The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike did not cast his ballot in yesterday’s conclusive legislative election that took place in the state.
This was because election had already been concluded in his ward in Rumuepirikom, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area (LGA) of the state during the March 19 rerun polls.
Apart from the governor’s ward where voting did not take place it was also observed that the rerun election did not take place in many areas of Obio/Akpor LGA.
For instance, in Elelenwo area, no election took place. It was the same for Eneka and Woji areas because voting had already been concluded in these places in the March rerun exercise.
It was gathered from an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) source that it is because the voting in the LGA had already been concluded in the March 19 rerun election and their representatives for state Assembly and House of Representatives have already been sworn into office except the senator for the people where the INEC reportedly locked the results earlier collated in its Strong Room.
But for the yesterday’s polls, it was gathered that INEC would use the ‘doctrine of necessity’ and do supplementary collation in the LGA.
However, there was low voters’ turnout at Unit 20, Ward 12 on Ikwerre Road in Obio/ Akpor LGA as at 11.38am despite the heavy presence of security personnel and INEC officials who were ready to conduct the election.
But no voting was taking place probably because the people were scared of the presence of stern-looking security personnel in the area, which is said to be dominated by non- indigenes.
But in Units 1 and 2 in Ward 11 in Rumuigbo area of Obio/Akpor LGA, voters turn out was impressive and everything was moving on peacefully.
The same situation was noticed at Ward 7 in Rumuokoro area of Obio/Akpor LGA despite heavy presence of security personnel in this area but the voters were not scared.
Tag: Wike
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Wike did not vote
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Amaechi, Wike renew offensive as Rivers elects new lawmakers today
The controversial legislative rerun in the 23 local government areas, spread across the three senatorial districts of Rivers State is clearly a supremacy battle between the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and his former Chief of Staff, Governor Nyesom Wike. Our Bureau Chief in Port Harcourt, BISI OLANIYI, in this preview analysis, writes that efforts are being made by the security agencies and other critical stakeholders to prevent a repeat of the killings, maiming, arson, thuggery, and violence witnessed during the 2015 general elections and the March 19 rerun, which led to the death of over 100 innocent persons and destruction of valuable properties.
THE first salvo was fired by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, in the afternoon of Tuesday, while campaigning for the candidates of his ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas of the state. Wike, a former Minister of State for Education in the Goodluck Jonathan administration, lambasted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies, especially the police, for allegedly colluding with the leaders of the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig today’s rerun.
He claimed that INEC refused to be transparent on the list of collation officers that would be used for the crucial elections, while calling on the Rivers electorate not to be bothered by the alleged plot involving the police, INEC and the APC to use state violence to intimidate voters and cart away election materials. The Rivers governor claimed that INEC was keeping the list of collation officers secret, so that it would use APC members for the strategic role, while urging INEC to release the list of collation officers for public scrutiny, to ensure transparency and accountability. He said: “INEC must make the list of collation officers public.
We (PDP members) must remain vigilant. After voting, women should go home, while youths should remain to protect the votes from the polling units to the collation centres. The youths must wait until the results are announced and party agents are in possession of declared results. “Nobody should intimidate you with security agents. How many persons can they kill? How many people can they beat up? We must defend our votes. “On December 10, we shall drive Satan, the Lucifer and his devilish agents from Rivers State. These are the people who embezzled Rivers money and used the funds to sponsor national politics.
December 10 is their day of reckoning. Satan will disappear from Rivers on Saturday (today). Why would someone hate his people so much that he teamed up with outsiders to cause them pain? I remain committed to peace.” Wike, a former elected Chairman of Obio/Akpor LG council of Rivers State, when Dr. Peter Odili was governor, also called on the international community to assist in stopping members of the APC from using security agencies and INEC to rig the rerun.
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, while speaking with reporters in the night of the same day at the Port Harcourt International Airport, on arrival from Abuja to prepare for APC’s mega rally of Thursday at the Yakubu Gowon (formerly Liberation) Stadium, Elekahia, in the state capital and today’s polls, gave the Rivers governor more than what he bargained for, by accusing him (Wike) of being behind the killings in the state.
