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Tag: Wike

  • Speak up against unfair policies, Wike tells pastors

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has called on men of God to speak up against Federal Government’s unfair policies to stop Nigeria from drifting into crisis.

    In a keynote address at the 12th General Synod of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, at Saint Paul’s Cathedral in Port Harcourt yesterday, Wike said: “As long as the state of affairs in Nigeria does not conform to the ideas of justice, democracy, the rule of law and the moral injunctions of God, and as long as there remains no clear hope that things are going to change, we need as many voices that can speak truth to power, and the Church of God cannot afford to keep quiet, while things go wrong and the nation continues to drift dangerously towards the cliff of crisis.”

    Wike regretted that the fight against corruption has been politicised and skewed in a manner to oppress opponents of the Federal Government.

    He said: “People say power of any kind corrupts, but political power can be more vicious, if exercised unchecked and in disregard of democratic norms.While we support the Federal Government’s much-vaunted, but pretentious fight against corruption, it is patently wrong to fight corruption with corruption and double-speak or by side-stepping the rule of law, disobeying court orders and blackmailing the judiciary to submission. Unfortunately, this is the order of the day under the present democratic dispensation.”

    The governor called on the Church to be active moral guardians of political powers as instructed by God to reassert its influence as a critical voice for justice and insisting that government actions must be secured on legal and moral legitimacy.

     He said: “How can the Federal Government justify the situation where former public office holders from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are continuously harassed, hunted and hounded with corruption charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), while at the same time sparing members who defected to the All peoples Congress (APC) of similar investigations and treatment, except the pure vendetta against Dr. Bukola Saraki for daring to contest the Office of the Senate Presidency against the wish of the cabals in his party.”

  • Governors: We won’t allow agitators to divide Nigeria

    Governors: We won’t allow agitators to divide Nigeria

    • North’s governors visit Wike, Ikpeazu
    • Military leaving Aba

    Governors launched yesterday a peace move in the Southeast.

    Five from the North visited Rivers  and Abia states, preaching peace. They also addressed Northerners, telling them to remain calm, following the tension generated by the activities of the separatist Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

    The governors were led by Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima. Others are Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Aminu Masari (Katsina) and Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi).

    Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu promised to defend Nigeria’s unity, despite the IPOB agitation.

    “We will not allow a few agitators to divide Nigeria,” Ikpeazu told the delegation.

    He thanked them for the visit and assured them of the safety of northerners in the Southeast.

    Shettima praised Southeast governors for their efforts in ensuring that the  clash of IPOB members with the military did not escalate.

    The Borno governor said the governors were in Abia to show solidarity with  Ikpeazu, adding that the governor refused to be drawn into ethnicity.

    Shettima said: “We the Northern Governors Forum and the entire country want to thank you for rising up to the challenges of leadership by declaring the curfew that brought a lot of sanity to the state during the clash between IPOB and the military.”

    Shettima said what Ikpeazu did during the crisis went a long way to bringing peace.

    He said: “We are here as Northern governors who respect and promote the unity of Nigeria, we are here to thank Governor Ikpeazu for his leadership role in the heat of the crisis, he rose to the occasion, he saved the nation from the precipice.

    “We the leaders of this country have a major role to play in bringing peace to this nation and leadership is about symbolism, we are here to show solidarity with the Abia governor.

    “We have a moral obligation as leaders and governors to ensure the country remains one indivisible entity. We are proud of the Igbo nation, they are our brothers. We have to make this country work

    “Nigeria is a unique nation, despite our challenges.   We don’t want any mass exodus of Nigerians from any part of the country.”

    On the quit notice for Igbo to leave the North by October 1, Shettima said nobody had the right to chase any Nigerian out of any part of the country. “Ndigbo are part of Nigerian economy. Those agitating for break-up don’t know much about this country.”

    Immediately after meeting with Ikpeazu, the governors addressed leaders of northern communities resident in the state in Hausa language at the Government House.

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike told the Shettima delegation that his state believes in Nigeria’s unity.

