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Tag: Nyesom Wike

  • Rivers to tackle cult-related killings

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said the government will tackle cult-related killings in the state.

    A statement by his media aide, Simeon Nwakaudu, said the governor spoke yesterday when the Council of Traditional Rulers visited him at the Government House to congratulate him on his re-election. He promised that his government will take the fight to cultists.

    He said: “We will not allow these cultists who want to paint the state black continue to cause mayhem. We will take the fight to them. Enough is enough; these people cannot continue to kill our people.”

    Governor Wike hinted that he met with the State Security Council on Sunday night and modalities were worked out on how to rid the state of cult-related killings.

    He urged the monarchs to support the government in the fight against cultism, saying prompt information will be useful in tracking down the criminals.

    “I am a total, unrepentant Rivers Man. I will continue to jealously guard the interest of the state,” he promised.

    Read also: INEC delegation visits family of late ad hoc staff in Rivers

    Wike thanked the monarchs for the visit, but regretted that some of them were involved in politics despite his advice that they stay off the political terrain.

    Chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers and Amayanabo of Opobo King Douglas Dandeson Jaja said they were in the Government House to congratulate Wike for a deserved victory.

    He thanked the governor for extending the olive branch to his opponents, and urged the opponents to accept Wike’s offer.

    The monarch lauded Rivers women for the wonderful role they played to defend votes across the state, especially standing firm to resist the invasion of Collation Centres by the Army.

    King Jaja prayed God to grant Wike the capacity to lead the state in the right direction.

  • Wike pledges to tackle cult-related killings

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has reiterated his commitments to fight cultists  and  cult-related activities, killings in parts of the state.

    Wike spoke when members of the state Traditional Rulers’ Council paid him a congratulatory visit at the Government House in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Monday.

    He vowed his administration’s readiness to fight the hydra-headed monster to stand-still, appealing for the supports of the natural Rulers.

    Wike said: “We will not allow these cultists who want to paint the state black continue to cause mayhem.

    “We will take the fight to them. Enough is enough.  These people cannot continue  to kill our people “.

    He disclosed that he has already met with the State Security Council on the matter;  and modalities have been worked out on how to rid the state of cult-related killings.

    He urged the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers to support the State Government in the fight against cultism, saying that prompt information will be useful in tracking down the criminal elements.

    Governor Wike stated that he will jealously guard the interest of Rivers State and ensure further development of the State.

    Read Also: Southwest Ohanaeze greets Wike

    “I am a total unrepentant Rivers Man. I will continue to jealously guard the interest of the state”, he said.

    Governor Wike thanked the Traditional Rulers for the solidarity visit,  but regretted that some of them were involved in party politics,  despite  his advice that they should stay off the political terrain.

    Earlier, the Chairman of the Council who is also the Amayanabo of Opobo, in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of the state, HRM.  King Douglas Dandeson Jaja said they were in the Government House to congratulate Governor Wike for a well deserved victory.

    He thanked Wike for extending the olive branch of peace to his opponents and urged the opponents to accept the governor’s offer.

    He lauded Rivers women for the wonderful role they played to defend votes across  the state, especially  standing firm to resist  the invasion  of Collation Centres by the Nigerian Army .

    In his royal blessings, King Jaja prayed God  to always grant Governor Wike the capacity  to lead the state in the right direction.

  • Wike: Coalition exonerates Nigerian Army, GOC of any complicity in oil bunkering allegation

