Tag: Nyesom Wike

  • Wike seeks prayers for release of Ikoyi billions to Rivers

    Wike seeks prayers for release of Ikoyi billions to Rivers

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike  yesterday urged Christians to pray for the release of the mysterious cash discovered in a luxury apartment at House 6, Osbourne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos to Rivers State government.

    Wike took the case to God during the Easter Sunday Service at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Rumuepirikom, in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

    Wike said the church has a responsibility to pray that God touches the Federal Government of Nigeria to return the money to the coffers of state, because the money belongs to Rivers government.

    He said: “We need the prayer of the Church, because there is nothing that prayer cannot do. Pray that God should touch the Government of Nigeria, so that they will return the money to us. What we are interested is for the money to come back to us.”

    The governor stated that contrary to an allegation by the embattled Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, he has not declared war on the Federal Government, but that his administration was simply requesting the return of funds belonging to the state.

    Wike said: “I cannot declare war on the Federal Government.  Anybody bringing Buhari’s name, should leave Buhari and face his own problems. The issue is who kept the money at the Ikoyi Residence.  The money was kept there by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.

    “No amount of blackmail, no amount of distraction will stop us from getting our money.”

    He alleged that between 70 and 80 per cent of the APC Campaigns in 2015 were sponsored using funds sourced by the Rivers State Government under the Amaechi, as his predecessor.

    Speaking further, Wike said that the idea of the selective anti-corruption war will be counter-productive.

    He wondered “why security intelligence works on opponents of the Federal Government, but when glaring corruption issues pop up like the Ikoyi case, where billions of dollars belonging to Rivers State have been found, the war on corruption is suspended and diversionary tactics adopted.”

  • $43million recovered in Lagos not mine, says Amaechi

    $43million recovered in Lagos not mine, says Amaechi

    The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has dismissed claims by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike that the $43million found in a luxury apartment in Ikoyi area of Lagos belongs to him.
    Ameachi in a statement in Abuja on Saturday by his media office said he is not the owner of the $43million and the Ikoyi apartment in which the money was recovered does not belong to him.

    The minister also challenged Wike to charge him to court if he has any shred of evidence that the money belongs to Rivers State and was kept in the Ikoyi apartment by Amaechi.
    According to the statement: “Wike has stolen Rivers State dry. Wike and his gang have frittered billions and billions of Naira of Rivers people money away. Rivers State is perpetually in crisis, the state in a mess as Wike has made a total mess of governance in the State. That child who sits there as governor is confused, he doesn’t know what to do. Wike’s only solution is to attack Amaechi.”

    “Since he became governor, Wike sleeps and wakes up everyday, with a sole, one-point agenda to attack and denigrate Rotimi Amaechi, no matter how ridiculous and silly he sounds.

    “Everyday in Rivers State, there is one frivolous, false story of what Amaechi did or didn’t do. Same pattern, the same blatant lies with no proof, same old concocted stories of corruption allegations against Amaechi told with different flavours.

    “At this rate, if Wike is unable to perform his spousal duties, he will blame it on Amaechi. Yes, that’s how despicably low he can go in his consuming fixation to throw mud at Amaechi.”

    “This latest outburst by Wike is typical of him. We are aware that Wike first tried to float the fake news of Amaechi’s ownership of the recovered $43million and the Ikoyi house in the social media using his minions and lackeys, spending huge sums of Rivers money on the failed project.

    The statement further reads: “His minions and lackeys were calling journalists, bloggers and media organizations to run the fake story with promises of almost irresistible mouth-watering compensation for using the fake story.

    “When that failed and the story didn’t gain traction that was when Wike decided to hurriedly hold the press conference Friday night, to rant and spew his outright lies, yet again without providing any proof of Amaechi’s ownership of both the property and the money.”

    “For clarity and emphasis, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is not the owner of the $43million and the Ikoyi apartment in which the money was recovered from. Amaechi has no business, link or connection to the money or property. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi does not know who owns the money or Ikoyi apartment.”