    Shettima said the governors were in Rivers State to identify  with  Wike and praised him  for nipping in the bud the unfortunate  conflict  that erupted in Oyigbo Local Government Area.

    The North’s delagation’s two-day vist to the Southeast and Southsouth is part of efforts to douse tension and promote peace and dialogue.

    According to a statement by Tambuwal’s spokesman Imam Imam, the visit got President Muhammadu Buhari’s blessing. Buhari met with the gopvernors in Abuja before departing for New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly.

    Shettima said: “Governor Wike, we are mightily proud of you.  We are mightily associating ourselves  with you. Nigeria is greater than political differences. We belong to one political family and that is the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    ”No interest should be bigger than the Federal Republic of Nigeria. You believe in the Nigerian Project. For that, we remain eternally grateful.”

    Shettima added that despite the unfortunate incidents in Abia, steps had been taken to ensure that there are no retaliatory attacks in different parts of the country.

    Wike said: “Rivers State believes in the unity of this country. Rivers State will not be a part of those calling for the disintegration of Nigeria. We owe it as a duty to protect every Nigerian living in the state.

    ”I will not allow any group to intimidate, harass or attack other Nigerians living in the state.  We are Rivers people and we belong to the Niger Delta.

    ”I am not against anyone who wants to protest any grievances, but there are channels for such protests.”

     

  • Wike and the United Nations SDG Award

    Looking for a prophet honoured at home and abroad? Then, you have found one. His name: Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, the Rivers state governor whose acronym is NEW. Since hitting his political limelight as Chairman of Abio/Akpor local government area, Wike has moved up steadily and focused on his mission to be the real change.

    Love or hate him, Wike, since embracing politics and public life, has certain qualities nobody can ignore- courage and outspokenness. But what is more visible in the last two years is that he has clearly  been consistent in the pursuit of excellence while not allowing distraction, manufactured and sold to the public, by his traducers to distract from the goals he had set out for himself. For this reason, many elect to misunderstand him. For the same reason also, some global organizations which go after substance and reward efforts to make positive impact on society, chose him to receive it global prize for sustainable development.

    The group is none other than the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which is waiting for October 31 to award Gov. Wike its prestigious ‘Global Human Settlements Sustainability Awards’ for 2017.

    According to the SDG office, Wike will be officially conferred with the award on the said day at the United Nations headquarters in New York, United States of America.

    The award comes as a feather on Wike’s rising profile and a crown on his efforts to challenge the limits in the development of Rivers, which, arguably, in the eight years preceding his election as governor, did not witness much investments in the housing sector. Wike is showing his is a mind tied to the pains of the poor.

    The letter conveying the good news to Wike said in part that: “This Award is for the governor’s investments in the development of urban renewal programmes, housing and projects that improve the living conditions  of less -privileged  persons”.

    It also stated that, “Wike  is being recognised  for his great commitment and contribution to sustainable  cities in Rivers State”. The letter  also eulogised Wike for “developing infrastructure in settlements in different parts of the state and ensuring that people have access to basic amenities”.

    The above lines speak volumes about Wike’s leadership in the state as well as his desire to ensure that no one is left behind in the quest to guarantee shelter for Riverians and hand them a liveable modern city which infrastructure will meet global standards.

    The award is a further confirmation that despite a seeming nasty opposition, Wike has remained focused in pushing to deliver the promises he made to people of the state.

    This is not the first time Wike’s style of governance and feats would attract awards to him.

    Last year,  The Sun newspapers singled him out as winner of  The Sun  Governor of the Year, in its prestigious awards to distinguished Nigerians. He had also been similarly honoured by The Independent and The Authority newspapers, among others.

    While receiving the awards, he assured that they would spur him to achieve more.  And true to type it did. The outcome is the new recognition from a UN body.

    Although they may not say it, some  governors are  learning from Wike. They have begun urban renewal projects,  which seek  to transform towns in their states into modern cities. These ndicate that Wike’s activism on infrastructural development is catching on. I am sure that many other governors will seek his input on urban renewal strategies in their states.

