Dakuku Peterside

Dr Dakuku Peterside, Director-General, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has urged the electorate in Rivers state to ensure that they exercise their franchise in Saturday’s parliamentary re-run polls in the state.

He also urged the people not to be intimidated by any individual or group from voting in the elections.

Peterside told newsmen in Port Harcourt on Friday that the era of intimidating the people to manipulate the electoral system was gone.

“ The Federal Government has assured of adequate security during the re-run elections on Saturday. Nobody should feel intimidated and I urge the people to go out and vote for their candidates.

“ There is nothing to fear because security agencies are there to protect you,” he said.
Peterside, who was the governorship candidate of All Progressives Candidate (APC) in the 2015 general elections, said that people were still scared of the experience of the election.

“ Our people were intimidated and scared to come out to vote last year; that fear is still there, but we urge them that there is nothing to fear.

“ That era is gone; government has provided security for the election,” he said.

He said that every voter had the right to cast his ballot without being intimidated.

Peterside also described as barbaric, the killing of two soldiers by sea pirates along Abonnema creek on Thursday.

He said that the incident was condemnable because the soldiers were carrying out their legitimate duties.