    An Investigative report by the Coalition for Human Rights and Good Governance has exonerated General Officer Commanding 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Rivers State of the allegations of oil bunkering against him by the Governor of the state, Nyesom Wike.
    Governor Wike had accused Jamil Sarham, the General Officer Commanding the Army’s 6 Division in Port Harcourt, of raising a team of soldiers to steal and sell petroleum products in the region.
    “The GOC has his own team now doing oil bunkering for him because he wants to be chief of army staff,” Wike had claimed.
      However, the Nigerian Army had in a reaction said the claims by Wike were false and a deliberate effort to tarnish the towering image of the Chief of Army Staff and the GOC 6 Division.
    Relatively, the latest report by the human right group, said there was no iota of truth in the claim by Governor Wike.
    The report released on Tuesday and signed by its Executive Director, Shima Atoka, said the crux of the issues the Governor of Rivers state had with the GOC 6 Division Major General Jamil Sarham started after the GOC turned down the request by the governor for a private meeting.
    The report further revealed that the accusation that the GOC is involved in oil bunkering is far from the truth as there are no such operations spearheaded or supported by the Nigerian Army in the South-South region.
    The report below.
    In the build-up to the 2019 general elections, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) identified some states as the big win states and Rivers state was one of them. This much was revealed in a document where the Governor of Rivers State Nyesom Wike promised to deliver 3 million votes in an attempt to march whatever votes that the All Progressive Congress (APC) would garner in Kano state to avoid a repeat of the 2015 scenario.
    It was also identified that the governor who was seeking re-election felt pressured fearing that the former governor of Rivers state, Rotimi Amaechi would use federal might to edge him out of office.
    It was revealed that part of the plot was to get the buy-in of the relevant security agencies in the state which included the Nigerian Police, the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps, the Department of State Services and the Nigerian Army.
    Consequently, machinery was put in place by the Rivers state government with active collaboration with top chieftains of the PDP towards actualizing the plot and as such overtures were made to the relevant security agencies for their buy-in.
    It was revealed that the overtures made to the Nigerian Army were rebuffed by the GOC of 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Rivers State, Major General Jamil Sarham, who directed that such request should be sent to the Nigerian Army headquarters in Abuja for approval.
    It was gathered that the Governor of Rivers State was alarmed by the position of the GOC, Major General Jamil Sarham that he requested for a private meeting with the GOC.
    It was revealed the crux of the issues the Governor of Rivers state has with the GOC 6 Division Major General Jamil Sarham started after the GOC turned down the request by the governor for a private meeting. The governor felt insulted by the actions of the GOC who he described as “arrogant and a poor man” who would retire from the Nigerian Army in penury.
    It was also revealed that the governor realized that the buy-in of the Nigerian Army was very critical to actualizing his ambition and he subsequently sent emissaries to the Army GOC with offers of millions of dollars if he decides to play ball.
    These overtures were also rebuffed by the GOC who threatened to confront the governor should he continue with his desire to compromise him with monetary inducement. It was gathered that this further infuriated the governor who vowed to make the operations of the Nigerian Army in Rivers and the South-South region difficult.
    The governor was quoted as sending threats to the GOC, Major General Jamil Sarham that he would instigate the people of the South-South against the Nigerian Army 6 Division unless he Sarhem agrees to play ball.
    It was gathered that the GOC sent words back to the governor stating that the Nigerian Army was a neutral party in the elections and its role was strictly to ensure that the polls were not disrupted by political thugs as directed by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai.
    It was gathered that the governor indeed carried out his threat by reaching out to governors in the South-South region and paint an awful picture of the GOC to them, also stating that the GOC was working hand in hand with the APC to rig him out of office and to reduce the votes of the PDP presidential candidate in the elections.
    This move it was gathered pitched the Nigerian Army against the locals in most of the states in the South-South region so much so that the hostility made the operations the Nigerian Army difficult.
    It was gathered that the GOC reached out to the Chief of Army Staff on the development and he was instructed to ensure as much as possible the neutrality of the troops during the elections and the also abide by the rules of engagement with little or no use of force.
    The posture of the governor indeed gave rise to the confrontation the Nigerian Army experienced during the elections in Rivers state that led to the death of an army officer and some civilians.
    Outcome of Investigations:
    The result of the investigations conducted by the Coalition of Human Rights and Good Governance indicates that all the allegations levelled against the GOC, Major General Jamil Sarham were false and targeted at the image of the GOC for turning down the monetary offers from the Rivers state government.
    The accusation that the GOC is involved in oil bunkering is far from the truth as there are no such operations spearheaded or supported by the Nigerian Army in the South-South region.
    Instead, the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Rivers state under Major General Jamil Sarhem has helped to reduce incidents of institutionalized crime such as kidnapping, armed robbery, and oil bunkering in Rivers State.
    The activities of the Nigerian Army in the South-South region has helped the government a great deal in reducing the loss of revenue to the federal government by constantly engaging militants engaged in oil theft and the vandalization of critical government oil assets.
    The officers and soldiers of the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army have remained very professional in the discharge of their duties and have been instrumental to the arrest and forwarding to the Police for the prosecution of militants and oil bunkers in the region.
    Recommendations:
    The Coalition for Human Rights and Good Governance as a result of its investigative report on the allegations of oil bunkering by the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike on the General Officer Commanding 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Rivers State, as a result of this make the following recommendations:
    • That the Government of Rivers State should as a matter of urgency discontinue the campaign of character assassination against the General Officer Commanding 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Rivers State.
    • That Governor Nyesom Wike should apologize to the Nigerian Army and her personnel for the wrong accusations of partisanship and involvement in oil bunkering activities within 72hrs.
    • That Governor Nyesom Wike should stop dragging the Nigerian Army into politics as it’s been very clear from the posture of the Nigerian Army under Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai before and after the 2019 General elections that it cannot dabble into politics.
    • That Governor Nyesom Wike should concentrate on the task of governance and desist from making derogatory statements about the Nigerian Army.