    What makes the current honour to the Rivers state governor extraordinary and somewhat instructive is not just that it is coming from abroad, but that Wike could wring it out at a time the nation is facing huge economic challenge and most states are dogged  with negative stories of not just being able to execute projects but also owing their staff arrears of salaries.

    Certainly, many would expect that the award  would not just be  a crown but a challenge to Wike to further his campaign to alter the status quo and change the living condition of the poor. It is also a challenge that should keep  him focused in some of the promises he made to the people while campaigning to become governor of the state.

    During the campaigns in 2015, Wike was seen walking very dirty streets and markets. He visited shanties that are not considered good for human habitation by international standards. Such shanties made of corrugated iron sheets, dehumanize the human being and make life not worth the effort. Wike made a promise to positively impact on them.

    By pursuing an urban renewal programme therefore, Gov. Wike is holding himself accountable to the people and also making them realise that governance is not always about the elite. He has put the masses into his governance calculations and delivering impacts that will change the narrative on Rivers state.

    Truly that, indeed, should be the spine of governance. Those who govern ought to also look at themselves, embark on peer review and use lessons learnt to further whatever impacts they intend to deliver in helping lift a segment of society out of poverty. That is the lesson that Wike is delivering. That is also why, of the 36 state governors, he was spotted from the UN headquarters as someone whose time in office is positively impacting on the poor much more than it is doing on the elite.

    Interestingly, Wike is of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a party which did not promise to deliver change, but is graciously doing better in that regard than All Progressives Congress (APC), which election mantra was change. It says to the rational mind, that those who boast much, often deliver little.

    People of Rivers state are witnesses to the fact that their governor has delivered to them the Iriebe Medium Housing Estate, Rivers Quarters at the NNS Pathfinder, Quarters for Junior Staff of the DSS and facilitating the improved investment in housing by private investors.

    Those are part of reasons Wike is singled out for honour. Beyond the above, the governor is acclaimed for investing in land reclamation/sand filling in Asari-Toru, Degema, Akuku-Toru and Port Harcourt Local Government Area.

    These may not seem huge to the regular critic, but when weighed against impacts they have made on the life of the people, then, the reality comes down clearly. It comes as indication that investment made by people of the state with their thumbs is paying off. Of course, it is still morning for Wike. The days ahead present him opportunity for more developments. He sure still has a lot in his kitty for the state.

    For his supporters , the strong message his achievements in the last two years have sent is that he will coast to his second term with less hassle.  His second term,  I believe, will, beyond being a stamp of approval and a thank You,  serve as  a green light to push the redevelopment of the state beyond opposition’s imagination.

  • Wike raising false alarm against security agencies, says APC

    Wike raising false alarm against security agencies, says APC

    The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused Governor Nyesom Wike of raising false alarm against security agencies.

    The governor, on Wednesday, claimed the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) operatives were behind kidnapping and robbery in the state.

    Rivers APC, at a news conference in Port Harcourt by its Publicity Secretary, Chief Chris Finebone,  Secretary Emeka Beke and other leaders of the party, accused the governor of having sewn police uniforms for thugs used by his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rig the 2015 elections and rerun in Rivers.

    It stated that Wike ought to have emulated his Abia State counterpart, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, who was proactive by declaring three-day dusk-to-dawn curfew in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of Abia, with the curfew later extended to today, to prevent further breakdown of law and order.

    Rivers APC noted that the failure of Wike’s government to engage in productive ventures, was responsible for increase in the crime rate in Rivers, with hungry and angry youths returning to crime.

    Wike alleged that the SARS Commander in Rivers, Mr. Akin Fakorede, and operatives of the squad were indicted by an official police signal, which he claimed showed that they were responsible for the series of kidnapping and robbery across the state.

