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Tag: Wike

  • Wike, others accused of plot to bomb INEC offices

    •Allegation baseless, says governor

    Members of Ken Saro-Wiwa Associates have accused Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and his allies of planning to bomb the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the four local government areas in Ogoni – Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme – ahead of the December 10 legislative rerun.

    The group, through its National Coordinator, Gani Topba, spoke yesterday on Rhythm 93.7 FM in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

    The group said it had privileged information that Wike and his supporters in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) planned to carry out the plot in the next few days to cause confusion that would lead to the postponement of the crucial polls.

    But the governor, through one of his allies, Sidney Tambari Gbara, who is also the Chairman of PDP in Khana Local Government Area, said the allegation was untrue, baseless and frivolous.

    Gbara said the Wike administration built the INEC office in Bori, the traditional headquarters of Ogoni land and the seat of Khana Local Government Area, adding that the governor would not bomb the same building.

    The governor’s aide described Topba as a political jobber who being used by his paymasters in the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He urged him to be concerned about his future, saying those allegedly using him did not have political future.

    There was an attempt to conclude the March 19 legislative rerun in Rivers State when INEC fixed July 30 for the poll.

    But it was postponed till October because the commission’s office at Bori-Ogoni was torched by unknown assailants on July 22.

    APC’s candidate in the Rivers Southeast, Senator Magnus Abe, who is a former Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG) in the Rotimi Amaechi’s administration and a strong governorship aspirant in 2015, is seen as Wike’s headache because of 2019 governorship battle.

  • Ex-deputy Speaker Opara predicts victory for Wike, PDP

    Ex-deputy Speaker Opara predicts victory for Wike, PDP

    A former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Austin Opara has predicted victory for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the December 10 legislative rerun.

    He said Governor Nyesom Wike had all it takes to defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Opara said: “Governor Wike is a master planner and a strategist who knows how to win elections in Rivers State. This is because he knows the political temperament of the people. As we speak, PDP controls all the 23 local government areas, occupies all the 25 declared House of Assembly and three declared House of Representatives seats. When you add those to Wike’s uncommon and people-oriented democracy dividends, which have culminated in the relative security of life and property in the state, you would agree that no force on earth could truncate PDP’s victory. Even the opposition knows it, hence they want to scuttle the election.”

    The former lawmaker said Rivers electorate would vote the PDP to reward Wike for his infrastructural and human resources development initiatives.

    Wike’s developmental strides, he said, had not only given the state a new lease of life but had also restored the people’s confidence.

    The former deputy speaker spoke at the weekend in Port Harcourt, the state capital, when members of the Coalition of Rivers Patriots visited him.@

     

  • Wike criticises Buhari, APC leaders on change agenda, credible polls

    Wike criticises Buhari, APC leaders on change agenda, credible polls

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to show the impact of the party’s change agenda.

    The governor also called for credible elections in Nigeria, ahead of the December 10 legislative rerun across the three senatorial districts of the state.

    Wike, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a former Minister of State for Education, said he would not be frustrated to implement his agenda for Rivers State.

    The governor said APC’s governorship candidate in during last year’s election in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, lacked experience in governance.

    He also said the party’s candidate for Rivers Southeast Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe, as well as other APC candidates would be defeated during the rerun.

    Wike, who was a guest at the weekend on a phone-in programme, Viewpoint, on Rhythm 93.7 FM in Port Harcourt, the state capital, said there was relative peace in the hitherto volatile Niger Delta state.

    Peterside, who is also the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), had said based on privileged security information, Rivers had been leading in insecurity in Nigeria in the last 10 months.

    The former House of Representatives member said Wike had no political will to fight crimes, adding that having failed to ensure good governance, he should resign and return to his Rumueprikom, Port Harcourt hometown in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

    The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) chief noted that criminal activities, especially kidnapping, cultism, robbery and sea piracy, had been on the increase in Rivers State since May 29, last year, when Wike became governor.

    He said his party did not have any record of violence, unlike the ruling PDP.

    Peterside urged APC members and other Rivers residents to vote without fear of attack or molestation for APC on December 10.

    But Wike said: “President Buhari should show Nigerians what he means by change. I have not seen any change in Nigeria. I want Rivers State to be peaceful. I will support free, fair and credible elections in Rivers State on December 10. They (APC leaders) should not cause crisis in Rivers State and run to Abuja.

    “All the strategy of the APC is to rig elections. Everybody should be mobilised and come out fully. Nobody can intimidate you with arrest or detention. There will be no opportunity for APC members to rig elections on December 10. We (PDP members) have the capacity to resist rigging. I am campaigning because I want PDP candidates to win.

