The All Progressives Congress in Rivers State has confirmed that one of its lawyers, Dr Godswill Dike, who was allegedly kidnapped by supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party, had been released.
The spokesman of the APC Campaign Council, Sogbeye Eli, confirmed the development to our correspondent in a telephone chat on Friday.
Eli said, “Yes, I have been told he has been freed although I have not established contact with him. When I speak with him, I will be able to give you the other details.”
Similarly, the party’s Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju, also confirmed that Dike had regained his freedom in a post on his Facebook page seen on Friday morning.
The post reads, “Dr Godswill Uche Dike Esq is free…much thanks to all our friends in the media for showing courage and acting as responsible watchdog of society.”
Recall that Dike, who is brother to the state APC legal adviser, Barr Azubuike Dike, was kidnapped at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission by alleged PDP supporters after he took delivery of some election documents given to him by the commission.
However, it could not be confirmed if the CTC documents taken from Dike by his captors had been recovered.
Meanwhile, Barr Eli had explained that there was an erroneous belief in the public domain that the APC and the PDP were involved in a squabble, saying “There is nothing like that. The PDP is the aggressor. We (APC) are not in any kind of fight with them. They are the ones attacking us and that is clear for all to see.”
PDP protests enter 5th day
Meanwhile, the PDP protest at the INEC office along Aba Road in Port Harcourt has entered its fifth day.
PDP members and their supporters returned to the INEC office on Friday morning and continued their demand for a joint inspection of election materials.
Speaking to our correspondent, the PDP Publicity Secretary, Sydney Gbara, said protests will go on until they are addressed by the INEC based on their demands.
Recall that some PDP supporters had laid siege to the INEC office on Thursday evening which led to the abduction of Dike. The protesters had barricaded the gate preventing INEC staff from leaving.
Some of the commission’s staff who had closed from work were clustered inside the building fearing that they may be attacked.
The PDP protesters alleged that the APC in connivance with INEC were plotting to sneak out some election materials.
In the fracas, it was learnt that some thugs who infiltrated their ranks fired gunshots to scare people.
The police had yet to make any official statement on Thursday’s siege at the INEC office, nor had the command spoken on the abduction and consequent release of the APC lawyer as of the time of filing this report.
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