    The main opposition party said: “Ordinarily, the APC has no business involving in any matter between the Rivers governor and any other entity, but in the instant case and even in previous related cases, Wike has either alluded to or expressly stated that the APC benefited from whatever allegations he raised against the police or particularly the SARS. The APC has also been at the receiving end of the false alarms Wike had previously raised against the police, which, in all cases, turned out to be mere smokescreen by the governor to mask his real intentions.

    “From all indications, the Rivers governor’s accusation on Wednesday that members of SARS abducted some persons and forced them to withdraw N500,000, is manifestly cooked up to directly smear members of the SARS and the Commander, Akin Fakorede, who is known to have resisted advances made by Wike to compromise the officer.

    “Wike has never hidden his disdain for the SARS commander, due to the officer’s principled and professional stance in rejecting the governor’s bait in the past two years. Wike seems to have sworn to have Akin Fakorede compromised or transferred out of Rivers State, to pave the way for a replacement that may play ball with him.

    “Just before the killings in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA (ONELGA) of Rivers State assumed a frightening dimension, Wike had raised the alarm, accusing the military and police of invading ONELGA. Just after his blackmail of the Army and Police, his private army, led by Don Wannie, launched his massive killing and beheading in ONELGA. Same was the case when Wike sponsored a campaign of calumny against the military personnel that tried to normalise security in Ogoniland. He made all manner of accusations against the Army that had gone in search of Solomon Ndigbara, Wike’s private army general in Ogoni. Shortly after the sponsored campaign against the Army in Ogoni , Ndigbara launched his killings in Ogoniland.

    “Part of the concerns of the APC is that whenever Wike is about committing some security infractions, he diverts attention from himself, by raising false alarm against security agencies, especially the police. In the instant case, Rivers governor is raising these alarms to distract the police and pave the way for his killers to undertake further killings in Rivers State. Without doubt, we believe the security information in our kitty to that effect.”

    Rivers APC also called on Rivers people and Nigerians not to fall for the antics of Wike, stressing that they must remain vigilant.

    It admonished security agencies to refuse to be dismayed, demoralised or distracted by the antics of the Rivers governor, but must continue to work to secure the state from the grip of Wike’s killers, who it said were on a rampage across Rivers 23 councils.

    The party said: “Rivers State APC considers Wednesday’s accusation against the police, particularly against the SARS, as patently malevolent, mischievous and intended to mask the next phase of killings by Wike’s killers.

    “The police and other security agencies must remain focused and have their eyes on the ball, to forestall worsening security situation in the state, a situation that is already getting out of hand.”

    Rivers APC also urged the peace-loving people of the state to continue to endure Wike’s bad governance till 2019, when they would have the opportunity of effecting  change through their votes, asking them to prepare to vote wisely for all candidates of the main opposition party, to move forward.

     

     

    IGP Idris faults governor’s claim on SARS operatives

    Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris has faulted the allegation by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike that the police are behind criminal activities in the state.

    Idris said Wike was expressing a personal opinion on the security situation in his state.

    Idris explained that the display of a body purported to be that of the police in a crime scene did not indicate that the policeman was involved in the crime.

    He said: “That a policeman was killed in Rivers in connection with the IPOB issue is different from saying that the policeman was involved in a crime. You cannot say that the one attacked and killed is the one involved in the crime.”

    He described the governor’s comment as a sweeping allegation which “does not make sense to me”.

  • Wike: SARS behind Rivers kidnapping, robbery

    Wike: SARS behind Rivers kidnapping, robbery

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike yesterday alleged that most of the kidnapping  and robbery in the state are perpetrated by operatives  of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

    The governor said the Rivers State Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS)  has been indicted by an official police signal.

    Addressing reporters at the Government House, Wike claimed that the SARS commander was planted in the state to sabotage  the security architecture and create an atmosphere  of fear.

    The governor said the criminal activities of SARS operatives were uncovered by the Inspector General of Police X Squad, Abuja, deployed in the state, adding that the squad foiled the attempted kidnap of Mr Azumana Ifeanyi on Monday at the GRA, Port Harcourt.

