A front line supporter of President Goodluck Jonathan
and a staunch member of the PDP in Rivers State, ex-militant leader and freedom
fighter, Sobomabo Jackrich alias Egberipapa has taken a swipe at the PDP by
describing it as "a violent party".
In a statement made available to The Beam by General
Jackrich through his spokesperson, the ex-warlord who doubles as the President
of the Kengema Unity Forum, KUF and the Network for the Defense of Democracy
and Good Governance, NDDGG, regretted the actions of the opposition party in
the state in nominating violent men as candidates for the election.
Egberipapa who was reacting to what many describe as a
show of shame by a faction of the ex-militants who are supporters of Nyesom
Wike, the PDP governorship candidate in Rivers state.
According to Soboma, the problem started during the
visit of Wike to Tombia and Bakana communities, kalabari Ijaws, when the
candidate for the House of Assembly elections from the area, Farah Dagogo,
another ex-militant from Tombia ordered his boys to begin attack Soboma's boys.
In what would have been the bloodiest attack in the
history of Bakana was said to have been averted by the leadership skills and
maturity of Soboma who ordered his boys not to engage in any reprisal attacks
in the face of provocation.
In the press release, the leader of the KUF said the
reason for the attack on his men by Farah Dagogo was due to the heavy presence
of boys loyal to him(Soboma) as Farah felt intimidated. It read.
"The grouse, we gathered was not unconnected with
the way members of Kengema Unity Forum, KUF, and NDGGG both founded by Gen.
Sobomabo Jackrich flooded Tombia and Bakana. Their presence we gathered was
perceived to have whittled down the popularity of Farah Dagogo in a place said
to be the stronghold of the militant leader".
Continuing, "the huge presence of supporters of
KUF/NDDGG is said to have unsettled the camp of militant leader, Farah Dagogo
who sees it as sending a wrong signal to the PDP Governorship candidate and his
entourage that he was not on ground".
According to Sobomabo, "to quash this perception,
one of Farah's front line commandants by the name Marvin, had in the company of
others, started stirring problem, causing breaches and threatening fire and
brimestone".
The Farah group led by Marvin had warned Egberipapa
not to come into Tombia as many KUF/NDDGG supporters were manhandled,
intimidated and threatened.
A similar incidence also took place at Bakana where
Wike and his campaign train hurriedly left the highly tensed atmosphere while
PDP members scampered for safety.
The KUF which joined many of the speakers condemned
the actions of Farah and his boys, wondering why a candidate of the PDP would
engage in a fight with those who are supposed to help him win his election in the
area.
While condemning the PDP, the statement said,
"The Tombia and Bakana incident is a big dent on
the integrity of PDP, it was an affront on the leadership of the party and they
must make haste to address such renegade", said an eye witness, Karibi West,
a PDP member.
The violence disrupted the rally as one person was
shot dead while several KUF/NDDGG men and women were injured.
The leader of the KUF said, "the medis and
general public were witnesses to this very sordid experience and are praying that
PDP should do the needful by calling the party spoilers to order".
Meanwhile, there have been reports associating the PDP
with most of the violence in the state. The ruling APC has listed about what it
described as 150 sins of the PDP against their party, a petition which the
party says it would submit to the United Nations and other international
bodies. The statement signed by Eze Chukwuemeka, on behalf of the State
Chairman of APC, Ibiamu Ikanya accused the PDP of being responsible for the
killing of over 30 supporters and members of the Party.
But the Director of Media and Publicity of the PDP
Campaign Organisation, Emma Okah, dismissed the allegations of violence against
the party as baseless. In a telephone chat with The Beam, Okah wondered why the
APC has chosen to toe the path of 'unfounded allegations' against the PDP. He
said, "why are they always talking about violence as if there is anyone
who has the monopoly of violence?".
Though the Rivers State Command of the Nigeria Police
is yet to bring to brook the real men behind the unwanton killings, kidnap and
destruction in the state which has reached a crescendo since the beginning of
political campaigns.
While there may not be any evidence yet to conclude
that the PDP governorship is responsible for the renewed onslaught in the
state, but his connections with the former militant leaders in the state gives
room for suspicion. Wike has not hidden his relationship with those who have
threatened to make the country ungovernable if President Jonathan is not
re-elected.
The former Minister has been accused of splashing
millions of naira on the likes of Ateke Tom, Egberipapa, Farah Dagogo and
Solomon Ndiagbara who are said to have a strong followership of battle-ready
youths.
Though the crisis in the Kalabari communities of
Bakana and Tombia during the PDP Governorship rally, was averted due to the
peaceful disposition of Sobomabo, there are reports that the incidence may lead
to a mother of all battles as Egberipapa's boys prepare for a showdown.
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