    “Wike’s malicious allegation of corruption against Amaechi in the sale of the Gas Turbines is not new. This false claim has been punctured repeatedly with facts and evidence of the transfer payments for the power plants into Rivers State government accounts by Sahara Energy.

    “The records of how the funds were spent and what it was spent on are in the records of the State government. Amaechi has absolutely no business or any interest whatsoever in Sahara Energy. The company was already a thriving business concern before Amaechi’s emergence as governor of Rivers State in 2007.

    “We urge all right-thinking members of the public to completely disregard all the false, politically motivated no-proof claims by Nyesom Wike and his minions as it concerns Amaechi and the $43million and Ikoyi property.

    For clarity and emphasis, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is not the owner of the $43million and the Ikoyi apartment in which the money was recovered from. Amaechi has no business, link or connection to the money or property. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi does not know who owns the money or Ikoyi apartment.”

    “Wike’s malicious allegation of corruption against Amaechi in the sale of the Gas Turbines is not new. This false claim has been punctured repeatedly with facts and evidence of the transfer payments for the power plants into Rivers State government accounts by Sahara Energy. The records of how the funds were spent and what it was spent on are in the records of the State government. Amaechi has absolutely no business or any interest whatsoever in Sahara Energy. The company was already a thriving business concern before Amaechi’s emergence as governor of Rivers State in 2007.

    “We urge all right-thinking members of the public to completely disregard all the false, politically motivated no-proof claims by Nyesom Wike and his minions as it concerns Amaechi and the $43million and Ikoyi property. The false accusations by Wike is purely diversionary, a political smear campaign against Amaechi by Wike, while he steals Rivers State blind. The fake claims is a figment of the imagination of Nyesom Wike, an ignoble fellow who’s so reckless, irresponsible, and disgraceful, and has debased the high office he holds in trust for the people. Wike is a rabble-rouser and should not be taken seriously. He has made several false claims like this in the recent past and never went the whole length to prove it because he had no proof. Many would recall how Wike was screaming all over national television stations just before the Rivers State legislative Rerun elections that he had an explosive video, containing earth-shaking revelations and he would show the video on national TV. Till date, no video, just talk talk and talk, telling more and more lies.”

    “Yet again, we challenge Wike to charge Amaechi to court if he has any shred of evidence that the money belongs to Rivers State and was kept in the Ikoyi apartment by Amaechi. But like his numerous frivolous accusations in the past, we know he won’t go to court. He has nothing to substantiate his blatant lies. This Wike’s recent tale like his previous ones is a big sham, a disgraceful political drama, and a campaign of calumny to defame and destroy the sterling reputation of Rotimi Amaechi. This is now Wike’s sole life ambition.”
    “The false accusations by Wike is purely diversionary, a political smear campaign against Amaechi by Wike, while he steals Rivers State blind. The fake claims is a figment of the imagination of Nyesom Wike, an ignoble fellow who’s so reckless, irresponsible, and disgraceful, and has debased the high office he holds in trust for the people.

    “Wike is a rabble-rouser and should not be taken seriously. He has made several false claims like this in the recent past and never went the whole length to prove it because he had no proof. Many would recall how Wike was screaming all over national television stations just before the Rivers State legislative Rerun elections that he had an explosive video, containing earth-shaking revelations and he would show the video on national TV. Till date, no video, just talk talk and talk, telling more and more lies.”

    “Yet again, we challenge Wike to charge Amaechi to court if he has any shred of evidence that the money belongs to Rivers State and was kept in the Ikoyi apartment by Amaechi. But like his numerous frivolous accusations in the past, we know he won’t go to court. He has nothing to substantiate his blatant lies.

    “This Wike’s recent tale like his previous ones is a big sham, a disgraceful political drama, and a campaign of calumny to defame and destroy the sterling reputation of Rotimi Amaechi. This is now Wike’s sole life ambition.”

    “Finally, we want Nigerians to note that Wike’s reckless, irresponsible and fictitious tirade against the President Buhari administration at his media briefing of Friday is a declaration of war against the Federal Government.

    “This has been his regular past time in recent times, making false allegations against the Federal government and threatening the President Buhari administration with fire and brimstone,” Amaechi stated.

  • PDP: Wike, Fayose not sponsors of Jonathan’s peace meeting – Committee

    PDP: Wike, Fayose not sponsors of Jonathan’s peace meeting – Committee

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it was untrue that Rivers governor, Nyesom Wike and his Ekiti counterpart, Ayodele Fayose, sponsored the party’s April 6 stakeholders’ meeting.

    The Publicity Secretary of the National Caretaker Committee of the party, Mr Dayo Adeyeye stated this at the news conference on Friday in Abuja.

    Deputy National Chairman of the party, Dr Cairo Ojougboh, had at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday alleged that the stakeholders’ meeting convened and chaired by former President Goodluck Jonathan was sponsored by both governors.

    Ojougboh, who claimed to be speaking for PDP National Chairman, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, alleged that Wike spent N50 million to host the meeting.

    Adeyeye said that the committee would have ignored the allegations since Ojougboh was not an officer of PDP, but stated that doing so may send wrong signals to unsuspecting members of the public.

    He said that the PDP was not surprised that Ojougboh would hallucinate and found pleasure in castigating the two governors at every turn.

    He said that it was unfortunate that Ojougboh had never been able to utter a single word of criticism against his “paymaster, the ruling party”.

    Adeyeye recalled that the meeting was agreed at the residence of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Aliyu Gusau, in the presence of Sheriff, Prof. Wale Oladipo, Sen. David Mark, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi and Sen. Ben Obi.

    “In the light of the above, therefore, it is uncharitable for Ojougboh to allege that the stakeholders meeting was organised and sponsored by Wike and Fayose.

    “Indeed, it is the height of indecency for Sheriff and Ojougboh to allege that a person of Jonathan’s standing could be induced by anyone, not the least a governor, to organise the meeting,’’ he said.

    Adeyeye said that indecency was the nature of Ojougboh and his sponsors, adding that it was the reason they had no qualms in dragging decent people into the mud.

    He also denied Ojougboh’s allegation that Wike bribed the Judiciary with five million dollars to get justice on the Rivers Governorship Election at the Supreme Court.

    “We have been reliably informed that the latest accusation against the judiciary is part of their calculated and clandestine plot to blackmail the Justices of the Supreme Court.

    “That was what they did to the Justices of the Special Appeal Panel during the Ondo State Gubernatorial Election case.’’

    He requested the Supreme Court to find out from Ojougboh who among its officers that Wike disbursed the five million dollars to as he alleged.

    “Let Ojougboh be informed that he cannot pitch the good people of Rivers against their loving and performing governor over his childish and mindless allegation of financial impropriety,’’

    Adeyeye advised all PDP chapters in the states to ignore any directive regarding national convention by Sheriff.

    He also described the purported National Executive Council (NEC) meeting being summoned by Sheriff on May 3 as “total fraud, politically and legally’’.

    He urged chairmen of the states’ chapters of the party to disregard Sheriff’s request for the submission of delegates’ lists on or before April 27.

    Adeyeye said that PDP would announce meetings of its various organs at an appropriate time after due consultation with all stakeholders.

    On ongoing campaign by Sheriff in the South-East and South-South zones, he commended PDP stakeholders in the regions “for not partaking in such illegality.

    “The presence of the two deputy governors was solely on grounds of hospitality.

    “The PDP is not organising any campaign or rally around the country at the moment.

    “We urge our members to remain steadfast and continue to ignore any meeting called by Sheriff.’’

  • Makarfi chides Sheriff over attack on Jonathan, Wike

    Makarfi chides Sheriff over attack on Jonathan, Wike

    The Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi has chided the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff for attacking former President Goodluck Jonathan and the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.

    Sheriff had, at a media briefing in Abuja on Thursday, accused Jonathan of collecting N50 million from Wike to organise last week’s stakeholders meeting to reconcile warring factions in the PDP. Sheriff’s deputy, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh addressed the media briefing.

    But at another media briefing in Abuja on Friday, Makarfi said it’s uncharitable for Sheriff and his camp to concoct deliberate falsehood aimed at impugning the character and public perception of the former president.

    In the text of the address read by the spokesman of the Caretaker Committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the faction said it’s the height of lunacy for Sheriff and Ojougboh to allege that a person of Jonathan’s standing could be induced by anyone to organise a meeting.

    Makarfi said, “These people are pigs in the mud and they have no qualms in dragging decent people into the pit.

    “Our first reaction after reading the concoction put together by Cairo Ojugboh was to ignore him since he is not an officer of the PDP.

    “But ignoring him may send wrong signal to the unsuspecting members of the public and members of our party, hence the need for this clarification.

    “Mr. Ojugboh in recent times has been making series of unfounded and unsubstantiated allegations against major stakeholders of the PDP, especially those people his renegade group believes are seriously against the evil intention of Ali Modu Sheriff to destroy the only main opposition voice in the country, the PDP.

    “However, we are not surprised that Mr. Cairo would hallucinate and found pleasure in castigating Governors Nyesom Wike and Ayodele Fayose of Rivers and Ekiti states at every turn but has never been able to utter a single word of criticism against their paymaster, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) despite its gross ineptitude and maladministration.

    “For the record, the last stakeholders meeting convened and chaired by former President Jonathan, was not sponsored or organised by Governor Wike or Fayose as alleged by Mr. Cairo Ojugboh”.

    According to Makarfi, the need for the meeting was agreed upon at the residence of a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Aliyu Gusau in the presence of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, Professor Wale Oladipo, Senator David Mark, Senator Ahmed Makarfi and Senator Ben Obi

    “Gen. Gusau and Senator Mark were mandated in that meeting to approach the former President to convene an all-inclusive meeting of stakeholders in order to chart a way forward for a lasting peace in the party”, Makarfi added.

    The Caretaker Committee expressed dismay at Sheriff’s penchant for blackmailing every available public institution in the country just to mislead the unsuspecting public.

    Makarfi continued, “Again, we wish to take serious exception to the baseless allegation made by Ojougboh that Governor Wike bribed the Judiciary to get justice in the Rivers State governorship election at the Supreme Court.

    “This is another high point of rascality by the Sheriff renegade group and we have been reliably informed that the latest accusation against the Judiciary is part of their calculated and clandestine plot to blackmail the Justices of the Supreme Court.

    “They did the same to the Justices of the Special Appeal panels during the Ondo State governorship election case when the panel, led by Justice Sankey was falsely accused of collecting over N200 million from former Gov. Olusegun Mimiko in November 2016.

    “We believe the Judiciary and indeed all Nigerians are taking note of the antecedents of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and Co. as we urge the Judiciary not to ignore such weighty allegations by this irritant group”.

    The Makarfi camp expressed satisfaction that the ongoing campaign by Sheriff to infiltrate the ranks of party members in the South East and South-South was being spurned by key stakeholders.

    He stated that the PDP is not organising any campaign or rally in any part of the country at the moment and urge members to remain steadfast and continue to ignore any meeting called by Sheriff and his “doomsday naysayers”.

    According to him, there will be no elective national convention of the PDP as announced by Sheriff until the appeal pending before the Supreme Court is decided. Him advised state chapters to ignore any directive from Sheriff regarding the convention.

    He also enjoined stakeholders to ignore the request made by Sheriff for state chapters to submit their lists of delegates on or before the April 27 and his call for the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on May 3.

    The PDP, he said, will announce meetings of the various organs of the party at the appropriate time after due consultation with all stakeholders.

    “For the umpteenth time, we wish to re-iterate that Senator Sheriff and co. are in defiance of the Court of Appeal order of status quo ante May 21, 2016 with self-appointed officers like Cairo Ojugboh.

