PDP, APC trade blames over Protest Against Special Police Squad in Rivers

Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt
The Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has blasted the opposing All Progressives Congress, APC, for kicking against the street protest by members of the public who expressed anger over the activities of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
A press statement signed by the PDP spokesman, Mr Jerry Needam, attacked the APC for defending the Police special unit. He said: “Shockingly, less than 24 hours after the civil, democratic and unmistaken public protest, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the State to the chagrin of the highly traumatized and disgusted Rivers residents, shamelessly elected itself as not only an advocate but also a judge to defend SARS.”
The APC had described the protesters as a “motley crowd of obviously hired young people covered by the full compliments of Port Harcourt Government House Press Corp, confirming the suspicion that it was Gov. Nyesom Wike that was the architect and executioner of the project in his sustained bid to politicise security in Rivers State ahead of 2019 general election.”
The PDP blamed the SARS for inviting public odium to itself in parts of Rivers State, leading to complaints and public protest in Emohua Local Government Area, adding that hundreds of people also took to the streets of Port Harcourt on Friday, October 6, 2017 to protest the disdainful activities of SARS in the state.
According to the PDP spokesman, the party PDP, had followed with keen interest and observed with dismay the activities of the police special squad. He accused the SARS as being an arm of the APC in the state.
The Press statement said: “To further lend credence to this, the Rivers APC Chairman, Davis Ikanya and his spokesman, Chris Fynbone have thrown caution to the wind and have continued to accuse His Excellency, Governor Nyesom Wike for pointing out the sins of SARS.”
However, the APC countered that the protest did not come to it and observers as a surprise. The Party’s spokesman, Chris Finebone, said that 24 hours before the protest, the Rivers State Government through the Information and Communications Commissioner, Barr. Emma Okah, had flown a kite by accusing the APC of planning to organise a protest in solidarity with SARS.
He noted that Okah’s press release was obviously meant to divert attention from the anti-SARS protest the government had already planned. According to him the APC had no plans to hold any rallies at all and the party stated so.
He said: “To the APC, the Wike-organised anti-SARS march funded and publicised by the Rivers State Government last Friday, was only a small part of the strategic scheme by Gov. Nyesom Wike generally targeted at demonizing, destabilizing and demoralising security agencies in the State. But most importantly for Gov. Wike is his avowed objective of ensuring that CSP Akin Fakorede (SARS Commander) is removed from Rivers State.”

“We have stated it over and over again, that having thrown every imaginable bait at Mr. Fakorede but failing to compromise the officer, Gov. Wike is hell-bent on seeing off Akin Fakorede from Rivers State especially as 2019 elections approach. The world knows that the self-acclaimed electoral invincibility of Gov. Wike is woven around the governor’s expertise in bribing electoral umpire and security agents. The evidence abound including the matter of electoral officials who he bribed with over N360m who are presently standing trial, the audio recording that was published by Saharareporters and many other cases.”
The APC stated that the singular crime of CSP Akin Fakorede against Gov. Wike was that the SARS Commander rejected every move by the governor to bribe him. “With all his entreaties having failed, Gov. Wike is utilising everything else including Rivers taxpayers’ money to levy media war against the officer. The protest march of Friday was the next stage of Gov. Wike’s agenda to embarrass the Police authorities into removing Akin Fakorede from Rivers State for failing to play ball with the governor, the party said.
The APC added: “We are deeply saddened that Gov. Nyesom Wike who is statutorily the chief security officer of Rivers State is the same person working so hard to undermine security in the State by politicising it. We appeal to the governor to have a change of heart and allow security agencies carry out their job professionally and unhindered. Gov. Wike’s meddlesomeness in security matters is further worsening the insecurity in the State instead of bettering it.”