    The official police signal provided by the governor, with the title: “Police Wireless Message ” and Reference DT0: 121030/09/2017 —INGENPOL-X-FHQ ABUJA TO-INGENPOL SEC ABUJA, noted that the squad received a distress call on the kidnap of Ifeanyi  and  swung into action.

    According to the signal, they met three SARS operatives robbing and a gun duel ensued. The operatives allegedly took Ifeanyi to a Fidelity Bank ATM where they compelled him to withdraw N500,000 as ransom.

    The governor said one of the SARS operatives was killed, while Inspector Justice Nyeche, who led the IGP team, was injured.

    Wike said: “Most of the kidnapping and armed robbery taking place in this state are done by men of SARS.  They use exhibit vehicles to operate. As the chief security officer of the state, you complain, but they choose to play politics with crime.

    “They fight crime in some state, but they refuse to fight crime in Rivers State. We are done with the elections, but they are using SARS to create insecurity in the state.

    “As I speak with you, they will deny. But the SARS  operative, who was killed, was among those who raided the Rivers East Senatorial District Collation Centre. This man can be identified in the video as one of those who invaded the collation centre with Fakorede.

    “I have never seen a country where they politicise crime. It is obvious that they want to give the impression that Rivers State is unsafe.  They want to instil fear preparatory to declaring during the elections that they is so much killing.

    “Authorities  deliberately trying to destroy a state and you  want the people to be happy. I will no longer write. Now is the time  to take my case to the public, for the world to know what is happening.”

    The governor said his administration has invested more than any other in security logistics, yet the police work against  the state.

  • Rivers APC urges Wike to aid stranded final-year medical students abroad

    RIVERS State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief Davies Ikanya has urged Governor  Nyesom  Wike to aid  16 stranded final-year  medical students from Rivers on overseas scholarship.

    Ikanya, yesterday in Port Harcourt, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media and Public Affairs,  Chief Eze  Chukwuemeka Eze, urged Wike, a former Minister of State for Education, not to abandon the Rivers youths.

    He noted that the governor refused to pay the fees and allowances of the students, despite his 2015 campaign promises.

    All students of All Saints University, St. Vincent and the Grenadines in Canada, they were suspended in September 2016, two months to their graduation, and have not received their allowances for two years and 10 months.

    It was learnt the affected students had been at home since their suspension, with their landlords threatening legal actions to recover unpaid rent.

    Rivers APC chairman said: “As we prepare to ensure the ouster of the visionless, misguided and opportunistic  Wike government from the BrickHouse (Government House, Port Harcourt) in 2019, I plead with our elders, traditional and religious leaders to intervene and prevail on Wike to save the stranded children of Rivers State from further punishment and suffering, by paying their fees and allowances.

    “If not for any reason, let Wike act on humanitarian grounds, if he still has any human feeling, which we know he lacks, in order to save Rivers State from further embarrassment.”

    Last week, the parents of 22 final year medical students on overseas scholarship, under the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), urged Wike to show compassion on their children, by fulfilling his promise.

    They admonished the governor to pay the fees and allowances for the 2017/2018 medical final year students of the University of Debrecen in Hungary, to enable them to complete their programmes, obtain their certificates, settle their creditors and return to Nigeria.

    The parents solicited the help of Rivers elders, chiefs, religious leaders, men and women of goodwill, as well as human rights organisations to plead with Wike to bring an end to the agonising plight of their children.

  • Niger Delta: Wike, Okowa, Ibori call for united front

    Niger Delta: Wike, Okowa, Ibori call for united front

    Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State yesterday visited former Delta State governor, Chief James Ibori, at his Oghara country home, in what is said to be part of the efforts to reposition the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the  2019 elections.

    On hand to receive Wike was his Delta State counterpart, Ifeanyi Okowa.

    Wike, who doubles as co-chairman of the PDP Reconciliation Committee, asked Niger Delta leaders to unite for the rapid development of the geo-political zone.

