The Rivers State Government is to set up a Judicial Commission of Enquiry to probe the spate of violent deaths in the state in the build-up to the March 28 presidential election.
Governor Rotimi Amaechi told All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters at a victory rally in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state that the deaths would be avenged by the law in line with his administration’s resolve to protect lives and property.
Nine people, including a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and three of his sons, have been confirmed killed in the latest political violence in the state
“Anybody found guilty will go to jail. I didn’t set up administrative inquiry. I set up judicial commission of enquiry. It means that the man sitting there is sitting as a judge. He is not sitting as chairman, he is sitting as a judge, if you are found guilty, straight to jail,” he said.
Initial reports said seven people died only for the Police to put the death toll at nine.
Amaechi bemoaned what he called police brutality on innocent voters in the state during the presidential election, but was optimistic that the situation would improve substantially in the April 11 Governorship/House of Assembly polls following victory at the polls of General Muhammadu Buhari in the country’s March 28 Presidential Election.
He said that “This time, election will be peaceful, free and fair. Last time, we saw policemen thumb printing for them. This time they will not. If they do that, take their name, take their number, and record them for us.
The Director General of the Buhari/Osinbajo Presidential Campaign Organisation reviewed his political sojourn and declared that he could not have made a better choice in dumping the PDP for the APC.
“People blamed me for leaving PDP to APC and I said they are wrong. They are wrong because God has directed that we should move to APC and because God said it and I have left them.
“I made it clear that God has said we would win Saturday’s (March 28) election and I said we would be fighting with police and army, but God would be behind us and if God is behind us, we would win, didn’t we win?
“They went to churches to preach. They went to incite our people in churches and said that Gen. Buhari is a Muslim, he will Islamise Nigeria, and I said I did not see that. I said to them I am a Christian, I am a Catholic, nobody can Islamise me. This afternoon, I observed the Catholic ceremonies. On Sunday, I will go to church to pray to my God and thank Him for bringing victory to us.”
He reiterated that president-elect Gen. Buhari would not Islamise Nigeria. “I made it clear that God has said we would win Saturday’s election and I said we would be fighting with police and army but God would be behind us and if God is behind us, we would win, didn’t we win?”
He urged the people to be peaceful in the forthcoming governorship election in the state and vote for the APC governorship candidate.
“We would go out and bring in the votes. My phone will be open on that day, if you are bringing in the votes and any policeman harasses you, don’t fight back. Just give me the person’s name and number.
“I say they have the police, they have the army and I told you they don’t have God. Didn’t I tell you that? Have you seen God’s work now?” he asked.
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