  • Umahi, Saraki greet Wike on re-election

    Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has congratulated Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike on his re-election.

    A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor, described Wike’s as winner of the March 9 election as victory for democracy and a pointer to a better democratic norm.

    Umahi extolled Wike’s dogged spirit in fighting for his rights, and recovering the people’s mandate.

    He praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for standing firm and doing the right thing, saying that there is still hope that Nigeria will get it better in terms of conducting credible elections.

    The governor called on political actors in the state to unite to move the state forward, adding that Nigerians should eschew politics of bitterness and see politics as a vehicle to render service to mankind.

    The Senate president, Bukola Saraki, has congratulated Wike on his victory.

    In a statement by his media aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu, said: “Wike’s victory, despite the desperate antics of some opposition forces, is a testament to his determination to develop Rivers State for his people.

    Read also: Rivers election: INEC declares Wike winner

    “Congratulations, Governor Nyesom Wike, on your decisive victory in the Rivers State governorship election. As you prepare to begin your next term, I wish you and the great people of Rivers State great success and many more achievements in the years to come.

    “As a committed and resilient leader who has constantly demonstrated your commitment to the development of your state, in particular, and Nigeria as a whole, the new decisive mandate that your people have entrusted in you is not surprising to anyone.

    “As you prepare to embark on the new mandate that the people have entrusted in you and our great party, PDP, I wish you the utmost grace and wisdom of the Almighty for the task ahead.”

  • Umahi congratulates Wike on re-election

    The Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi has congratulated his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike on his re-election as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Governor Umahi in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor described the declaration of Wike as the winner of the March 9th Governorship election in Rivers state by INEC as victory for democracy and a pointer to a better democratic norm in the country.

    While congratulating Governor Wike on his re-election, Umahi extolled his dogged spirit in fighting for his rights and to recover the mandate of the people of the state which they demonstrated through their ballots.

    Read Also: Rivers election: INEC declares Wike winner

    He commended INEC for standing firm and doing that which is right, adding that there is still hope that Nigeria will still get it better in terms of conducting free and credible elections in future.

    Umahi called on all the political actors in the state to join hands together to move the state forward, adding that Nigerians should eschew politics of bitterness and see politics as a vehicle to render service to mankind.

  • PDP, Secondus congratulate Wike, others on victory

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has congratulated Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers on his victory in the just-concluded governorship election in the state.

    The governor was declared winner of the poll by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday in Lagos after a resumed collation of ballots of the poll held across the country on March 9.

    Collation of the votes was suspended by the INEC, which cited violence and other electoral irregularities during the election in the state, as reason for the action.

    The PDP in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan,
    described Wike’s re-election as “victory for the people of Rivers and triumph of good over evil.”

    INEC declared that Wike won the election with 886,264 votes, while his opponent, Mr Biokpomabo Awara, of African Alliance Congress (AAC) trailed with 173,859 votes.

    Ologbondiyan said that Wike’s record 700,000 votes margin of victory “speaks volume of the resilience of the people of the state in the face of intimidations, harassment and manipulations by oppressive forces”.

    He said that the victory reinforced the confidence of the people in the resoluteness of asserting their democratic choice of leadership as well as standing in defence of their mandate to the end.

    The party’s spokesman added that the victory also demonstrated that the will of the people would always prevail against every form of suppression.

    He said that All Progressives Congress (APC) wanted to forcefully take over control of the state against the wish of the people.

    Read also: Updated: INEC declares Wike re-elected in Rivers

    “The party salutes and venerates all compatriots who were killed by agents of the oppressors during the election. These compatriots did not die in vain and those who shed their innocent blood will surely be
    brought to book.

    “The PDP commends Wike, the people of Rivers and all lovers of democracy across the board for standing firm until the end to hand this disgraceful defeat to the enemies of the people.”

    Ologbondiyan also congratulated all PDP candidates, who won elections at all levels across the country.

    He assured those pursuing their mandates at the tribunals that the party was fully behind them, “given that they all have water tight cases at the courts”.

    Similarly, PDP National Chairman, Mr Uche Secondus, commended the resilience of party members across the country, particularly the elected ones, for extraordinary show of capacity to resist and withstand brutality, blatant intimidation, harassment and political terrorism.

    In a statement issued by his Media Aide, Mr Ike Abonyi, the chairman said that PDP was proud of all its flag bearers and their conduct during and after the elections.

    “By your peaceful conduct in the face of provocations, you have demonstrated truly that democracy is in your DNA and this we will continue to exhibit until all non-democrats pretending to be one are flushed out of our polity.”

    Secondus said that the victorious PDP flag-bearers did not only contest with All Progressives Congress (APC), but with some INEC and military personnel allegedly compromised.

    He said that the introduction of inconclusive and suspension of polling in the country’s electoral process was ostensibly to aide APC to victory through supplementary balloting.

    Secondus said that the APC, however, could not achieve it aim in Rivers, Bauchi, Adamawa, Sokoto and Benue because of the doggedness of committed democrats in the PDP.

    He particularly commended PDP governors for their re-election which, according to him, revealed their overwhelming performances in the last four years in their various states.

    “From 11 states when we started this journey in December, 2017 to 13 before the election and now, 15, with a very high hope of victory coming our way in five other states of Osun, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kano and Nasarawa.”

    Secondus said that the strategic spread of the PDP victories spoke volume of the character and strength of the party as the only true national platform in the country. (NAN)

  • Breaking: Wike extends lead in Rivers

    Governor Nyesom Wike has widened his lead in the ongoing collation of governorship results in Rivers state.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has captured three more local governments, extending his lead to 11 councils declared so far.

    Read Also: Rivers Polls: Wike, AAC’s Awara clash at stakeholders meeting

    His closest opponent Engr. Biokpomabo Awara of the African Action Congress (AAC) has managed to win just two councils in the resumed collation.

    Find below the official results from INEC:

    Tai LGA:

    PDP=== 47, 652

    AAC=== 540

    Ahoada East LGA

    PDP===14,589

    AAC===3,713

    Emohua LGA:

    PDP=== 71, 522

    AAC=== 2, 856

    Etche LGA

    AAC===7, 437

    Details shortly…

  • ‘Wike plotting to overturn our victory’

    National Chairman of the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) Razak Eyiowuawi has alerted to plans by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike to overturn the victory of the party’s House of Assembly candidate for Gokana state constituency, Gumba Gbabara.