He urged APC members and the teeming supporters of the party in Rivers to massively vote for all the candidates of the APC, without fear of attack or molestation, Amaechi, an ex-Rivers governor, asked people of the state to ignore the threats from Wike, his thugs and criminals, stressing that President Muhammadu Buhari had assured of a level playing field, adding that the security agencies were equal to the task of ensuring the safety of lives and property, thereby guaranteeing free, fair, credible and peaceful elections today.
He declared that his successor (Wike) could not deny his alleged involvement and sponsorship of the killing of innocent Rivers people and stalwarts of the APC during the 2015 general elections and the March 19 rerun in the state. Amaechi, a former Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), said: “If Wike and the PDP have justifiable evidence, let them present it to the public and stop blackmailing me or INEC and police. The allegation is immaterial, null and void. “Wike sponsored the persons who carried arms during the 2015 general elections. Even during the campaigns, our (APC) people were beaten, manhandled and others threatened, leaving many dead, but we will not continue to allow these things to happen like that.
“I urge Rivers people to disabuse their minds against comments by the PDP and Wike, which are calculated to rubbish me in the eyes of the right-thinking people, in order to score cheap popularity and further whip up public sentiments to heat up the polity. “Before now, l used to tell my party members to vote and protect their votes, but there have been complaints of indecent attacks from the PDP. So, l have asked the APC members to protect their votes and their lives as well, because the PDP cannot be bigger than everybody.”
The transportation minister also expressed displeasure on what he described as “irresponsible comments” by the Rivers governor, maintaining that on many occasions, Wike had abused the office and privileges of the governor, especially his sudden interception of security operatives who were detailed by law to arrest corrupt judges in some states across the country.
Wike’s ally, Samuel Nwanosike, who is also the Rivers Publicity Secretary of the PDP, however, described Amaechi’s allegations against the Rivers governor as false. Nwanosike said: “Amaechi cannot turn round to say that Wike and PDP are behind the killings in Rivers State, when we are aware of the actions of APC members in the events that occurred during the last elections in the state. “Remember the killing of Barr. Ken Atsuwete (45, a Pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, who was one of the courageous lawyers to APC chieftain, Hon. Ojukaye Flag-Amachree, but murdered in Port Harcourt on August 29, 2016 and buried on November 19 at his Koko hometown in Warri North LGA of Delta State), the same Amaechi and APC members accused the PDP of being behind the killing, but the killers, who were later arrested by the police, confessed that they kidnapped Atsuwete.”
The Rivers publicity secretary of the PDP also claimed that for eight years as governor, the transportation minister was unable to positively impact on the lives of the people of the state, making the wiser people to now be backing Wike and the PDP in Rivers, while calling on President Buhari to allow the Rivers rerun to count. While also speaking, the Rivers Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr. Austin Tam-George, described Amaechi’s allegation that Wike was behind the killings in Rivers State as a sewage of lies. He insisted that the Rivers governor and members of the PDP in the state did not need arms to defeat the APC in Rivers, claiming that Wike’s impressive record of service delivery had won the hearts of people of the state.
Tam-George alleged that APC members in Rivers were suffocating under the weight of Amaechi’s disastrous legacy as governor of the state for eight years. Rivers information commissioner said: “Amaechi was indicted by a court-approved Judicial Panel of Inquiry for stealing public funds. While the APC-led Federal Government may have granted Amaechi unofficial amnesty, the Rivers people have a long memory, and would continue to reject Amaechi and the APC in Rivers State. Amaechi’s attempt to steal the mandate of the people on Saturday, through the force of arms, would be resisted and defeated once again.”
The transportation minister, however, stated that he was never indicted by Wike’s “kangaroo” judicial panel of inquiry, while challenging the directorgeneral of his 2011 re-election campaign organisation (Wike) and his drowning allies to provide evidence to buttress the allegation of corruption they levelled against him. Amaechi said: “As Rivers governor, l overhauled the health and education sectors by promoting free health care and free education. Over 130,000 teachers were employed, including the building of critical infrastructure, roads and youth empowerment, making Rivers people and other Nigerians to experience change.”
In an attempt to conclude the March 19 this year’s legislative rerun in Rivers State, INEC fixed July 30, but was still postponed till October, because the electoral commission’s office in Bori, the traditional headquarters of Ogoniland and the seat of Khana LGA of the state, was set ablaze by unknown persons on July 22. INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Aniedi Ikoiwak, who assured that the rerun would be free, fair, credible and peaceful, disclosed that the elections would hold in 1,840 polling units in the 23 LGAs, spread across the three senatorial districts of the state.
Ikoiwak stated that the bulk of the voting today would be in seven LGAs of Andoni, Akuku-Toru, Bonny, Etche, Ikwerre, Khana and Gokana, while giving assurance that he and other officials of INEC would not take sides. INEC planned to conduct elections in some units and wards of Tai-Ogoni LGA, which witnessed inconclusive polls on March 19, before the December 6 judgment of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, presided over by Justice Mohammed Liman, which Rivers APC’s Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, said only corroborated INEC’s earlier position. The rerun will be to elect three senators, eight members of the House of Representatives and nine (not ten) members of Rivers House of Assembly, excluding Degema constituency, being occupied by an ex-militant leader, Farah Dagogo, based on favourable judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja late last week.
The only elected APC lawmaker in the Rivers House of Assembly, Victoria Nyeche, of Port Harcourt constituency one, is yet to be inaugurated, in spite of a court order, based on Rivers governor’s directive to the leadership of the Assembly. Since his May 29 last year’s inauguration, Wike is yet to allow local government election in Rivers State, with all the 23 LG caretaker chairmen and members belonging to the PDP and they will want to deliver their areas to the PDP.
The governorship candidate of APC during last year’s election in the state, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, expressed optimism that the better and more acceptable candidates of his party would emerge victorious today. Peterside, the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), stated that the security agencies would not allow rigging and violence by PDP members. Rivers Chairman of the PDP, Chief Felix Obuah, however, assured that with Wike’s impressive performance in less than two years in office and the party’s candidates, leaders and members’ vigorous campaigns, there would be landslide victories for his party.
The Rivers Commissioner of Police, Francis Odesanya, also assured of safety of lives and property of the people of the state before, during and after the rerun. Odesanya noted that total restriction of movement of persons and vehicles started from 12 midnight yesterday (Friday) and would continue till 8 p.m. today, both on land and waterways.
The National Secretary of the APC, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, alerted security agencies on massive arms’ build-up by the Wikeled administration in the leadup to the rerun in Rivers. Buni described the alarm by the Rivers governor on the plot to assassinate him as a hoax, meant to deflect attention from the report of arms’ build-up and other sinister plots the Wike-led PDP government planned to execute today, declaring that PDP would lose the elections, once security was tightened in the state. Wike, however, described APC’s national secretary’s accusation as irresponsible, insisting that the party was erected on a sewage of propaganda and deception.
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How to avert violence during rerun, by Wike
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said that the legislative rerun sheduled for tomorrow will not be marred by violence if the electoral commission conducts a free and fair poll.
He alleged that there was an agenda against Rivers State, warning the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies against taking sides with any political party.
Wike, who spoke in Port-Harcourt, the state capital, on the preparation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the poll, described Rivers as the stronghold of the ruling party.
He said: “We are ready for the election. But, our complaint is that there is an arrangement by the INEC to allocate seats to an interested party. The APC cannot win any seat in Rivers State for now because there is no achievement by the Federal Government to use for campaign. What’s the percentage of the APC in Rivers?”
Wike said the PDP has approached the people to vote for its candidates, based on the performance of his administration.
The governor said the misuse of the security agencies and the recruitment of party chieftains as polling officers could lead to violence on poll day.
He said it was wrong for the police command to attach security details to the All Progresssives Congress (APC) leaders without extending the same gesture to their PDP counterparts.
Wike complained that he has been a target of victimisation, blackmail and propaganda by the opposition, ahead of the poll, without justification.
The governor said he had written to the Inspector General of Police about the threat by some unnamed suspects to kill him.
He described himself as a popular governor, saying: “If I work on the street, people will come out to cheer me. It gives me joy. People appreciate what we are doing. There is no part of the state that is not benefitting from our projects.”
Wike maintained that violence can only be averted, if the laid down electoral rules are strictly adhered to by the electoral agency, security agencies and other stakeholders.
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‘Wike committed to 3,000 boarding schools promise’
CHAIRMAN, Rivers State Post-Primary School Board, Chief David Briggs, says the Rivers State Governor, Chief Ezenwo Nyesom Wike is committed to delivering the 3,000 boarding schools he promised to Rivers people before the end of his tenure in office.
He said this while handing over keys to a newly built 18-classroom block completed by Wike at Birabi Memorial Grammar School in Ogoni, Khana Local Government Area of the state.
Briggs, who thanked the contractor, Mr Monday Ugbo, for delivering the job on time, said the facilities required in the classroom blocks and the two hostels would be delivered in four months.
He noted that the progress made so far was a sign of the governor’s commitment to people-oriented projects.
He however called on the Ogoni people to support the governor’s programmes and policies.
Briggs said: “Today, we are not inaugurating the school. It is a handover ceremony. By the time the hostels are ready the governor will come here and inaugurate the project. These classroom blocks are one of the 3,000 boarding schools for secondary schools.
“I want to thank my board members. I want to thank the political leaders in the area for ensuring that the contractor delivered on time. We are representing the governor in this capacity; therefore, it is our responsibility to inform the governor that the job has been completed.
“The job was done and delivered in record time. The two hostels will accommodate 600 students.”
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Why Wike’s CSO was removed, by police
The Chief Security Officer (CSO) to Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike DSP Promise Nwosu was removed because of his involvement in partisan politics, the police said yesterday.
A statement in Abuja by Force spokesman Don Awunah, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DSP), said Promise Nwosu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), was allegedly partisan in his duty.
The police high command said officers were insulated from partisan politics, adding that Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris had set up an investigative panel to ascertain the level of Nwosu’s open engagement in political activities, disrespect to senior officer and unethical practices.
The statement said: “The Nigeria Police Force has observed the innuendos, distortion of facts and wild allegations peddled in the mass media, following the redeployment of the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the Governor of Rivers State, DSP Promise Nwosu, as a result of gross professional misconduct.
“It will be recalled that on November 17, during peaceful demonstrations of an opposition party in the state, All Progressives Congress (APC), Nwosu was found among the protesting party faithful in a manner prejudicial to discipline and displaying conduct unexpected of an officer of his calibre and office.
“In the course of monitoring the public protest, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in charge of Operations in Rivers State observed the presence of the CSO among the protesting partisan crowd as illegal, unlawful and outside prescribed schedule of the duties of a CSO.
“The active presence of the CSO to the governor in a partisan crowd of an opposition party to the governor in a clandestine and suspicious manner was considered mischievous and detrimental to the security of the state and public order and contrary to his oath of office, which constitutes an offence against discipline.”
The statement added: “The CSO to the governor, when challenged by a superior officer, demonstrated brazen indiscipline and showed disrespect to the senior officer, exhibiting conduct that violates all known norms of the force.
“Accordingly, the CSO was officially queried for discreditable conduct, insubordination, engaging in partisan political activities, illegal duty and act unbecoming of a public officer.
“As a result of such gross misconduct and apparent partisanship, the IGP ordered the redeployment of the CSO, pending further disciplinary action. To this end, the IGP has also constituted an enquiry into the officer’s open engagement in political activities, disrespect for senior officers and unethical practices.”
Restating that the police and police officers were insulated from partisan politics, the Force headquarters warned police officers to desist from acts that could portray the force in a bad light and question the integrity of the personnel.
“Any police officer, especially CSOs, aides-de-camp (ADCs), and orderlies attached to political officer holders or senior government officials who engage in activities outside the official schedule, will be removed and made to face severe disciplinary action.”
The police said Wike was free to choose his CSO.
“The governor, as Chief Security Officer of the state, is at liberty to select any officer of his choice from the strength of the command to serve as his CSO. But under no circumstance should any officer abandon the security of his principal and legitimate duties to engage in direct partisan politics or conversely should any political office holder use police officers attached to them for political machinations.”
