Patience Jonathan kinsman And Ex-Militant
Ateke Tom Bans Political Rally In Okrika
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Kinsmen of the President’s wife, Mrs. Patience
Jonathan, including a former Niger Delta
militant, Ateke Tom, have placed a ban on
political rallies in Okrika Local Government Area.
Mrs. Jonathan’s kinsmen said it would not
tolerate any political campaign in the area in
order to ensure the safety of lives and property
of their people.
They expressed dissatisfaction that politicians
were trying to turn Okrika to a war zone without
minding the safety of the people of the area.
It will be recalled that a governorship campaign
of the All Progressive Congress was attacked by
hoodlums, even as a policeman lost his life after
being shot by the intruders.
One of the President’s wife’s kinsmen, Mr.
Marcus Orabipi, who spoke on behalf of Okrika
people on Tuesday, explained that the decision
to shut out politicians from campaigning in the
place was aimed at maintaining peace.
Orabipi, who made the remark shortly after an
Okrika stakeholders’ meeting, stated that every
eligible voter in the area was free to vote for any
candidate of his choice.
He expressed the sympathy of the people of
Okrika to the family of the police that was killed
during the attack on the APC rally on February
17, 2015.
According to Orabipi, “The whole town
commiserates with the family of the policeman
who died as a result of the violence that
transpired when the APC held its rally on
Tuesday, February 17, 2015 at the National
School Field.
“As a result of what happened, stakeholders
have decided that there should be no more
rallies for now in Okrika until further notice. The
town (Okrika) has spoken and the decision is
unanimous. The decision was taken to avoid
further incidence of violence as a result of the
attitude of political parties.”
Orabipi, however, explained that though
members of political parties were free to discuss
issues, they should avoid insulting persons and
institutions, even as he described the people of
Okrika as peace loving.
Also, Ateke Tom, who was part of the Okrika
stakeholders’ meeting, expressed his support for
the decision of Okrika people on the banning of
political rallies in the area.
Ateke Tom specifically stated that there would
be no rally for the APC and the Peoples
Democratic Party, maintaining that the people of
the area were not comfortable with the wave of
political violence in the place.
The former Niger Delta militant leader said, “The
people of Okrika have spoken and I am in
support of the decision they have taken. My
people have spoken and they have said there is
no more political rallies in Okrika.
“I am in support of their decision. Who I am I to
say no? You want them to kill me? When the PDP
held their rally (in Okrika), there was no
problem. But when the APC held their own rally
in Okrika, there was violence.
“Unfortunately, a policeman was killed and
property were destroyed. So, PDP and APC,
there will be no more rallies. We don’t want
violence in Okrika again. The people of Okrika
want to hold on to the existing peace in the
area.”
Ateke Tom, however, called on the youths to
shun politicians’ overtures, adding that the aim
of the politicians was to use and dump them.
Source:www.theparadigmng.com/?p=29082&utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter