By Baron Ike
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured Nigerians of its readiness to conduct the Saturday, December 10 rerun elections in Rivers State, promising that the exercise which is the concluding part of the legislative election in the state would be free, fair and transparent.
The Police have also vowed that they would leave no stone unturned to ensure that the exercise is credible and free of violence, the reason for which the conclusion of the reruns have been delayed for so long.
How about the political gladiators and their supporters? Are they really prepared for a peaceful conduct of the exercise? With the kind of war of words between the two major political parties (APC and PDP) and the usual desperation as seen in their activities, I wonder if they are ready to embrace peace.
The leaders of the two parties in the state, Governor Nyesom Wike of PDP and Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi of APC, who are supposed to do everything possible to work towards ensuring a peaceful and calm atmosphere for the election, are rather busy reigniting crossfire and heating up the buildup to the polls.
Regardless, analysts think that the people of Rivers State should know that this is another opportunity they have to fill the three seats of the state in the Red Chamber, some seats in the Green Chamber of the National Assembly and the State House of Assembly that have been vacant for over a year or so.
According to analysts, the greatest losers for those vacant parliamentary seats are the people who are being denied representation and the developmental projects that should have accrued to them.
“Therefore, they (the people) must not allow themselves to be used to thwart the exercise this time around by desperate politicians who would want to orchestrate violence that could further delay the conclusion of the reruns. Like I keep saying, no politician is worth dying for. Your life should be more precious to you than the ambition of one politician who may not even remember you when he/she eventually wins and assumes office,” an analysts who does not want his name in print said.