    “Niger Delta must continue to be united. Whatever it takes, unity is still very key. When we are divided, outsiders will come and exploit our resources to the disadvantage of our communities,” Wike’s Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, was quoted him as saying.

    He added:”We have to fight to protect the interest of the Niger Delta.  We draw strength from people like former Governor James Ibori, a man who has variegated experiences.”

    Governor Wike said that Rivers and Delta States are already co-operating in the spirit of Niger Delta Development.

    “We must work as brothers. We must work as a team. We must not allow our united front to be divided”, he said.

    Ibori commended the two governors for their cooperation on developmental issues.

    He urged both governors to work towards building a stronger united force for all the Niger Delta states.

    He said: “We need to be united to be able to serve our people better. We have to cooperate for the good of our people.”

    He commended the developmental efforts of the Rivers State Governor and urged him to do more.

    Also speaking, Okowa said that the Niger Delta needs to work together for the geo-political zone to be a stronger political voice in the country.

    The meeting later went into a closed door session.

    The Nation gathered that it was all about strengthening the PDP in the South-South for the polls.

    An Oghara based source told The Nation that the Rivers State governor arrived the town in a chopper yesterday afternoon and moved to the home of the former governor in a convoy of cars.

    Ibori has kept a low profile since his return from jail in London earlier this year.

     

  • WIKE visits Ibori in Oghara

    WIKE visits Ibori in Oghara

    In what has been described as parts of moves to position the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the crucial 2019 general elections, the Rivers state governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has joined the list of party leaders who have met with former Delta state governor, Chief James Ibori, at his Oghara country home.

    Although details of what the two party leaders might have discussed were still kept in wraps as at the time of filing this report Saturday evening as access into the Ibori Villa in Ogharefe was restricted, especially to journalists, The Nation gathered that it was all about strengthening the PDP in the South-South for the upcoming elections.

    An Oghara based source told The Nation that the Rivers state governor arrived Oghara in a chopper Saturday afternoon and moved on to the home of the former governor in a convoy of cars.

    “You know that Ibori’s house is something of an off limit these days, especially to journalists, so I don’t think many people had access. For now it is difficult to know what the meeting was all about, as it was held behind closed doors, but I heard someone suggest it was all about how to prepare PDP for the next elections in the region”, a source said Saturday evening.

  • Water supply: Wike releases N100m counterpart fund

    Water supply: Wike releases N100m counterpart fund

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has approved the release of N100 million as balance of the counterpart  fund for the Rivers State Government/European Union  Niger Delta Support Programme (RSG/EU NSDP) for two local government areas.

    The government  earlier released the first tranche of  N100 million to EU Development Partners. The two benefiting local government areas are Akuku-Toru and Opobo-Nkoro.

    The programme covers Opobo/Nkoro and Akuku-Toru.

    Speaking during a visit by the Minister Counsellor of the European Union in Nigeria, Mr Kurt Cornelis,  to the Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday, Governor Wike said the government was committed to the project.

    He said: “I have given the authority that by tomorrow the second tranche of N100 million  be paid. Be rest assured  that  whatever  needs to be done, would be done.

    “I commend the EU for this programme.  We will never be a state  that will be backwards in water and sanitation  projects”.

    The governor urged those implementing the Niger Delta Support Programme component 3 to be transparent in awarding contracts for the projects.

    “Water and sanitation remain key because  they are close to the health  of  our communities.  After this project, we expect the EU to give the state more grants, so that we can extend this to more local government areas “, Governor Wike said.

    Mr Cornelis  called for commitment from the state  on the payment of the remaining  50 per cent counterpart fund  for the RSG/EU NDSP water and sanitation projects in two councils.

    According to him, the payment is required to determine the scope of the programme. He said contracts for the programme  would be signed on October 26, 2017.

    He said: “In principle, we need confirmation of that payment, if we are to carry out 100 per cent of the work. We need to take a decision  today about the final scope of projects in Rivers State “.

