Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

APC’s procession in Port Harcourt on Monday

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC)  said  over 60 of its members coming to Port Harcourt on Monday to attend a ceremony to remember its martyrs were attacked and the buses conveying them burnt down.

Chairman of the party, Dr Davies Ibiamu Ikanya made this known today as he also  called for the immediate resignation and prosecution of Chief Nyesom Wike as Governor of Rivers State.

“Over 60 of our supporters from Omuma, Etche, Eleme, Degema, Gokana Asari-Toru and Akuku-Toru local government areas escaped death when PDP gunmen attacked the buses conveying them to the venue of the rally at the Polo Club, Evo Road, GRA, Port Harcourt, the state capital with ten of our buses burnt”, Ikanya said.

“We demand the immediate resignation and prosecution of Chief Nyesom Wike not only because of these deaths but also for showing no sign of repentance over these deaths by authorising further attack on innocent APC supporters on their way to the Black Day rally and burning of 10 supporters’ buses. Apart from these heinous acts, Wike has demonstrated naviety and lack of understanding of what governance is all about”, Ikanya added.

On Monday, the APC, led by its governorship candidate, Dakuku Peterside had gathered its faithful to mark what it called  Black Monday in honour of over 100 party members in the State killed in the course of the campaigns for the 2015 elections held on March 28 and April 11.

” We set out  to honour those killed before, during and after the elections. We are calling on the Federal Government to look at the report of the Commission of Enquiry, headed by Prof. Chidi Odinkalu. After that revealing report, nobody has been arrested; today, more crimes are being committed with impunity. This is not the Rivers State of our dreams. The only way for the victims of the 2015 general election to have peace is to bring the perpetrators of these heinous crimes to book.”

The party hailed party faithful who braved all odds to attend the rally and the procession.

Rivers APC said the event will now be an annual affair.

“We will like to reassure those murdered by Wike and his group that we will not rest until these wicked people are flushed out from brick House. We congratulate our leader, Dr Dakuku Peterside, and all those that made the maiden Black Monday possible, even as we commend the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, for ensuring a peaceful procession contrary to what Wike and his cohorts envisaged for the State this Monday,” the statement said.

The  party named some of its members allegedly  killed before, during and after the elections include: Cyracus Wobodo; Christopher Adube, a former Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area; his two sons – Lucky and John Adube; his brother, Iyke Ogarabe and his driver, Samuel Chukwunonye,: Hope Allison, Sampson Oreke, George Eweh, Nwabueze Robinson, Clever Orukwowu, Miss Ada Wele, Saturday Lekia, Divine Dimkpa, Chima Uchendu, Ezekiel Thompson, Emenike Obulor, Daniel okiridu, Paul Adube, Sampson Okike, Aduche Odinionwu, Chukwuebuka Mbamalu, Beatrice ledum Deadum and Precious Dimari Pepple amongst others.