By Onyeche Igwe
The National Chairman of the Action People’s Party, Uche Nnadi, has described the explosion at its Rivers State secretariat as treasonable and an act of terrorism.
Nnadi stated this while fielding questions from newsmen in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Monday.
He was reacting to the bombing of the APP secretariat located in the GRA axis of Port Harcourt early on Monday morning, saying that those behind the incident are criminal elements.
Nnadi said the incident occurred a few minutes after some members of the party left the office after a meeting at midnight on Sunday, expressing happiness that God spared their lives.
He said, “It is really a sad day for democracy. We condemn in strong terms the bombing of our Rivers State chapter secretariat. It is a heinous act. It is an act of terrorism, a treasonable act.
“We thank God Almighty, who even spared the lives of our members. Immediately they left after a strategic meeting in the dead of the night, and this heinous act was carried out.
“God spared the lives of our members so that we did not lose anyone to these criminal elements.”
While linking the bombing to the political crisis that has plagued the state in the last year, Nnadi said it also has to do with the local government election in the state scheduled for October 5, 2024, where he said the party is poised to make a statement.
The APP national chairman also hinted that many Rivers people are willing to join the party fold ahead of the LG election.
According to him, “We are all aware of what is happening in Rivers State, that it is all about seizing the treasury of Rivers State. We know this is not the first time this act of terrorism is happening.
“We have had incidents of bombing before. We are calling on Mr President, and the heads of security agencies to go after these criminal elements whose interest is to instil fear, instil violence in Rivers State.
“As a party, we are not deterred. We are sure that they are getting the signal of Rivers people joining our party en masse in preparation for the forth-coming local government elections and they want to undermine this good policy of our amiable Governor of Rivers state who wants to conduct local government election.”
Continuing, he said, “At first this people said conduct local government election, the Governor set plans in place to conduct the elections. We know how they have been shopping for one order or the other in all the courts in the federation trying to stop the forth-coming local government elections.
“They have seen that they have not been able to achieve that and have not resorted to violence. They want to stop the process and the good policies of the Governor at all costs.
“But, I’m sure the good people of Rivers State know that the intention of the Governor is for the welfare and the wellbeing of the populace.
“So we condemn this act. We call upon Mr President, and the heads of security agencies to go after this person who is behind this act of criminality, fish them out and let them face the law.
“We also call on our members and supporters in Rivers State not to be detected but to rally around the party. Our state chairman is here, and he is a strong political force.
“And by his presence and personality, the people will know that Action People’s Party is the party to beat in the forth-coming local government election. Their aim is to deter us, but I know that our people will not give up.”
