•Report by Kamil Opeyemi
Rivers State Police Command says the incident at the APC rally in Porthacourt was not an explosion but a “fracas” between two communities.
Some explosions were reported during the rally at the Ojukwu Townhall in the Rumuwoji area of Port Harcourt.
Alerting the public about the incident,the Publicity Secretary of the APC, Rivers state, Darlington Nwauju, described the incident as another black day in the annals of democracy where strategies are being deployed to frustrate opposition political parties in Rivers State.
He called on security forces in the country to treat the event in Rivers State as a matter of urgency adding that no single opposition politician in the state was save.
“It is another black day in the annals of democracy where all sorts of underhand strategies are being deployed to frustrate opposition political parties in Rivers State.
“The National Security Adviser, General Monguno, the DG of DSS and IGP Usman Alkali must zero in on Rivers State and stamp out politically sponsored violence. No single opposition politician is safe. We have also intercepted credible intelligence of plans to attack key opposition politicians in Rivers state,”he wrote
He gave the names of those injured as Hope Isaac, Paul Oghonemu, Felicia Gogo, Amba Frank, and Gift Angela.
However, reacting to the incident, the Rivers State Police Command debunked the claims by the APC. The Command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko acknowledged there was a fracas between members of the community over the sharing formula for the money paid to them for renting the playground but she pointed out that it had absolutely nothing to do with the APC or its rally.
The police said the fracas was not between members of the APC and any other political party but between the internal factions within the community.
The statement read,”The internal crisis within the community over which faction should control the community playing ground/town hall revealed its ugly head. It was alleged that the CDC Chairman collected the sum of two hundred-thousand-naira (N200,000.00) from APC as payment for renting the playground/town hall.
“Incidentally, he shared the money to only the Chiefs and members of his faction. The other faction that didn’t benefit from the sharing insisted that the hall would not be used, except and until they were giving their share of the money.
“Consequently,a fracas ensued.Two persons were reportedly injured.
The fracas was not between members of APC and any other political party but between the internal factions within the said community. The DC Operations, Area Commander Port Harcourt, the O/C SIB and DPO Mile one Diobu, were on ground to intervene and restore peace and security at the venue. Thus, the fracas did not affect the APC rally, which ended peacefully.
“There was no explosion before or during the rally. However, the Commissioner of Police has directed the DC State CID and O/C Bomb Disposal Unit to investigate and confirm the veracity of the rumour currently making the rounds on social media.
“It should be noted that Rumuwoji community is factionalized into two; not divided on political party lines, rather factionalized as a result of Chieftaincy tussle.
The fracas was defined in these lines.
“Meanwhile, members of the public are enjoined to go about their lawful businesses and maintain peace. The Command reiterates that it is committed to protecting life and property of all residents in Rivers State.”