Political Crisis is Pushing Rivers State Close to the Abyss of Violence and Cultism Once Again, CLO Warns.

COVERPolitical Crisis is Pushing Rivers State Close to the Abyss of Violence and Cultism Once Again, CLO Warns.

The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) has warned that Rivers State is once again inching close to the abyss of violence and Cultism, as a result of the political crisis which has gripped the state.

The CLO issued the warning in a statement signed by Karl Chinedu Uchegbu ( Zonal Chair, South South) and Styvn Obodoekwe ( Zonal Director, South Zone).

The full statement is reproduced below;
Having observed the trajectory of the political crisis unleashed on Rivers State by the utterances and actions of unconscionable politicians and their followers, and the potential of a dangerous slide, down the abyss of unmitigated violence, as has happened before in the past, the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), is constrained once more to wave the red flag and as a voice of reason caution the political actors in this latest round of the endless political wranglings that has become a perennial feature of Rivers politics.

It is rather unfortunate that one year into the life of the administration of Gov. Siminialayi Fubara, the deadly politics of attrition that has in the past earned the state,the sobriquet, “RIVERS OF BLOOD”, is once more on the ascendancy. Equally tragic is the fact that most of the keyplayers that in the past, colluded to sink the state into an orgy of political bloodletting and infamy,are being mobilized once more to ply their deadly trade.

We will recall that between 2002 to 2007 all hell was let loose on the state as rival cult groups, who had been mobilized to actualize various heinious political objectives , unleashed a reign of terror on the entire state. Assassinations, robbery, kidnappings etc replaced the fabled ‘dividends of democracy. Life became nasty, brutish and short on the streets of Port Harcourt, as the cult groups asserted their supremacy and refused to hearken to the call of their masters.

It took the declaration of a curfew from 6 pm to 6 am, before order and a semblance of normalcy was restored. Armed soldiers, some of them alleged to have locked their mouths with padlocks, occupied the streets of Port Harcourt and environs and set up road blocks and checkpoints.

Have we quickly forgetten that residents and citizens were compelled to walk about with both hands raised, to avert the wrath of angry soldiers, waiting for trouble makers?

Once more under the guide of political contestation by rival factions of the ruling political elite in the state, citizens are being mobilized once more by the political class as cannon fodders in a game that neither promotes good governance nor enhance the material and living conditions of the ordinary folk.

As a show of loyalty and solidarity, hordes of youths are being mobilized by both factions, to shout themselves hoarse and hurl abuses at each other.

In the name of building structures, the same sociopaths that unleashed mayhem and untold hardship on Rivers people between the years 2002 to 2007, are being Patronized and mobilized once more to plunge the state into chaos. The same politicians who orchestrated and supervised the bloodlettings of the past, have surfaced to lend support to the warring factions. The populace that should be the arbitters in this unfolding imbroglio, have become caught up in the political vortex that splits the society into “us versus them”.

It is ironic that all the principal actors in this unfolding tragicomedy, belongs, have all belonged and will still belong to one political family. Their quarrels have never been about ideology of governance issues, but rather about booty sharing formula.

The police and the judiciary that outh to be nuetral arbitters have all become surborned partisan agents doing the bidding of one faction or the other as can be seen by the barricading of the 23 council Secretariats and contradictory and non declaratory judgments that allows room for multiple interpretations.

The issues embbedded in the Rivers political crisis are mainly constitutional in nature, yet all we see are a recourse to self help by the rival factions. Ordinarily, what constitutes the tenure of elected officials is clearly spelt out in the constitution. What is proof of defection and it’s attendant consequences are also clearly spelt out. It is therefore difficult to understand the easy recourse to extra constitutional means to tackle such issues. Unfortunately, the people who ought to speak up with a strong moral voice and call the warring factions to order, have all been caught up in the mealstrom of a “we against them” mindset.

We must be a society governed by laws and not by sentiments and manipulative calculations.

The political class owes Rivers people responsible and effective leadership and not the unceasing war of attrition that has become a part of our recent history. It is time to put Rivers State first and jettison selfish political agendas.

The ongoing recruitment of assorted miscreants and felons by both factions of the political elite, as contained in various videos on social media, does not bode well for the state, as previous experience has shown. It is a recipe for disaster, under development and death.

WE WILL NO LONGER CONTINUE TO FOLD OUR HANDS AND WATCH WHILE THOSE WHO POSE AS POLITICAL LEADERS TURN THE STATE INTO A LAND OF FEAR AND BLOODLETTING WITH DIRE CONSEQUENCES ON HUMAN RIGHTS.
WE URGE THE RULING ELITES TO STOP HEATING UP THE SYSTEM AS THEY ARE PLACING HUMAN RIGHTS AT GREAT RISK..

We must Allow Reason to prevail.

Signed

Sir Karl Chinedu Uchegbu (KSJI)
Chairman, South South Zone

Styvn Obodoekwe
Zonal Director
South South

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