  • Wike, Kano governor disagree over Rivers rerun poll

    Wike, Kano governor disagree over Rivers rerun poll

    AHEAD of the December 10 rerun election in Rivers State, the Chairman of state All Progressives Congress (APC) rerun election Campaign Committee, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, on Friday said that it will be easy for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than to have a free and fair elections in Rivers State and the southern part of the country.

    Ganduje, however said that everything will be done to change the trend and have free and fair elections in the state. He spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He said: “We are prepared, we just came out of the Ondo elections, we have fresh ideas, even though both environments are different, but we have our own strategies.

    Like in Ondo State, we must ensure we have a free and fair election. “You know that in that part of the country, having a free and fair election is not normal and we have to make it normal this time. We must ensure that there is security, so that the people will come out and vote.

    That’s our main preoccupation at the moment. We are making wider consultations with stakeholders and we believe we will succeed,” he said. He said he was at the Villa to brief the President on the security situation in Kano, especially the fallout from the north western part of the country, where some Boko Haram members and Kidnappers are fighting to dominate the forest. He said: “They came back from Sambisa forest so that they can be operating from another part of the north western part of the country. So, the security agencies are working very hard.

    A lot of arrests have been made and investigation is going on. “We won’t allow them to dominate Kano and make it as a launching pad, since the cosmopolitan city of Kano is an attractive place for such elements to come in. The security agencies have apprehended about three or four of them,” he stated According to him, the President is happy with the situation in the state.

    On economic the summit between Lagos and Kano, he said: “We appointed a technical committee. It is working on that, and we are examining the business relationship between Lagos and Kano. We take advantage each state is having and we will invite Mr President to the summit.

    “The summit will hold in Kano. The governor of Lagos State has agreed it should hold in Kano. There are similarities between Lagos and Kano, both are mega cities. Lagos is the largest commercial city in Nigeria while Kano is the largest commercial city in the north. “We are both cosmopolitan and our developmental challenges are the same in terms of providing social amenities, security, urbanization.

    There is a need to look inward now that money is going down so we need to take comparative advantage of both states. Reacting to the claim that having free and fair elections in Rivers is abnormal, the state governor, Nyesom Wike said elections in the state have been normal.

    “It is unfortunate if he said so. As far as I am concerned, elections have been normal in my part of the country. All we are asking for is free and fair election. “Is Governor Ganduje speaking on behalf of INEC? Is he the one conducting the elections now?, he queried. He added: “I have respect for him as an elderly person, but his statement is unfortunate. “When his friend won the governorship election in Rivers State, the election was normal. The election was also normal in Edo State where his party won. “We are waiting for him to come and perform the magic he did in Kano State,” Wike stated

  • Wike, police chief quarrel over alleged rigging plot

    Wike, police chief quarrel over alleged rigging plot

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and Police Commissioner Francis Odesanya have traded words over an alleged plot to rig the December 10 legislative rerun.
    Wike threatened to release the audio-visual footages of the police chief’s alleged plot with politicians on the methods to adopt for the planned rigging of the poll.
    But Odesanya told our reporter that Wike was only playing politics.
    The governor spoke on Monday while kick-starting the rehabilitation of the General Hospital at Abonnema in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area.
    The governor noted that the audio-visual footages would 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 added that Odesanya had “given out” the 600 policemen with the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to prominent All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders for alleged indiscriminate arrests of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporters few days to the election.
    The governor said the 600 SARS operatives would also be used to unleash 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 to rig the forthcoming legislative rerun 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 then 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 said the content of the video would shock the world.
    He said: “Now that we have caught them on tape, this will shake the world. Rivers 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 alleged video footages.
    He said: “It is all politics. Let him make his evidence public. The last time, he said I withdrew his security personnel, which is not true. I am waiting when the video will be released. Then, I will respond.”

  • Buhari, APC, Wike felicitate with Atiku at 70

    Buhari, APC, Wike felicitate with Atiku at 70

    President Muhammadu Buhari, All Progressives Congress (APC) and Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike have felicitated with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar at 70.

    In a letter he signed, Buhari said he was delighted to welcome Atiku “to the 70s club”.

    Buhari, according to a statement by Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, prayed that Allah grants the former Vice President “many more years of good health and service to Nigeria”.

    He added: “Over the years, I have admired your courage and doggedness in defending your interests and your generosity in promoting education. The American University in Yola is one of your noble legacies and my hope and wish is that it will endure.”

    The President said himself and the former Vice President should be grateful to Allah, who granted them grace to be in the 70s’ club.

    The APC, in a letter signed by the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, hailed the Turakin Adamawa for his solid contributions to the party’s growth and for entrenching democracy.