    “Only three officers are with him and therefore, such NWC is non-existent. As for the deputy officers who shamelessly assumed offices as NWC members on false claim of purported resignation of the substantive officers, their comic action against the party speaks volume”.

    The Makarfi camp called on all organs and key stakeholders in the party nationwide to continue supporting the Caretaker Committee in moving the party forward.

    According to him, the only interest of the Caretaker Committee is the survival of the PDP against the “suffocating influence” of the ruling APC.

     

  • Sheriff: Wike gave Jonathan N50m for PDP stakeholders meeting

    Sheriff: Wike gave Jonathan N50m for PDP stakeholders meeting

    The court backed National Chairman of People’s Democratic (PDP), Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff has alleged that the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike gave former President Goodluck Jonathan N50 million to organise the recent stakeholders meeting in Abuja.

    But Dr. Jonathan has denied the allegation, saying that he took it upon himself to convene the meeting out of his genuine concern for peace to reign in the party.

    Also reacting to the allegation, the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose said Sheriff has taking his desperation too far by accusing the former president of taking bribe.

    Fayose, in an SMS message by his media aide, Lere Olayinka, stated, “If Sheriff has taken his desperation to serve his paymasters in the APC to the level of accusing Jonathan of being bribed to organise peace meeting for the PDP, there is no reason for any sane mind to continue to respond to the continuous advertisement of his political insanity”.

    But Sheriff who spoke through his deputy, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh at a news conference at the party’s secretariat on Thursday, said Governors Wike and Fayose recruited the Jonathan into a fake peace effort pre-determined to scuttle ongoing peace initiative in the party.

    “The result is that President Jonathan was lured into committing a serious breach of protocol that led ‎to the failure of the exercise which was the intended outcome”, Sheriff said.

    According to him, Wike and the media mogul, Chief Raymond Dokpesi have already established their own political party, adding that their mission was to tie the PDP down with undue controversies.

    He further stated that the party was worried that the amount of money Wike was spending on the crisis could smear the image of the PDP

    “This money belongs to the people of Rivers State and it should not be misappropriated at the expense of the people to whom it rightfully belonged.

    “We therefore call on party leaders and Nigerians to refrain from accepting these monies from Governor Wike in line with the spirit of our founding fathers”, Sheriff added.

    The party chairman restated his determination to go ahead with the plans to organise a convention for the party, saying preparations for a free and fair convention were in top gear.

    Sheriff directed state chapter chairmen of the PDP to forward to the party secretariat the lists of all statutory delegates to the convention on or before April 27.

    He added that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party would hold on May 3.

    Dr. Jonathan who spoke through his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, dismissed Sheriff’s allegation that he collected N50 million from Wike.

    According to him, he intervened in the crisis because of his genuine commitment to bring about peace in the party that made him president.

    “I don’t think anybody will believe that Jonathan collected money from anybody to organise the meeting. It was out of his genuine concern to bring peace to the party.

    “He has been meeting with members of the party; he met with Sheriff severally, he also met with Makarfi severally. He met with the governors.

    “I don’t see any reason for anybody to say that Jonathan collected money from anybody to organise the stakeholders conference”, Eze said.

     

  • Rivers Rerun: Balance of N360million alleged bribed used to buy cars, others

    Rivers Rerun: Balance of N360million alleged bribed used to buy cars, others

    What happened to the balance of the N360m outstanding balance of the money allegedly used to influence the outcome of the Rivers State senatorial election rerun?

    The source said the money was used to buy choice vehicles’, houses and renovate some other ones.

    A 15-man panel set up by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris had last week come out with a report that indicted the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike.

    The panel claimed that it recovered N111.3million from N360million alleged to have been given to 23 officials of INEC.

    Giving an update on the findings of the panel, a source close to the investigation who pleaded anonymity said: “The panel recovered discovered that some of them bought houses, cars and even renovated their existing houses with the money.

    “The panel also discovered that some gave out money to their relatives while some others invested money. Several cars were recovered and they would be tendered during prosecution in court.

