Day of Street Protests: Struggle of the APC, PDP Over CTCs

Day of Street Protests: Struggle of the APC, PDP Over CTCs

A 21-day corridor allowed under the Electoral Act as amended separates those who seek justice at the tribunal after their defeat and the legal hindrance that the loss of time poses.

In Port Harcourt, which has become the centre of national attention, desperation fueled by mutual suspicion and the obvious fact that most of the Certifed True Copies of election materials are still in the possession of INEC has driven protesters drawn from the APC and the PDP to the streets.

Nobody can tell when the crowds on the street will leave. For most members of these groups. It is probably the last fight before attention shifts to the Tribunal.

The gathering is evidence of the passion and emotion that has clearly taken over as men and women defend their positions.

While the APC Insists the Commission must hand over the CTCs required for the preparation of legal briefs within time, the PDP says that the inspection of electoral documents must take place in the presence of all parties.

Monday, supporters of both parties who poured unto the streets headed for the State INEC Headquarters along Aba Road.

The situation raised tension, forcing security agencies to deploy heavily to the scene in order to keep both sides apart.

Gunshots were heard around Aba Road and some parts of GRA as security forces battled to maintain order.

There is no evidence that both sides recorded serious casualties as a result.

It would be day two if the fury on the street continues. Both sides had vowed yesterday to continue the siege on INEC.

Tonye Cole, gubernatorial candidate of the APC had promised that supporters of his party will not depart the premises of INEC until the body provides the elusive CTCs.

When the time came, he was the first to have been whisked to safety by security operatives who sensed danger was lurking in the corner.

On its part, the PDP who supporters filed out on Monday made a similar pledge when a group led by the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly and the Chairman of the Ikwerre Local Government Council marched on INEC.

Eyewitnesses spoken to on Tuesday say two groups gathered in the morning before the INEC office.

One of the groups was spotted directly in front of the gate while the other encamped a few metres away from the gate.

Security agents, we have learnt  are on alert as the crowd of PDP and APC supporters wait on INEC.

How it all began:

Recall that the APC was the first to come all out to levy accusations against INEC and the police, alleging they were acting in cahoots with the PDP which emerged victorious at the recently concluded polls.

Trouble started when the word went out that APC lawyers have been nabbed by the police in Rivers State.

There were reactions as lawyers under the banner of the NBA called for the release of their colleagues while pressure piled on the Insoector General of Police to order their immediate release.

For reasons that are best known to the APC,  it chose to gather lawyers whose identities were not known as at the time of their arrest in a hotel room instead of an office complex to carry out the function of collating cases that are headed for the tribunal.

Their arrival at the hotel, clutching computers had raised eyebrows, forcing eyewitnesses to tip off the police.

Fury on the street:

The appearance of APC supporters and a horde of PDP protesters laid to clashes on the street. There are reports Cole was pelted with sachets of pure water before security spiritee him away from a mob of angry protesters.

Thereafter, a rain of stones followed. Motorists were forced to avoid Aba Road while the APC claimed its vehicles had been attacked.

The PDP had taken things calmly until it appeared on the streets despite what its members describe as acts of provocation.

Chief Ogbonna Nwuke said on radio that the PDP had done nothing to warrant the kind accusations credited to Cole.

He reaffirmed the PDP won clean and square, saying the explanation offered by the police in respect of the arrest it made should suffice in a rational society.

Why the PDP is protesting:

PDP protesters are suspicious of the intentions of the APC. The APC had lost in the field but its leaders have been in the media alleging all kinds of things even when the delay in releasing CTCs is affecting it., according to what this medium has gathered.

PDP protesters are claiming that the APC may have cooked up “sexed up” documents which may have been brought into INEC under the guise of inspecting materials.

They are insisting that INEC should put up electoral material  due for inspection in the presence of all political parties.

As things are, time is running out. Several days have  passed since 18th March. Many pray the streets would be quiet today.

Protesters, we have gathered, are being served food and snacks as they wait to see what will happen.

Will heaven open up and allow rain to fall? Will the rain if it eventually comes be strong enough to chase protesters away?

Only time will tell.