The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has alleged that its lawyer invited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to pick up the requested Certified True Copies of documents used in the conduct of the 18th March elections has been kidnapped and the election materials carted away.
In a statement in Port Harcourt jointly signed by state Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju; and Spokesman of the party’s 2023 Campaign Council in the state, Sogbeye C. Eli, the party alleged that the act was carried out by members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), protesting around the INEC office.
Eli, who read the statement, said that INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state said that there is nothing the commission could do again for the party, adding that the commission had released the documents as requested.
The statement read: “We have just been informed about the abduction of Dr Godswill Dike, a lawyer, member of our party, and brother of the state Legal Adviser, Barrister Azubuike Dike, this evening right inside the Rivers State headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Aba Road, Port Harcourt. Dr Godswill Dike was invited to the Commission to take delivery of the certified true copies of the INEC documents that we applied for pursuant to the provisions of Section 74 of the Electoral Act 2022.
“Acting apparently on a tip-off, Edison Ehie and Samuel Nwasonike, aided by the surge of the PDP mob outside the premises swooped on him inside the INEC office shortly after Dr Godswill Dike signed for the documents and sped away with him to the state Assembly residential quarters behind the INEC state headquarters.
“Our initial reaction was to establish contact with the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Jackson Alalibo Semikien, to report the criminal abduction of the aforementioned Dr Dike. Curiously, the REC who has done nothing beyond a Press Release two days ago directing political parties to proceed to LGA Offices of the Commission for the election documents they may require, told our governorship candidate emphatically that there was nothing the Commission can do, having released the documents we applied for to Dr Godswill Dike.
“Contacts have also been made with the Deputy Speaker who assured his caller that Dr Godswill Dike would return safe but the materials they took from him should be forgotten. Calls made by our governorship candidate to the military also yielded no fruit with the hierarchy stating that until the military receives an invitation from the Police they cannot be involved in a purely civil operation”.
However, the Director, Publicity and Communications of the PDP Campaign Council, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke said the story was only cooked up by the APC to mislead the public.
Nwuke said the PDP, as a law-abiding party, could not kidnap a lawyer, adding that the sustained protest at the INEC office by the party is to ensure a joint inspection of all material used in the election.
He said: “In this time we have heard so many stories generated by the oppositions, which are intended to mislead the public. We think that this story is cooked up by some people just to create the usual effect, particularly in the media.
“How can, before security operatives who are at INEC and before eyewitnesses and some of them who could be APC, how could that have happened? A lawyer was kidnapped and materials taken from him.
“I can tell you sincerely that what our people are doing at the INEC was to keep vigil to ensure that if there is an inspection of material that it would be done jointly.
“If you follow the story, you will see that elected officials were at the INEC office today in solidarity with the ongoing vigil at the INEC office.
“The purpose is simple, INEC kindly allows joint inspection and I think they are just trying to change the narrative. PDP is saying clearly that there have been instances in the past under the guise of material inspection material are changed.
“Why are they afraid of joint inspection which will give confidence to all the parties, especially in a situation where there is so much suspicion. This is an attempt to change the narrative.
“I do not agree that PDP would have attacked lawyers. Don’t forget that the governor of Rivers State is a lawyer. Don’t also forget that the PDP respects the rule of law. I do not imagine that this is true”.
