Dakuku Brings Peace To Rivers State
On January 24, 2015, by 7:30am, I was already seated in the residence of Dakuku Adol Peterside PhD, candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the April 12, 2015, governorship election in Rivers State. Seated besides me were the likes of Andy Briggs, and other writers who were there to accompany Dakuku to his governorship campaign in Okirika. The spirit was high, we were about to storm the hometown of Patience Jonathan, wife of the former President of Nigeria.
Days before today, there had been series of protests, threats, and security advices against the rally in Okirika. The event was shifted twice, until this fateful day. Criminals took over the airwaves, warning members of the All Progressives Congress to stay away from Wakirike soil or face the wrath of PDP. Their reason was quite alarming; APC cannot hold a rally in the hometown of Mama Peace! It was a military styled command that sought to disenfranchise APC members in Okirika, and Rivers State at large, by denying them the freedom of choice and association.
But the man Dakuku proved to all that he is a strong hearted and tough being when he insisted that the gubernatorial campaign must hold in Okirika as scheduled, amidst glaring concerns about the safety of lives and properties. In his words: "I schooled in Okirika Grammar School (OGS), therefore I am also a bona-fide son of the soil; nobody can stop me from entering Okirika. We shall hold our rally there", he declared.
Make no mistakes about it, I am not talking about our second attempt to hold a rally in Okirika, where militants openly shot at APC members in broad day light. No! This is the story of our first courageous effort at ensuring that our constitutional right of campaigning for a candidate of our choice, within the geographical landscape of the entity called Nigeria, is protected.
While we were waiting for DAP - like he is fondly called by his vast array of ardent followers, to come out and lead the waiting convoy of over 400 cars, some members of the APC rushed in with bleeding heads and blood stained clothes. According to a young man whose head was battered by machete cuts, they were attacked by PDP thugs, while they were setting up the event stage.
Others were robbed and molested, while many others were stripped naked and chased out of Okirika by thugs loyal to PDP. Surprisingly, in the midst of the whole confusion, Dakuku stepped out with the carriage of the Biblical Joshua and calmed the hysterical atmosphere with peace. In his words: "take everyone who was injured to that hospital on the street, and tell our people that we shall fix another date to visit Okirika."
Some angry young men were still boiling in furry, their blood had become too hot, they wanted nothing but revenge. Yet again, Dakuku calmed everyone down with his decorumed voice tone. He clearly told us that he will not partake in any kind of retaliatory violence, even though he had the capacity to do so as a man who strolled so many times on the streets of Port Harcourt. He insisted that he is not a sissy, but rather, he is a man with the fear of God. According to him, God abhors blood shed.
Many in the APC painfully followed Dakuku in this Mahatma Ghandi leadership model, because they had no choice but to obey the man of peace, who they have endorsed as leader. This is because, APC has equal, if not more human resources at its disposal to perpetrate mayhem like the PDP, and match their violence blood for blood.
But today, we can all see the merit of Dakuku's calmness. It is best imagined what would have happened if Dakuku had given a negative order to his teeming supporters. Rivers State would have been on fire by now.
This is why I believe that with Dakuku Adol Peterside as Governor, lasting peace will return to the Treasure Base of Nigeria and our Rivers of Possibilities will flow with milk and honey once again.
Solomon Okocha is the Spokesman,
The Patriots Alliance (TPA).
[email protected]