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Wike launches N500m hospital loan scheme
Givers State Governor Nyesom Wike yesterday launched the private hospital loan scheme at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
The scheme will ensure residents access quality health care.
Seven beneficiaries are non-indigenes; 30 are from Rivers State.
The first batch will enable 37 hospitals access N500 million to upgrade facilities and improve service.
Wike urged the doctors to use the loans judiciously.
He said the government would pay the interests on behalf of beneficiaries, while they will pay the principal sum.
The governor said: “This loan is for private hospitals to improve their facilities. It is not meant for owners of the hospitals to solve personal problems.
“Private hospitals are critical to health care delivery, hence our decision to create this loan scheme to support their improvement.”
He said beneficiaries would form the first batch, adding that their successful application of the funds would lead to another batch.
Health Commissioner Dr. Theophilus Odagme hailed the governor for his investment in the health sector.
He said 17 General Hospitals were being rehabilitated.
Odagme advised beneficiaries to repay the loans so that others can benefit.
Representative of the Nigerian Medical Association Dr. Ibitoru Korubo said the governor’s intervention would revive the health sector.
Dr. Sunny Obele of Sonabel Medical Centre, Eleme, speaking on behalf of beneficiaries, said the scheme should be emulated by other states and the Federal Government.
He said the intervention was relevant because 80 per cent of Nigerians accessed health care through private health facilities.
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Why Wike’s CSO was removed -Police
The Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the Governor of Rivers State, DSP Promise Nwosu was removed because of his involvement in partisan politics, the police said.The Force Spokesman, DCP Don Awunah, in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday while noting that officers are insulated from partisan politics added that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris has set up an investigative inquiry to ascertain the level of Nwosu’s open engagement in political activities, disrespect to senior officer and unethical practices.According to the statement: “The Nigeria Police Force have observed the innuendos, distortion of facts and wild allegations peddled in the mass media following the redeployment of the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the Governor of Rivers State, DSP Promise Nwosu, as a result of gross professional misconduct.“It will be recalled that on 17th November, 2016 during peaceful demonstrations of an opposition party in the state, All Progressive Congress (APC), the Chief Security Officer to the governor, DSP Promise Nwosu was found among the protesting party faithfuls in a manner prejudicial to discipline and displaying conduct unexpected of an officer of his calibre and office.“In the course of monitoring the public protest, an Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations in Rivers State observed the presence of the CSO among the protesting partisan crowd as illegal, unlawful and outside prescribed schedule of the duties of a CSO.“The active presence of the CSO to the governor in a partisan crowd of an opposition party to the governor in a clandestine and suspicious manner was considered mischievous and detrimental to the security of the state and public order and also contrary to his oath of office which constitute an offence against discipline.The statement further read: “The CSO to the governor, when challenged by a superior officer demonstrated brazen indiscipline and showed disrespect to the senior officer, exhibiting conduct that violates all known norms of the force.“Accordingly, the CSO was officially queried for discreditable conduct, insubordination, engaging in partisan political activities, illegal duty and act unbecoming of a public officer.“As a result of such gross misconduct and apparent partisanship, the IGP ordered the redeployment of the CSO pending further disciplinary action. To this end, the IGP has also constituted an investigative inquiry into the officer’s open engagement in political activities, disrespect to senior officers and unethical practices”.The IGP while restating that the Police and police officers are insulated from partisan politics warned all police officers in any capacity to desist from acts that portray the force in a bad light and question the integrity of the personnel.“Any police officer, especially CSOs, Aides-de-Camp (ADCs), and orderlies attached to political officer holders or senior government officials who engages in activities outside the official schedule will be removed and made to face severe disciplinary action”.The police also stated that Governor Wike is free to choose who his CSO from the Command.“The Governor as Chief Security Officer of the state is at liberty to select any officer of his choice from the strength of the command to serve as his CSO but under no circumstance should any officer abandon the security of his principal and legitimate duties to engage in direct partisan politics or conversely should any political office holder use police officers attached to them for political machinations”. -
APC to security agencies: Wike piling up arms
•Governor: allegation irresponsible
ALL Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday accused Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike of stockpiling arms ahead of this weekend’s legislative rerun.