    The Source further gave more insight on what the panel unraveled during investigation.

    He said: “In the audio tape that went viral, the governor was mentioning 8,8,7; and what he was referring to was the officials of INEC. He gave the leaders of the INEC officials from the three states, N20million each.

    “They brought outsiders for the election because they wanted neutral body to ensure transparency but they were bribed by the governor. They were 23 in number, eight came from Osun or Oyo, eight from Plateau and seven from Anambra state.

    “If you listened to the tape that went viral, you will discover that there was a part where the governor was shouting, kill them because they didn’t do their work well. The three states where officials came from have a leader. The leaders were the ones that were given N20million and others were given N15qwmillion. So, it was the leaders that he was threatening to kill.

    “As mentioned by the IG, the report will be sent to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN) will now go through it and necessary action will be taken against those indicted. He is the Chief Law of the Federation.

    On whether the report was doctored and if it was just a political move to tarnish the image of the governor who belongs to the opposition party, the source said: “where did the police get the huge amount of money from? Those cars and houses recovered, where did the panel get it from? Is it police money or something?

    “23 people have been arrested and they all confessed. It was through them that the money was recovered; it was through them that the cars were also recovered. The 23 people arrested, the panel have their video confessions and they all wrote their official statement with their hand. They are all educated people and they used their own handwriting to write their confession and they also talked on video. They videos will be provided during prosecution.

    “All documents are available on how they were summoned to the government house, how they were given the money inside the government house and how vehicles were brought to them to move with the Ghana Must Go bags, and how they were moved to their hotels. Everything was confessed to on video.

    “This is not a political issue. This is a case where money that was supposed to be used to build schools, hospitals, roads and others social amenities have been squandered. So, whoever does wrong will be made to carry his or her cross irrespective of political affiliation.

    “So, that is the true position of everything. Everything is there and all the people that the money were recovered from are alive, they confessed both in written form and in videos.

    On why they were not presented to the press that time, the source simply said: “we could not present them that time because they are INEC staff and they are yet to be dismissed. Also, we want the Attorney General to take action first before they would be interviewed but all evidences are on ground. It is a very clear case”.

  • Wike sacks health commissioner

    Wike sacks health commissioner

    Governor  Nyesom Wike of Rivers has sacked his Commissioner for Health, Dr Theophilus Ndagene.

    Wike in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, in Port Harcourt on Wednesday wished Ndagene luck in his future endeavor.

    The statement, however, did not disclose any reasons for the sack. (NAN)

  • Rivers re-run: Your comments provocative, INEC tells Wike

    Rivers re-run: Your comments provocative, INEC tells Wike

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has condemn Governor Nyesom Wike over his comment about the Commission.
    INEC said the governor’s comment was dangerous and capable of inciting people to commit violence.
    Wike had accused INEC of releasing an APC dominated list of ad-hoc staff, for the December 10 rerun elections. According to him, INEC had included APC ward chairmen and ward secretaries as assistant presiding officers.
    But in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Commission, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, the commission strongly condemned the governor, stating that his comments were capable of inciting the people to commit violence.
    The commission therefore appealed to stakeholders to henceforth refrain from making pronouncements that could either overheat the state or instigate their followers to violence.
    The commission also reassured Nigerians it’s  impartiality and commitment  to conducting credible, fair and transparent elections at all times.
    The statement reads:  ” Commission condemns, in very strong terms, the relentless false allegations, provocative and dangerous comments being made by some political actors, especially the Governor of River State, Mr. Nyesom Wike against the Commission, all of which are capable of inciting people to commit violent acts that could derail the election.
    “We appeal to stakeholders to henceforth refrain from making pronouncements that could either overheat the state or instigate their followers to violence. We also appeal to all the political parties and their supporters to abide by all the extant laws governing the electoral process.
    “We wish to reassure all Nigerians that the Commission will remain impartial and committed to conducting credible, fair and transparent elections at all times.”
    The Commission hereby restates its determination to conclude the elections in Rivers State in a free, fair, and transparent manner on the said Saturday, 10th December 2016.
    The recent Edo and Ondo governorship elections, according to the commission, “eloquently speak of the feat that can be achieved if all stakeholders do the needful.”
    The Commission also stated all the various efforts made to ensure that the elections were concluded, which include stakeholders meetings.
    After months of wide consultations with stakeholders aimed at creating a conducive atmosphere, the Commission announced on 3rd November 2016  that the elections would hold on Saturday 10th December 2016.
    It will be recalled that in obedience to court orders resulting from disputes over the 2015 General Elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted re-run elections in Rivers State on 19th March, 2016, to fill various seats in the National and Rivers state House of Assembly. Unfortunately, the outbreak of violence forced the Commission to suspend the exercise.

