State in the next four years.
She also appealed to the people to remain calm, peaceful and law abiding even in the face of obvious provocation, assuring that at last victory will come the way of the PDP candidates as according to her, “they are on a divine mission, and that no weapon or manipulation fashioned against them will succeed”.
Also speaking, the Rivers State Coordinator of the group, Comrade Levi Keenam condemned the militarization of the 2019 election and indeed the direct involvement of soldiers in the Amaechi rigging process of the elections to the advantage of a particular party.
According to him, “Grassroots For Good Governance also vehemently condemned the use of military to disrupt the electoral process to favour a particular candidate loyal to Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi’s AAC candidate, Awara,”
Comr. Keenam made it dear that from all indications, Gov Nyesom Ezenwo Wike was the winner of the gubernatorial election and that any other compromised result will not be countenanced by the group or Rivers people.
The GFGG further stated that it is time the state stakeholders stand up against the conspiracy of INEC and some persons he called desperate politicians to destroyed the State out of envy for Gov Wike’s performances which has attracted many accolades.
It could be recalled that the group had at the eve of the election called a press conference in Port Harcourt where it reeled out all the achievements of the governor which they noted qualified him for a second tenure and why the electorates should used the opportunity to reciprocate the good gesture.
