Hundreds of women from different parts of Rivers state who were protesting to
INEC headquarters along Aba /Port Harcourt Expressway in Port Harcourt, the
Rivers state capital against alleged irregularities that characterised the last
Saturday presidential and national assembly election in the state were about
9: 15 am today teargassed and dispersed by stern looking armed policemen .
The women who were led by Mrs Joeba West , Rivers State Commissioner for
Women Affairs ; Mrs Maureen Tamuno , former member Rivers House of
Assembly and former Chairperson of Ogu/Bolo local government council and
also an APC candidate contesting for Okrika/Ogu Bolo federal constituency in
federal House of Representatives had passed St . John ’ s bus stop on old Port
Harcourt/Aba Expressway but on reaching Waterlines Junction they were
stopped and teargassed by the police.
Journalists who were covering the peaceful protest were not spared as they
were also teargassed as people scampered in different direction for safety.
The action of the policemen caused instant pandemonium on the ever - busy
federal truck ‘ A ’ road that is major access road to the Eastern parts of the
country from the Rivers state capital.
The women who were clad in all - black attire with placards narrating their
grievances , were drawn from 23 local government areas of the state .
However , as soon as the women took to the street, several troopers of heavily-
armed anti - riot policemen , in several vehicles , hit the Waterlines Junction
along Aba Road where they mounted a heavy roadblock .
But the women, who were determined to proceed to accomplish their mission ,
engaged the policemen in an argument . The women appealed to the officers in-
charge of the police operations to let them continue with their march but they
were not allowed .
The police would not listen to the harmless women and rather than offer them
a passage , they fired teargas canisters .
Several women ran for safety but eventually were caught in the open hostility
unleashed on them . Older women among the flock sustained injuries and had
to be attended to by their colleagues. Some who inhaled the teargas collapsed
on the ground.
Yesterday, thousand of APC supporters led by the Dr .Dakuku Peterside , the
governorship candidate of APC , Senator Magnus Abe contesting for Rivers East
senatorial seat protested to the INEC office calling for the cancellation of the
Saturday elections the state capital .
In the ensuing tension over the election the INEC office in Emohua local
Government in Emohua was set ablaze by unknown arsonists .
Meanwhile , this morning besides calling for the cancellation of election in the
state , the Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) has
demanded the immediate suspension of the State Resident Electoral
Commissioner ( REC ) , Mrs . Gesila Khan , for allegedly colluding with the Peoples
Democratic Party ( PDP ) to rig last weekend ’ s presidential and National
Assembly elections in the state .
In a statement by Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, the APC chairman in Rivers said
“For Mrs . Khan to have removed the INEC result sheets in all the polling units
in the State with the intention of rigging the polls is a very serious criminal
offence. Mrs . Khan should not only be suspended but should not be allowed to
conduct the April 11 Gubernatorial and State Assembly elections , as well as
the Presidential and National Assembly elections when rescheduled .”
Rivers APC commended INEC Chairman , Prof . Attahiru Jega, for acknowledging
the party’ s petition on the polls in Rivers state . “We are very convinced that if
our case is thoroughly investigated it will be confirmed that the State REC ,
Mrs . Khan , compromised her office and tarnished the good image of INEC , ” the
party stated.
APC defended the action of the State Governor, Rt . Hon . Chibuike Amaechi, in
requesting to see the INEC result sheets and other sensitive materials for the
conduct of last weekend ’ s polls .
The party said the Governor took that step as the party was aware that the
State REC had traded off the result sheets to PDP to write the results as they
deemed fit .
“Amaechi wanted to prevent a situation whereby people would queue to vote
while PDP and INEC would write a different result not reflecting the true voting
pattern in the state .”
Rivers APC condemned the conduct of soldiers deployed for the election ,
saying that contrary to court order , PDP not only used the army to intimidate
APC supporters and coerce Rivers State voters to vote for PDP .
“It is sad that the PDP leadership in Rivers State could be so callous to arm
the youths in order to kill and maim Rivers State people because of election .
We know that Rivers people are peace -loving and arming some of the youths
at this time does not do anyone any good because it may be difficult to
retrieve some of these arms from these youths later, thereby constituting a
serious security challenge ,” Rivers APC said .
It declared that Rivers PDP does not have any agenda to move the State
forward, which informed its rejection by Rivers people . If Rivers State people
are allowed to vote, President Jonathan and Chief Nyesome Wike can never
secure up to 10% of votes cast in the State in any election based on all the
evils the duo have committed against Rivers State .
“As a party we will do everything humanly possible to ensure that the verdict
and wishes of Rivers State people are honoured and implemented and that
they are allowed to vote without any intimidation or coercion ,” Ikanya said .
http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2015/03/30/police-teargas-women-protesters-in-port-harcourt/

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God help us.