By Davies Iheamnachor
AHEAD of  Saturday’s  re-run elections in Rivers State, the atmosphere is charged. The two top contending political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, and All Progressives Congress, APC, seem not to be ready to leave anything to chance as they battle for the support of the electorate.

For residents, politicians must get it right this time. They must ensure the exercise is devoid of the kind of violence that marred it on March 19, 2016, which resulted  in the suspension of the exercise in some Local Government Areas,LGAs, by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

To forestall the prevalence of violence during the exercise,  an ex-militant leader, High Chief Ateke Tom has warned cultists to stay away from the polls, adding that the political class should see that the exercise is free of violence.

Ateke, who spoke at his country home in Okochiri in Okrika LGA called for a peaceful election, regretting that the state had lost its position in the upper chamber of the   National Assembly,NASS.  His words: “I am warning those   who call themselves cultists and political thugs not to raise their heads on the election day. I urge Rivers people to come out in peace and vote on the day of the election.

“I encourage them to do the election without violence. Vote for any party of your choice on the day of the election and do not encourage violence because after the election we will still be Rivers people.” Similarly, Chief Tamuno Akolobo, the Paramount chief of Ikoroama community enjoined youths to shun every act of electoral violence. “I thank INEC very much because our people have waited much for this election. We will use this opportunity to advice our youths to participate in the election peacefully.

“We call on the politicians to ensure peace. We appeal to the electoral umpire to be fair.

They should announce the result they collated. Our politicians should listen to us and accept the eventual result of the election.’’

Similarly, Mr. Hope Akalobo, a youth leader said: “As youths, we want to let the world know that we are no longer violent. Last week we  organized a fasting programme and after the prayers, we sensitized our youths not to allow themselves to be used to cause violence during the election.’’ In the opinion of some observers, the rerun election would be a contest  between governor Nyesom Wike and Minister of Transportation, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi.

Although, the campaign posters on the streets of Port Harcourt bear the pictures of the different candidates, they literally represent  Amaechi and Wike..

Meantime,    Wike had alleged plot by Police to arrest chieftains of his party, urging his party leaders to resist what he termed politically motivated arrest.

Also, Amaechi, who is a former governor of the state, had promised his supporters at a rally in Gokana, that there would be adequate security during the election.

Amaechi stated that the APC would win all the seats in the exercise. He also vowed that election riggers would not have their way in the election.