From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has called for the cancellation of its zonal election in Abuloma area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, last Saturday, which was marred by crisis and killings.
Daily Sun gathered that the election which was organised by the IYC central zone to elect new executives, was initially postponed and rescheduled for last Saturday.
However, the Saturday election was disrupted midway when gunmen stormed the venue and allegedly began sporadic shooting on targeted opponents.
The gunshots, which lasted for hours, caused pandemonium in Abuloma community in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of the state, and recorded some casualties.
Speaking on the incident, 2024 IYC eastern zone chairmanship candidate, Edward Asikitamunoprim, called for the cancellation of the inconclusive election.
Asikitamunoprim, who addressed journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, commiserated with the Abuloma people and the families that lost their loved ones during the election.
He said the election was done under high tension, which led to delegates voting under fear and outright intimidation with eventual attendant cancellation of some of my votes.
According to him, “I was shot at and brazenly macheted several times while many of my supporters equally suffered the same fate.
“My only offence by their admission is that I refused to allow an injustice in the selection process; one in which Alhaji Asari Dokubo decided to select a candidate outside the three selected by a properly constituted committee of 54 of our respected elders in the kingdom.”
He said: “Abuloma was converted to a theatre of war in a manner that contravenes the just principles of free, fair and transparent elections that would have candidates vote in an unfettered manner. All of these contravene item number 13 of the electoral guidelines and eligibility list.”
The chairmanship candidate continued: “The ZECO reserves the right and has the discretion to disqualify any person who gives false information about himself or herself to the ZECO or who engages or incites others to cause violence, disruptions, mayhem or any breach of the public peace either before, during or after the elections.”
Speaking further, Asikitamunoprim said they tried to stop him because he faulted the process that led to the selection of Datolu Sukubo, who was not one of those selected by the committee of 54. “This is the sole reason I was attacked and almost killed.”
According to him, the distorted election contravened the goals and aspirations of the founding fathers of the IYC.
He alleged: “There was a grand plan to pocket the IYC eastern zone for selfish interests as against the basic tenets and principles of IYC, which basically is to fight for the collective interest of the Ijaw ethnic nationality.”
He wondered why the election should experience such a level of crisis. “The council under the watch and leadership of Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri supervised the western zone executive elections at Odimodi and again this was done in a brotherly atmosphere with Tompolo not expressing his preference for any candidate.
“I want to enjoin the leaders and founding fathers and national executives, as well as the national parliament of the IYC to cancel the entire election for want of cardinal ideals and features of a free and fair election,” he said.
While the election was ongoing on Saturday in Abuloma, there was sporadic shooting by gunmen.
Some persons sustained severe injuries from stray bullets and machete cuts in the incident that looked more of a gun battle.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, who reacted to the incident said the command had launched a manhunt for the gunmen involved in the invasion of the election.