    The letter reads: “Our party, All Progressives Congress, celebrates with you on the occasion of your 70th birthday.

    “The history of Nigeria is incomplete without copious reference to your immense contributions to the social, political and economic development of the country.

    “Over the years, you have proved yourself as a democrat, detrabalised leader, elder statesman, successful businessman, political icon and philanthropist.

    “The party lauds your investment in the country’s education sector and other business ventures. These investments have touched lives positively and generated employment for Nigerians.

    “As a party leader, the APC attests to your solid contributions to the growth of our party and for entrenching democracy in the country.

    “The APC wishes you many more happy, healthy and fulfilled years of service to the party and nation.”

    Wike praised Abubakar for his political resilience, business acumen and generosity of spirit.

    The governor described the former Vice President as a Nigerian patriot, whose multi-dimensional career spanning over five decades has been marked with success at every turn.

    “Like old wine, Atiku Abubakar’s political and business potency have increased with age.  His boundless philanthropy has benefited many across the country,” Wike said.

  • Fayose, Wike, PDP hail judgment

    Fayose, Wike, PDP hail judgment

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed delight at yesterday’s Appeal Court judgment, which upturned the lower court’s ruling regarding Saturday’s governorship election.

    The appellate court, in a ruling by a panel of justices, had nullified the substitution of Eyitayo Jegede with Jimoh Ibrahim as the PDP candidate.

    A statement by the spokesperson of the Caretaker Committee, Dayo Adeyeye however, insisted on having the election postponed, to enable its candidate enough time for campaign.

    The party thanked the Judiciary “for standing behind the truth” as if affects the attempt by “enemies within” working in consonance with “some jittery and desperate opposition members”.

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose described the judgment, which also de-recognised Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the party’s National Chairman,  as “getting rid of a bad smelling onion”.

    Fayose said Sheriff misused the opportunity given him and wanted to pull down the party in alleged collaboration with outsiders.

    “That the Court of Appeal described him as an impostor is very apt. We are happy that our party has been liberated from the claws of those that wanted to kill it. We are going to come out stronger. We are the party to beat,” he said.

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike commended the Judiciary for standing by the truth.

    Wike advised Nigerians not to lose hope in the Judiciary, no matter the level of attacks on judicial officers.

    He said no matter the level of intimidation, there are resilient judicial officers,  who will always enthrone the rule of law.

    The governor urged the people to vote for Eyitayo Jegede so that he can continue with the giant development strides of Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

  • Rivers rerun: Nobody can impose representatives on Rivers, says Wike 

    Rivers rerun: Nobody can impose representatives on Rivers, says Wike 

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has said the state is too big for anybody to impose representatives on the residents.

    The governor said the people should be allowed to elect their representatives.

    Wike spoke yesterday at Saint Paul’s Anglican Church in Port Harcourt, the state capital, during a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) dedication service to begin the campaign for the rerun/supplementary election.

    The governor urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be neutral in performing its duty during the rerun and ensure that the will of the people prevails.

    He said: “This election will prove whether INEC is ready to conduct free and fair elections in Nigeria.”

    Wike said the PDP remained committed to violence-free polls, adding that the party’s opponents should play within the rules of engagement.

    He said: “What causes violence during elections is when the umpire wants to manipulate, rig or write results. We will resist any attempt to write results.

    “The PDP will not be involved in anything violent, but we will not allow anyone to steal our votes. We will protect our votes and make sure that the people’s mandate is declared.”

  • Wike, PDP vow to resist rigging

    Wike, PDP vow to resist rigging

    Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike and chieftains of People Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday vowed to mobilise against any plan to rig the Rivers rerun scheduled for December 10.

    They said they will not have confidence in the rerun until those arrested with fake result sheets were investigated honestly and the culprits prosecuted.

    Speaking in a function at the weekend, Wike alleged that he has uncovered a plot by the police command under the supervision of the Assistant Inspector of Police (AIG) Zone 6, Abubakar Marafa to kill the evidence emanated from the arrest of the suspects.

    He said he had no confidence with the AIG handling such a serious matter, alleging ”there is conspiracy among those who want the AIG zone 6 to handle the matter.”

    Governor Wike said: “The way things are going regarding the prosecution of the suspects, it has become clear to us that the rerun election scheduled to hold on December 10 may likely be manipulated.

    “We are calling on the Police authority and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to adhere to the advice of President Muhammadu Buhari on the need to conduct a free and fair election in Ondo and Rivers State. Rivers people are ready to resist any attempt to manipulate.”

    Rivers South-East PDP chairman, Chief Monday Ngbo, said the party’s supporters were on alert to mobilise against manipulation of the rerun.