The party said the governor’s allegation that his security detail had been withdrawn was a ploy to divert attention from reports of arms build-up in the state by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the poll.
In a statement yesterday in Abuja by its National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni, APC accused the Wike-led PDP administration of piling up arms to win the election at all cost.
The party said the report by the Rivers State government and the PDP that Wike’s security aides had been withdrawn and that there was an assassination threat on the governor were meant to deflect attention from reports of arms build-up and what it called other sinister plots the Wike-led PDP administration was planning.
APC said: “Nobody is after Wike. The governor and the PDP’s diversionary and false alarm is hinged on the reality that they will lose the legislative rerun once security is tightened in Rivers State.
“Again, the PDP and the Rivers State governor are haunted by their horrible past misdeeds. Nigerians recall how Wike, then a PDP minister, used federal institutions to harass, intimidate and threaten perceived political enemies, particularly Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who was governor of Rivers State.
“Under Wike’s watch, political thugs and criminal gangs have continued to kill and maim APC members and innocent citizens in Rivers State.
“The President, Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration has successively demonstrated the will to ensure that elections are free, transparent and credible. Saturday’s legislative rerun in Rivers State will not be different. The administration does not subscribe to such evil machinations where government institutions are used to achieve political ends.
“The APC hereby calls on security agencies to investigate the report of an arms build-up and be on the alert over the security situation in Rivers State under Wike’s watch and, by extension, the PDP in the lead-up to the Rivers legislative re-run election. Wike’s criminal gangs and PDP thugs must not be allowed to steal votes of the Rivers electorate on Saturday.”
Also, Wike described APC’s allegation as irresponsible.
The governor, who spoke last night through his Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr. Austin Tam-George, said: “This irresponsible allegation confirms yet again that the APC is a party erected on a sewage of propaganda and deception.
“Governor Wike does not need arms to defeat the APC in Rivers State. Rivers residents are sophisticated enough to reject the party that brought economic depression and unprecedented scale of despair and joblessness in Nigeria.
“Rivers people have rejected the nefarious legacy of Rotimi Amaechi and will always punish the APC for his visionless administration.” -
PDP alleges plot to kill Wike
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the alleged withdrawal of the chief security officer (CSO) to Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike on Monday.
A statement yesterday in Abuja by the party’s spokesman Dayo Adeyeye said Wike had raised the alarm of the alleged plot by “enemies”, led by the Federal Government, to murder him.
The statement said: “A serious indication was the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, Mr. Folusho Adebanjo, working on orders of desperate APC-led Federal Government, to withdraw more than 70 per cent security personnel detailed to the Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt.
“Wike had written two letters to the inspector-general of Police (IGP) reporting this obvious breach of his constitutional rights, which have received no response. Instead, the CSO, who happens to be the governor’s No. 1 line of defence was withdrawn as the reply from the IGP.
“This latest development has confirmed that the former Governor of Rivers State and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, in collaboration with his party’s led Federal Government and its security agencies, have finalised plans to assassinate the governor of Rivers State. This is despicable and a complete affront and declaration of war on Rivers people, using the apparatus of state.
“This has again confirmed the serious desperation of All Progressives Congress (APC) to win elections at all cost with no single consideration for the lives of Nigerians.
“It is common knowledge that since the inception of this government, the APC leaders have approached elections in the country with different rigging methods.
“For the record, APC used “inconclusive elections” to rig Kogi, Nasarawa, Imo and some other by-elections but failed in Bayelsa and Rivers states.
“In Edo State, APC, in collaboration with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies, postponed the election on the pretext of security threats to perfect their rigging plans which they successfully implemented during the poll.
“The latest was the Ondo State governorship election, which APC again deployed another method to rig in advance by causing Justice Okon Abang of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court and INEC to delist the name of our candidate, Eyitayo Jegede, for three weeks, thereby incapacitating him from campaigning and selling the manifesto of our party to the electorate in Ondo State.
“On the forthcoming Rivers rerun, they have shifted and delayed the elections for no genuine reasons.
