By David Kabiyesi
All Progressive Congress (APC) lawyer, Godwill Dike has revealed that he was whisked away by two PDP chieftains after PDP supporters besieged Independent Natiobal Electoral Commission office in Port Harcourt on Friday.
Dike had almost gained access to the Certified True Copies (CTC) of the electoral materials used in the March 18, 2023 governorship election required to file a petition which was expected to elapse yesterday, but for the armed-to-the-teeth PDP protesters who blocked the entrance of INEC office.
He said he had to plead with two PDP chieftains, Nwanosike and Ehie to rescue him from being lynched by the angry crowd
He explained: “At the point, I signed for the acknowledgment copy of the CTC of the INEC documents, we discovered that the hoodlums had blocked the entrance gate to the INEC office, so the tension was high. I was only looking for safety at that moment, I had the documents but my party also sent someone and instructed that I hand over the signed documents to the person.
“As I handed over the signed documents to the person sent by my party, we all had difficulty going out of the premises of INEC and one thing I observed, the security personnel were just watching the scene and doing nothing. I tried to hide but the INEC officials encouraged me to go, saying nothing would happen.
“So when I approached the gate, the tense situation increased, I knew it was about my life, so I reached out to the APC legal adviser and a colleague, and they assured me that they had contacted Cole who is making efforts to send military officers to see how they can rescue us. All that proved abortive.
“While the siege continued at INEC office, I saw the Ikwere Local Government Chairman, Nwanosike, and the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly Edison Ehie. I approached them and they said, Oh, Dike you should not have come here, they explained that they were also having challenges.
“I told them I did not have any security and since they have security, they should try and see what they can do. Nwanosike said, ‘You are from my LGA, I won’t allow these people to harm you.’ It was at that point that their security came, Ehie held my hand, and Nwanosike held my colleague’s hand and amid the crowd, we were rescued. Else we would have been mobbed. That was exactly the scene that looks like an abduction. I want to state it on record that it wasn’t a case of abduction.” he said
