Why a state of Emergency is needed in Rivers State

                                    

The recent electoral show of shame that was witnessed at the just concluded (inconclusive) rerun election into the rivers state house of Assembly and National House of Assembly respectively no doubt has once again eclipsed to the fore the brazen disregard of absolute law and order in that state.   Clearly, it has shown in apparent terms the gross state of political irresponsibility and very myopic sense of the power players in that state. I bet to defer if the political class in rivers state barely understand the tits and tact of not only conducting a free, fair and credible elections, but also the wits needed in conducting themselves in absolute decorum to the admiration of global best practitioners.  Hmm! What a loss of moral norms indeed.

Rivers state no doubt has always been acclaimed to be very volatile when it comes to conducting elections whether  at federal, state or even the local government level (if at all). But then, when such volatility gets beyond the threshold of commonsense and rationality, then the music must be adjusted to fits into the dance pattern of a lyrical democratic melody as elections are never meant to be a thing of blood bathing.

From the aforementioned, there is no gain saying that when the contrary happens against what is today known as standard best practices, the state of the nation becomes compromised in all ramifications as the resultant effects becomes a complete breakdown of law and order, a state of chaos, anarchy and eventual doom.

The government of rivers state no doubt has failed woefully in her legitimate duty to providing an enabling environment for the peaceful conduct of this election. Clearly, what is happening in river state currently is a glaring case of the state government irresponsibility on certain overlooked issues which ordinarily should not have been treated either with kid’s gloves or hindsight.

The government of rivers state should as a matter of fact should hide herself in shame for not only failing in her executive responsibilities to protecting lives and properties but for allowing her lapses compromise the security detailing of the state. Obviously, there is absolutely no doubt questioning who ought to be chief security officer of a state, but when certain things begins to go wrong in a state where the chief security officer seems to be the number one citizen running the affairs of the state, then chances are thou that it is either he has compromised the sacred pristine of his office for frivolities or his strength can no longer carry the huge responsibilities that comes along with such exotic position.

However, the first case of office compromise though an act of gross sabotage against the people might just be  forgiven with hindsight,  but then, when the latter becomes the case, it thus reduces the democratic settings of a state into some sort of a banana republic where  everything goes. Nothing seems to be worst as the case currently going on in rivers state where an election rerun has turned into a scene where blood bathing, killings, maiming, fighting and wanton show of unnecessary political brigandage has become the order of the day. A situation whereby the aftermath effect now falls on the feet of the innocents who obviously have little or nothing to do with election as they now have to bear the brunt caused by the political class (psyched class).

Elections are meant to be peaceful not violent, free, fair and possibly credible as the case may be, but not definitely the other way round. Similarly, in a case where opposition are aggrieved with the conduct of an election, the court should be the last resort of their grievances instead of resorting to some uncivilized practices as it is now been done in rivers state where the sacredness of law and order is now been flaunted with reckless abandon.

In a state where the governor is assume to be the chief security of the state, there is absolutely no doubt that Mr. Governor has failed in his oath of true allegiance to his people. In a state whereby the chief security officer calls the shot, there is no gain saying he has failed woefully and should be subject to investigation as to the root cause of this sudden political imbroglio that have amounted to this current state of lawlessness, anarchy and doom.

The grouse became worst when a serving youth corps member who was on national assignment was sent to his early obituary during the said election. If not for anything, the blood of this young corps member must not be spilled in vain as the federal government through the National Assembly must as a matter of urgency set up a panel of investigation(inquiry) in a bid to bringing all those who are behind this dastardly act to book. No one should be above the law as all men in times like this are equal before the law.

I feel pity for the good people of river state (commoner) who obviously have been made the worst victims of this unnecessary political hype by some ill minded politician who has clearly shown irresponsibility on their path as they have flagrantly displayed why they shouldn’t  be worthy of been called a leader. Yes, I stand to be challenged on this as to why our supposed leaders keep failing in their promises not withstanding their oath of allegiance. This is not because they have become too big to be handled but solely on the humiliating path that the democratization process has becomes too weak to handle this monstrous politician who apparently commits this dastard with the sheer hope of working away with impunity. *sigh* how sad the situation has become.

Come to think of it, if leadership is about service to the people they so claim to govern, why then do the political class kill, fight, ,maim and even commit all sort of atrocities just to gain public offices as it has now become the case with rivers state as a point of a call. If been a leader is about service, why then do the political class embarks on the “do or die affair thing”?  Why then should the lives of the said electorates be put at risk just because they seek public offices?  Isn’t this a contradiction of thoughts, purpose and a clear contraction of objective statements? Hmm! Where lays our fate?

The situation in river state as it stands is irresponsible, reprehensible, distasteful, sour, miscalculated, careless and callous as no serious government will want to compromise the safety of her citizen just because of personal gains, greed, absolute avarice, whims and caprices thereby creating an unholy atmosphere of anarchy whereby blood bathing and wanton disregard for human lives is been celebrated as some sort of a political achievements.   *sigh* pitiable indeed.

If Nigeria must be great again, cases like this ought not be allowed to go untreated  as those responsible must be brought to book in ensuring that others who might still be nursing this dirty ambition of electoral do or die affair will begin to see reason why indulging in such monstrous act guarantees no impunity as the current trend now suggest. The blood of that innocent corps member must not be allowed to be spilled for fun, those behind his death through this political violence in the state must be made to pay for their crime against the state as the soul that sinth must die. |SayNoToElectoralViolence