“The new method being applied by the APC against the Rivers rerun is the withdrawal of the security detail of the governor to expose him to the danger of assassination and possibly intimidate him to succumb to their rigging plans.
“This is not acceptable, and if anything happens to …Wike, his family or any of our party members or supporters in Rivers State, Rivers people and, indeed Nigerians, should hold Amaechi and his party leaders responsible…” -
200 policemen withdrawn from Rivers Govt House, says Wike
• Police chief: Governor’s allegations unfounded
•APC: Rivers residents should ignore governor’s allegations
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said the police high command has withdrawn 200 of the 250 policemen posted to the Government House in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The governor accused the police of partisanship, ahead of Saturday’s rerun.
Speaking yesterday on Channels Television flagship breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, Wike said Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had taken several actions, which connoted it was working for a particular party and its interest.
He said: “They (police) have assigned Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) personnel to All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates without assigning any to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates.
“The SARS operatives have been assigned to APC candidates for them to intimidate PDP supporters on election day.
“I have written the inspector-general of Police (IGP) five letters that the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in charge of Operations, Steven Hasso, and the Commander of SARS, Akin Fakorede, have threatened to kill me. But the IGP has not replied to even one letter.”
But Police Commissioner Francis Odesanya said Wike’s allegations about the withdrawal of policemen were false.
The police chief said his officers were still at the Government House.
He urged reporters to investigate the governor’s allegations to present the truth to the public.
Odesanya said: “Go to the Government House; the policemen are there. I don’t want to be repeating the same issue. If the governor said I have withdrawn his police personnel, then it is the work of an investigative journalist to find out the truth in the allegation. I don’t want to join issues with him.”
Wike accused INEC of overheating the polity by its actions.
The governor said the electoral umpire did not behave in ways that made the public has confidence in its duties.
He said security agencies planned to assassinate him.
Wike said his public statements against INEC and the police were backed by incontrovertible facts and intelligence reports in his possession.
The governor said aside weak press statements, INEC and the police could not deny what he called weighty allegations.
He added that during the March 19 rerun in the state, INEC allegedly suspended elections in eight local governments, including Tai, and declared what he called concocted results, four months later, in favour of APC.
According to him, INEC did not list Tai as one of the local governments where rerun would hold.
Wike said before the March 19 rerun, he issued statements that INEC allegedly planned to use APC members as collation officers.
The governor said it was proved that majority of the collation officers, who ran away from collation centres, were card-carrying APC members.
Wike added that he raised the issue of fake result sheets on the March 19 rerun, which he said INEC denied.
The governor said elections were suspended in eight local governments because electoral officers allegedly used fake result sheets, which he said the people resisted.
On the December 10 rerun, he said despite the fact that training was still going on, INEC released a list of ad hoc workers.
Wike insisted that the list was dominated by APC members.
He said: “There is an agenda against Rivers State. I have to defend my people. I have to protect my people.”
The governor reiterated his earlier statement that he had a video footage detailing how the police commissioner and others allegedly plotted to rig the rerun.
According to him, when the video is released at the appropriate time, it will shock the nation about the extent security agents, INEC and the police were allegedly willing to steal the people’s mandate.
Wike said: “Our position is that people should be allowed to vote. They are prepared to lose seven states, in as much as they can take Rivers State.”
The governor insisted that PDP remains the party of choice in the state because his administration had massively developed the state.
He said: “It is our performance that gives us the confidence that we will win. We are always inaugurating and kick-starting projects. We have made positive impact on our people.
“When I walk on the streets, you see people troop out, happy. There is no part of this state that I have not sited a project. That is what gives me joy. My joy is also that we are paying salaries up to date. We have paid pension arrears. There is nothing APC will use to campaign against us.”
He noted that Rivers State is one of the most peaceful where oil exploitation is taking place without vandals destroying pipelines.
Wike stressed that the state, through funding of security logistics and community networking; has ensured protection of national assets.
The governor said: “We are protecting national assets and there has been no pipeline vandalism in the state. Nobody has commended us. Whatever you achieve supporting the Federal Government, they will never agree.”