•APC candidate slams Wike’s attempt
The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, has assured the people of the state that in spite of the sham general elections, they will have the last laugh.
Peterside also condemned the attempt by the Rivers governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Nyesom Wike, to re-write history, while accusing him and his “cohorts” of labouring to destroy the state and reduce its politics to gangsterism and mafia war.
The Rivers APC also accused the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State, Dame Gesila Khan, and the commission of preventing its members to have access to evidence to be filed at the election petitions tribunal in Abuja.
The Director of Communications of Peterside’s Greater Together Campaign Organisation (GTCO), Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, yesterday in Port Harcourt, noted that the Rivers APC’s governorship candidate had been abhorring violence, respecting the rights of others and honouring the people, while assuring Rivers people that they would have the last laugh, as God, who is a fair judge, would deliver them from every evil and grant them rest on every side.
The GTCO also condemned the attempts by Wike and Rivers PDP to turn head-down, the sequence and facts of pre and post-election events in Rivers state, describing the action as an insult on the founding fathers of the state and a desecration of their memory.
GTCO said: “It is sad that unperturbed by the number of persons missing and murdered, Mr. Wike and his organisation are celebrating the violence, intimidation and violation of the rights of Rivers people on both March 28 and April 11.
“The Rivers man propounds and stands for the truth. With a history of the finest carriage and boldness, the Rivers man respected by the European missionaries and merchants of yore years, and adored by nearby kingdoms, always stood in the right. One only wishes Mr. Wike could attempt to exemplify this heritage.”
The GTCO also accused the Rivers REC of preventing the APC’s agents from accessing the electoral commission’s premises to photocopy result sheets for the last elections, in preparation for the party’s appearance at the tribunal.
Peterside’s campaign organisation said: “Since our (APC’s) agents began to visit the INEC headquarters in Port Harcourt, they have been witnesses to gross misconduct and extensive electoral fraud going on in the INEC headquarters, under the meticulous supervision of the REC, Gesila Khan, and the Head of Administration, Mr. Bocco.
But, Wike, who spoke through one of his allies, Samuel Nwanosike, who is also the Rivers Publicity Secretary of the PDP, stated that Governor Rotimi Amaechi and Peterside should be called to order, while accusing them of wanting to create crisis in the state.
Nwanosike said: “Amaechi, Peterside and their supporters are afraid of Barr. Wike. Rivers APC, led by Amaechi, wants to create crisis in Rivers State by fixing local government election on May 23, less than a week to hand over to the Governor-elect, Chief Nyesom Wike. Amaechi, Peterside and other APC members in Rivers State have been restless since Barr. Wike emerged as Governor-elect in a free, fair and credible election of April 11. Why can’t Peterside congratulate Barr. Wike for emerging victorious at the poll, as done by President Goodluck Jonathan, when Gen. Muhammadu Buhari won the March 28 presidential election?
“Chief Wike is not behind the violence and killings in Rivers State. If the governorship election is done ten times in Rivers State, Barr. Wike will continue to win, because the people want him as their focused and decent leader. Amaechi wants to create crisis in Rivers state and cause confusion, for a state of emergence to be declared, in order to prevent Barr. Wike from being inaugurated as governor on May 29. It will be resisted by Rivers people, who massively voted for Barr. Wike on April 11.”
The REC, in her reaction, declared that the alleged blackmail and propaganda by the APC leaders in the state would not work.
Khan said: “Do not mind the APC leaders and members in Rivers State. They were milling around our offices on Thursday and we had to invite the police. They cannot just be entering into people’s offices. We want their lawyers to pick the requested documents, for orderliness. Photocopying documents for them from morning till 4 p.m. is enough.
“Thumb-printing now by PDP members and INEC officials, as alleged by Rivers APC, is not possible. Blackmail and propaganda will not work.”
to re-write history •PDP candidate: Amaechi, Peterside should be called to order •REC: Blackmail, propaganda can’t work in Rivers