    Eyiowuawi warned that any attempt to tamper with the result would be resisted.

    A statement yesterday by Eyiowuawi said: “It has been brought to our notice that River State Governor Nyesom Wike is trying to bribe officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) handling the collation of already declared results where PPN won the state Assembly election.

    “PPN, hereby, warns that it is time Governor Wike and his cohorts are called to order and allow INEC do the needful by declaring our candidate winner.”

    PPN Rivers State Chairman Stanley Worlu, in a petition to the Police Commissioner yesterday, said: “From the resolution of INEC’s National Collation Committee Report on the suspended River State election, it has come to our notice that Gokama Local Government is among the councils claims elections did not hold.

    “To the best of our knowledge, this is not correct, as election held in all the wards in Gokama, and unit results announced by the presiding officers. Copies of the results are with INEC and the police.

    “We, therefore, request the Commissioner for Police to make the available copies of Gokama Council governorship and House of Assembly election results for collation.”

  • Rivers polls: PPN raises alarm over plot to overturn candidate’s victory

    The National Chairman of Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN), Hon Razak Eyiowuawi, has raised the alarm over alleged plot by Rivers State Governor Nyeson Wike to overturn the victory of the party’s candidate, Mr. Gumba Gbabara, in the Gokana State Constituency for House of Assembly election.

    Eyiowuawi warned “any attempt to tamper with the outcome of election in Gokana State Constituency where Gbabara has reportedly won with all collated result at the ward with the security agencies would be resisted”.

    The PPN chairman alleged in a statement in Ado Ekiti on Monday: “It has been brought to our notice that River State Governor Nyesom Wike is trying to bribe Independent National Electoral Commission officials sent to state on fact finding and collation of already declared results where PPN won in the state Assembly election.

    “PPN hereby warns that it is time Governor Wike and his cohorts are called to order and allow do the needful by declaring our candidate.”

    Read Also: PDP cautions AGF Malami on Rivers election

    PPN River State Chairman, Stanley Worlu, had in a petition to the River State Police Commissioner dated April 1, stated: “From the resolution on INEC National Collation Committee Report on the suspended River State election, it has come to our notice as a party that Gokama Local Government is among the local government areas INEC claims elections did not hold.

    “To the best of our knowledge, this is not correct as election held in all the wards in Gokama, units results announced by the presiding officers in all the units, copies of the results are with INEC and the police.

    “We therefore request the commissioner for police to make the available copies of Gokama Council governorship and House of Assembly election results for collation.”

  • Rivers APC kicks as INEC resumes collation of March 9 elections results

    The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has kicked against alleged plan by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to favour Governor Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Collation of results of the March 9 governorship and House of Assembly elections are resuming tomorrow in the Southsouth state.

    Ahead of the resumption, the party’s Publicity Secretary  Chris Finebone, yesterday in Port Harcourt, accused Wike of desperation to be re-elected, thereby depriving the state’s governorship candidate of African Action Congress (AAC), Biokpomabo Awara, of his mandate.

    The APC, which was stopped by the Supreme Court from fielding candidates in the state elections following internal dispute over party primaries, is backing the 40-year-old AAC standard bearer.

    INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of Rivers, Bayelsa and Edo states, May Agbamuche-Mbu, a lawyer, stated in Port Harcourt at the weekend during a stakeholders’ meeting that the commission was not taking sides with any political party or candidate.

    Governor Wike and his AAC challenger Awara were among the stakeholders at the meeting.

    Agbamuche-Mbu also insisted that the results of the elections were not tampered with, but kept in INEC’s strong room, calling on Rivers residents to allow peace to reign in the state before, during and after the activities outlined for the conclusion of the controversial elections.

