Rivers and the politics of Pandemonium By Rahaman Abiola Toheeb

Prior to the election, one would know that election in Rivers would not be of pap and laughter. This is so because the pressure was incredibly towering there among the political goliaths who are ready to strangle the national patriotic spirit for their personal political ego and interest at all cost.


Obviously, the violence in Rivers is not only because we are in the season of lies and sanguinary politics, but also an epiphany of political desperation geared towards do-or-die race on the need to be
in power by some over-zealous politicians.

The arch players knew before that they would never put all their eggs in the same basket. They knew that they would never bury the bayonets and let the sleeping dog lie easily. And when the D-day came, they all dragged the state into violence and carnage.

As at from Satur-day of the election, report at hand is not that pleasing, as many have suddenly met their death in the course of escapism and participation out of and in the turbulence respectively. Very saddening enough, an Hon. was reported accidentally killed, while some INEC officials who were hale and healthy about to do their civil and constitutional duty were sent down the gullet of their grave. Is
the state a safe place?

While all credit should be for Madam Jonathan who has vowed to prove her muscular strenght to raid it all for her husband, Mr. Nyesom Wike, the PDP governorship aspirant in the state and former Minister of State for Education should also be kudosed for his political ingenuity tailored through loyal foul-play of ‘monkarurus’. The incumbent Gov., Hon. Rotimi Amechi cannot be dragged off the line for his high display of political hegemony.

They all fuelled and fanned the ember till it became an inferno burning down the integrity of the state. The manifestation of this is when the APC aspirant for the governorship led a protest down the
office of the INEC with some angry youths who perhaps were not aware of the motif behind their unseemly protest. To me, this is crestfallen and highly indecorous!

Taking a critical look into the present situation of the state at the moment once again, the fact is crystal-clear- that berserk Mr. Wike knows that his governorship ambition will be side-crossed if he fails to deliver for the master, President Jonathan. Likewise, Gov. Amaechi is also well apprised of the need to deliver the whole state for Gen. Buhari, being one of the stalwart generalissimos of his campaign team.
The question is: why can’t the political beowulfs of Rivers take it low with themselves on issue of state concern?

One will be marvelled that these people can’t help but always leave their state at the jawbone of unrest because of their own power-drivenness. It should be stated that before the election, the
state’s politics was always a game of verbal and physical loggerhead. The arch rivalry-makers, APC and PDP exposed the anus of the state to the grin of the world.

Now the state is in pandemonium and disarray as the INEC office was reported burnt by angry ruffians and thugs. Gov. Amaechi does not want to believe that yesterday’s presidential and legislative election held in his state, while the PDP cannot afford to let the horse go with the
rope.

The world is looking. We all hope they will bring sanity back to the state sooner if they don’t want it to go into the history as one of the states riden by political extremists and brigands, prostitutes and
zealous ambitionists.
_Rahaman Abiola Toheeb, a poet and public commentator writes from
Iseyin Oyo State. @DonRabtob on twitter.