By Jimitota Onoyume

FOR the better part of two days, members of the All Progressive Congress, APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. literally crippled the economy of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Capital as they tried to outshine one another via rally and march on the ever busy Aba road.

Black Rivers Day: The  APC was the first to storm Aba road with their members. Decked in black attire, they came out in their huge numbers to remember those who  were allegedly murdered in the state over issues relating to the last general elections.

They dubbed the day Black Rivers. Governorship Candidate of the party, Dr Dakuku Peterside, Senator Magnus Abe, state leadership of the party and other chieftains took turns to address party faithful at the Port Harcourt Pollo club where they finally assembled.

Some of them called for declaration of emergency in the state, saying there had been high level of insecurity.

Dr Peterside alleged that about 100 persons were assassinated during the last elections because of their party affiliation, stressing that most of those killed were members of his party. He appealed for implementation of the Professor Chidi Odinkalu commission’s report on politically-motivated killings in the state. He said the essence of the Black Rivers Day rally and procession was to honour those who killed because they are martyrs of democracy.

He said it was also very painful that security agencies had not been able to unravel the mysteries around their death several months after their murder.

PROCESSION: Members of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State during a peaceful procession in Port Harcourt, weekend.

PDP’s peace procession: Three days after the Black Rivers rally of the APC, the PDP also mobilised its members and supporters to the ever busy Aba road on a procession. This time they code named it Peace Procession.

Decked in white attire,  members of the PDP marched from the state secretariat of the party on Aba road down to School of Arts and Science, Rumuola.

Atmosphere of insecurity

State Chairman of the party, Mr Felix Obua and others, who spoke, lauded Governor Nyesom Wike for restoring peace in the state. They dismissed as untrue allegations by the APC that there was an atmosphere of insecurity and also denied claims by the APC that people were killed on account of their politically persuasion.

The state chairman said it was unfortunate that some persons were playing politics with the dead, adding that the state government would continue to protect lives and properties of people in the state.

Member representing Obio Akpor federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Kingsley Chinda, alleged that the APC cleverly fed the public lies with its allegation of politically related assassinations in the state.

According to him, the APC had not been able to establish in court that most of  those who died were killed for their political convictions. He reaffirmed that the last general polls were peaceful. Hon Chinda brought a touch of humour to his speech when he claimed that one of those who said his son was murdered during the Black Rivers day rally organised by the APC did not have a child of the age he said the murdered son was.

According to him, the person was from his community and his child is still alive, “Incidentally I contested that election and I won, and that is the same line of evidence they tried to put forward in court that there were killings and crisis during the election, but unfortunately they were unable to establish that fact in court. Today we know that we are close to the time for judgement again at the Court of Appeal and what they are doing is just to play to the gallery and sway public sentiments and make it look like it was a battle field in Rivers State.

Black Monday Protest March in Commemoration of the sad and gruesome death of Rivers people during the General elections.

Public sentiments

“You can imagine the one, who I saw on the screen crying that his son was killed is my constituent, the elder brother to my aide is from the same community, nothing of such happened. The young man has no son apart from one boy that he had outside wedlock and he’s still alive”, he said.

How rallies affected us – Residents

The politicians disrupted the economy of the state for several hours on the days they embarked on their rally and procession.

There was traffic gridlock as most residents were stranded on the road and in their vehicles for several hours.

A taxi driver who simply identified himself as Opuda said his transport business was almost grounded for two days by the politicians. “Politicians should know there is hardship everywhere now so they should not add to our pain,” he begged.

There were speculations that the parties organised the events to sway the decision of the  Appeal court ahead of its ruling on the last elections. It will be seen if the events would have any impact on the verdicts of the appellate court.