  • I groomed Wike for 12 years as chair of INF, says senator-elect

    •Uchendu urges Rivers governor to accept Appeal Court judgment

    The senator-elect for Rivers East, Andrew Uchendu, has said he groomed Governor Nyesom Wike for 12 years when he chaired the Ikwerre political think-tank, Ikwerre National Forum (INF),

    He asked Wike, ex-minister of state for Education to stop grieving over last week’s judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which sacked his ally, George Sekibo.

    Uchendu said he was disappointed at the “despicable” manner in which Wike had been disparaging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Police for legitimately participating in the December 10 legislative rerun in Rivers.

    The senator-elect, a three-time member of the House of Representatives, representing Ikwerre/Emohua, spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt through his media aide, Solomon Okocha.

    Wike, last Sunday, at a thanksgiving by Sekibo at St. Thomas Anglican Church, Diobu, accused INEC officials and the police of conniving with unnamed leaders of All Progressives party(APC) to rig elections.

    The governor had declared that he preferred death to APC  winning Rivers governorship in 2019.

    Uchendu, a chieftain of the APC,  said: “It is even more troubling that Wike could have the temerity to discredit the decision of a court of competent jurisdiction, simply because it did not favour his friend (Sekibo) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    “How can Wike, a lawyer, accuse INEC and the police of partnering political actors to rig elections in Rivers State, without adducing credible facts to support his bogus claims? Is the media the right place to seek redress for perceived wrong?

    “It is unfortunate that a man who controls governance can descend to such abysmal level of crass irresponsibility in the public space.”

    The senator-elect added that since Rivers governor is still grieving over the court’s decision, he should, perhaps, tell us if the judiciary was involved in excluding results of Ward 6 in Okrika Local Government Area and if it also directed that the result of Emohua Local Government Area should not be collated at Emohua.

    He asked: “Did the judiciary direct INEC to withhold the Senate’s result of Ikwerre council and declare results of the House of Representatives and Rivers State House of Assembly from the area, in elections that held on the same day?

    “Maybe Wike does not know that all the tribunal did was to direct that all validly-conducted election results be collated and whoever had the majority of validly-cast votes be declared winner.

    “It is regrettable to note that Wike, whose victory was affirmed by the judiciary at the Supreme Court, is now the same person condemning the affirmation of my victory at the Court of Appeal. How can Wike approbate and reprobate at the same time?”

    Uchendu expressed surprise at the Rivers governor’s “fallacious” comparison between his (senator-elect’s ) political strength with Sekibo’s.

    He said: “True to his character, Wike is again showing the world how unstable he is. We are all aware of the heinous roles he (Rivers governor) played to ensure Sekibo, his new ally, did not emerge as senator in 2011, during the administration of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (now Transportation minister).

    “It is nothing but fallacy taken too far, for Wike to say if elections are held 20 times, that Sekibo will win. Is Wike not aware that the voting strength of Emohua, where I hail from, is far bigger than the voting strength of Okrika and Ogu-Bolo (where Sekibo hails from), put together?

    “Has Wike forgotten that I am the chairman of Ikwerre National Forum (INF), the Ikwerre political think-tank that threw so many Ikwerre people, including himself (Rivers governor), to political limelight? Or is it a case of selective amnesia?

    “How then can Sekibo ever beat me in any free and fair contest in Rivers East, with four Ikwerre-speaking councils?

    “It is disrespectful of Wike, a man whom I groomed for 12 years in my capacity as chair of INF, to go about making unfounded utterances, in a bid to stain my hard-earned reputation.”

    The senator-elect also stated that it was worrisome the Rivers governor decided to incite the people against security agencies, simply because Sekibo was legitimately removed from the Senate.

    Uchendu, who represents the district hosting the Government House, and Wike’s Rumueprikom hometown in Obio/Akpor, said: “Rivers people should not allow themselves to be destroyed on Wike’s altar of political brigandage by disrespecting security personnel constitutionally mandated to protect them.

    “My victory at the Appeal Court is dedicated to reconciliation, peace and development. I expect Wike to also toe the same line and allow the state to make progress.”