Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi yesterday accused the First Lady, Dame Patience, of putting officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security chiefs under pressure.
He said the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nyesom Wike, would not get the immunity he was clamouring for.
Amaechi spoke in Port Harcourt at the Dr. Obi Wali International Conference Centre, at an interactive session with stakeholders.
The governor said: “What happened on March 28 may or may not repeat itself on April 11. When I was campaigning, I said it would not repeat itself, but as at this morning (yesterday), there is enormous pressure on the security chiefs and INEC by the wife of the President. I hope they will not repeat the hijacking of results.
“In most of the councils, if not all, there were no result sheets. I hope they will bring the result sheets this time. Last time, they collected the result sheets at the Collation centres. This time, I hope they will not do that.
“I hope the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dame Gesila Khan, will know that her responsibility is not to allow anybody steal result sheets.
“We do not want anybody to force a candidate on us. We do not want Wike to be made governor so that they can share our resources. What we want is to be allowed to vote and our votes must count. Let the wife of the President remain in her house and not force a candidate on us. The security chiefs, in my meetings with them, assured us that votes would count. I hope they would stick to that.
“The decision of APC is power rotation. I have governed for eight years as an Ikwerre man, and let power rotate. Let power be allowed to move around. Let not one person deprive us of our rights.
“We have chosen a candidate from Opobo (Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside). I do not want to know whether he is from riverine or upland, all I know is that we have chosen a candidate from Opobo, that has what it takes to govern this state and govern it well, if not better than me. If you say I have done well, it is important you vote for him on April 11.”