    Rivers APC, however, said: “We condemn in strong terms, the so-called timeline and activities to conclude the March 9 governorship and House of Assembly elections in Rivers State, as announced at the stakeholders meeting. It is a mere charade, well-organised and choreographed by INEC, in its bid to work from answer to question.

    “The ultimate result can only be to announce their (INEC’s) preferred partner and collaborator (Wike) as the winner, against the AAC’s governorship candidate (Awara), who was clearly in the lead before collation was aborted (on March 10). Whether INEC will succeed in its machinations will be seen in the days to come.

    “Several actions of INEC had prepared the minds of many that the entire exercise was skewed to favour Wike and the PDP, leaving in the process, several questions without answers.

    “How come that Wike knew about the 17 local government areas, which results had been allegedly collated and had posted same on his (Wike’s) official Twitter handle, long before INEC made the announcement? Answers to this and other questions will continue to hang on the neck of INEC like an albatross.”

    The APC blamed the logjam in the Rivers electoral process on what it called a tripartite collaboration between Wike and the INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Obo Effanga, ably assisted by the Administrative Secretary of the commission in Rivers, Elder Etim Umoh.

    But Wike, through his Commissioner for Information and Communications, Emma Okah, declared that APC’s accusation against him was meaningless and senseless.

    The Rivers commissioner, who doubles as PDP Campaign Council’s Information and Communications Director, said: “The APC’s accusation that INEC is favouring Governor Wike does not hold water. It is the same old song; empty, meaningless and senseless. Majority of Rivers people do not take the APC in the state seriously.

    “They (APC members in Rivers State) blame everybody, apart from themselves, for every problem. When they had internal problems that cost them their place in the ballot, they blamed others. When their adopted puppet in AAC could not win one unit in the state, because he was unknown and never campaigned, the APC blamed others.”

    Okah also stated that like a bad workman, who would always quarrel with his tools, leaders of the APC in Rivers would attempt to teach INEC, soldiers, police etc., how to do their job, accusing them of resorting to blackmail whenever they meet a brick wall.

    In his remarks at the stakeholders’ meeting on Saturday, the INEC administrative secretary said: “We have the results for these seventeen LGAs: Ahoada East, Akuku-Toru, Andoni, Bonny, Eleme, Emohua, Etche, Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Ogu/Bolo, Okrika, Omuma, Opobo/Nkoro, Oyigbo, Port Harcourt and Tai. Their (17 LGAs) collation was at the local government level. Collation was not completed in the remaining six LGAs: Abua/Odual, Ahoada West, Asari-Toru, Degema, Gokana and Khana.

    “In Abua/Odual LGA, the materials and men did not even go out to the field. They were frustrated from going out and elections did not take place there. In Gokana LGA, materials and men went out to the field, but none came back, because there was outright violence and everything was destroyed. So, we do not have any result from there.

    “In Ahoada West LGA, out of about 100 polling units, we have results in only 24 and that is not good enough. Asari-Toru LGA was not concluded, but we have the polling units’ results available, but they were not collated. Degema LGA has 17 registration areas, which we call wards in INEC’s context, and collation took place in ten, remaining seven.

    “The seven wards, their results are in INEC’s strong room. In Khana LGA, there was no collation at the local government level, but we have results from the polling units and the collation from some wards available.”

    Umoh also disclosed that the collation, scheduled for between April 2 and 5, would hold at the INEC’s office on Aba Road, Port Harcourt.

    The Rivers Commissioner of Police, Usman Belel, also assured during the stakeholders’ meeting that there would be adequate security of lives and property of residents of the state before, during and after the collation of results.

    Belel, who is also the Chairman of the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) in the state, expressed optimism that the collation would be hitch-free, in view of the stakeholders’ synergy.

    The Police chief said: “As it is usual in every contest, winners and losers must emerge, but the maturity with which the contest’s results is accepted, determines how peaceful the society can be.

    “I wish to appeal to all stakeholders to give peace a chance (in Rivers State) and be magnanimous, either in victory or in defeat, as there will still be Rivers State beyond these elections.”