  • Wike, Police commissioner trade words over alleged rigging plot

    Wike, Police commissioner trade words over alleged rigging plot

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and Commissioner of Police Francis Odesanya have traded words over an alleged plot to rig the December 10 legislative rerun.

    Wike said he would release audio -visual footages of the Rivers State Police Commissioner plotting with politicians  on the  methods to be adopted for the planned rigging of the December 10 rerun elections.

    But Odesanya told The Nation that Wike was only playing politics with his claim.

    Wike spoke while‎ flagging off the rehabilitation of the General Hospital, Abonnema in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area on Monday.

    The governor noted that the audio-visual footages will be made public through different media platforms  to expose the extreme rigging desires of the Independent National Electoral Commission  ( INEC) with the backing of the police and other security agencies .

    He noted that   the 600 policemen  working with the Special Anti-Robbery Squad  (SARS ) in the state , the police commissioner  has already distributed them to prominent APC  leaders  on a local government  basis for the indiscriminate arrests of PDP  supporters  few days to the election .

    The governor  added that the 600 SARS  personnel distributed would also be used to unleash unprecedented  violence on the people on election day , “so that APC  leaders  would have  time to substitute  results sheets handed over  to  them by the INEC leadership”.

    He said: “We are now in possession of the DVD of how the Police Commissioner and some politicians were planning on how to rig the forthcoming Legislative re-run elections in Rivers State.  At the appropriate time, we shall release the materials for Nigerians to understand the depth of the Electoral fraud being perpetrated by  INEC and Police.

    “For the security of this all important audio-visual material, we have mass produced them and kept them at different locations.  Nigerians are entitled to know the truth about the unfortunate rigging machine.”

    The governor explained further that,  “Now that we have  caught them on tape, this will shake the world. Rivers State is not like other states where you can plot and execute easy rigging plans.

    “We are ahead of them by 50 steps. If they take one step, we take 50. On behalf of  our people , we shall  continue  to  monitor these persons who are trying to steal the  mandate  of our people”.

    Odesanya said he was waiting for Wike to release the footages.‎

    He said: “It is all politics, let him make his evidence public; last time he said I withdrew his security personnel which is not true, I am waiting when the video would be release, them, I will respond.”

  • Wike sacks his SSA on Protocol

    Wike sacks his SSA on Protocol

    The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has sacked his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Protocol, Sir Joe Akpa.

    Wike, through his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, Friday in Port Harcourt, wished Akpa well in his future endeavours.

    No reason was given for the sack of the top aide by Wike, a lawyer and former Minister of State for Education, but investigation revealed that Akpa was suddenly relieved of his appointment in view of a minor breach of protocol.

    It was also gathered that the Rivers governor, who is a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), capitalised on the breach of protocol to remove the SSA, mainly for fraternising with some leaders of the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, ahead of the December 10 legislative rerun by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Elections in the Niger Delta state had been a battle between the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, a former Rivers governor, backed by APC’s governorship candidate in the state, during last year’s election, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, who is also the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and Wike, ex-Chief of Staff to Amaechi and Director-General of Amaechi Re-election Campaign Organisation in 2011, before the former governor recommended him (Wike) to former President Goodluck Jonathan for ministerial appointment.