    Ngbo, who spoke at the official  handing over of  keys to the newly built schools constructed by Wike’s administration in Ogoni, said anybody planning to rig the election will have him or herself to blame.

    He said: “For me I don’t think anybody is trying to rig the rerun, but if there is anyone thinking to manipulate the will of the people then that person is playing with fire.

    “In Ogoni, we are ready for the rerun and we believe that INEC is going to do the right thing.”

    Another PDP chieftain, Mr. Samuel Nwanosike, who is the caretaker committee chairman of Ikwerre Local government area, said any attempt to rig Rivers rerun will led to strong resistance.

    He said Rivers State is a PDP state, making it impossible for anyone rig election.

    He alleged the manipulation that happened in Edo state cannot work in Rivers State.

    Responding, the Police Public Relations Officer of Zone 6, Barry Nwibani, said the AIG zone 6 is not aware of the transfer of the matter to him.

    He pleaded to be briefed on the issue when details of the matter are available to him.

  • Wike, INEC and Rivers rerun election

    As the new date for the Rivers State rerun election inches closer, some political actors in the state have started reigniting signature inflammatory rhetoric. The state governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, in particular has put forward conspiratorial theories on purported  plan by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  to manipulate the election results in favour of his party’s opponent.

    Many are not too surprised about this claim – a claim they view as antics of politicians based on their seeming incurable penchant to deploy everything in their arsenals to win at all cost in every elections. Nonetheless,  the unsubstantiated allegations and brazen attacks  being thrown at INEC on daily basis by these actors since the announcement of December 10 as the new date for the rerun election continues to bleed the heart.

    Why will people be casting aspersion on the credibility of INEC just for a singular aim of achieving their selfish political agenda not minding the negative effect  such actions will have on the electoral umpire as one the major organs that is sustaining democracy in the country? The Prof. Mahmood Yakubu-led INEC has left no one in doubt of  its unwavering commitment not to renege on its pledge to ensure that  all elections conducted under its watch are not only free and fair but also credible. That was why I was shocked  to the marrows of my bones recently when I heard that Wike accused the electoral umpire of  colluding with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig the rerun election. Interestingly, the APC also accused INEC of working with Wike’s party to rig the election.

    Though Wike and his co-travelers in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are not wrong to raise alarm over the syndicate that was recently bursted for printing fake election result sheet for the  rerun election, pointing accusing fingers to INEC  was not only out of place but was also a well calculated plot to  rubbish the image of the electoral umpire. The posers  any sane mind should ask those accusing  INEC  for this ugly development are many. Does INEC  really need to churn out fake election materials to manipulate result? If INEC truly wants to rig the election, why will it do that when it can produce any amount of original materials it deems fit for any election?  Has INEC released the sensitive materials for the election, which is always done few hours to the election, to know if there is any correlation between the fake and original materials? Has investigation been concluded on the issue to really know the face behind the syndicate?

    While I am not in any way holding brief for INEC, it is important to remind Nigerians that even the APC in Rivers State has  also  in number of times accused the same INEC  of favouring PDP in the state . This shows that INEC is unbiased and does not take instruction from politicians. Some elections recently conducted across the country which saw  to the emergence of  winners from different political divides testified to this. The  senatorial election conducted in Kogi State were won by PDP; same as Bayelsa gubernatorial election, while APC won the governorship in Edo and Kogi states.

    That  is why I have always dismissed with a wave of hand those who accused  INEC of delaying the Rivers rerun election to favour a political party. To put the record straight, before  Senator Ike Ekweramadu’s motion  on the non-conduct of election in Rivers State which resulted  in  the Senate threat to stop plenary if the election is not conducted by December 10,  the electoral body had earlier fixed the date for the rerun for the sme date. In fact, Ekweremadu’s motion had intended to slam an immediate ultimatum on INEC if the election is not conducted before end of November, which prompted the chairman of Senate committee on INEC, Senator Abubakar Kyari to inform the Senators that the commission already told his committee that it would conduct the Rivers election on December 10!

    It is  unfortunate that instead of blaming politicians for delaying the election, all sorts of invectives are erroneously being poured on INEC  for allegedly orchestrating the delay  in spite of the commission’s readiness for the elections. Many have also gone as far as saying that if election can be successfully conducted in ‘Boko Haram-torn  Sambisa forest’ what is stopping INEC to delay elections in Rivers State.

    The answer to this is simple, Boko Haram goal is to carve out a territory for itself, hence they are not interested in what goes on in the nation’s political system. On the other hand, in Rivers State, political actors always go to the  trenches in any election to win by force. They use all measures; they divide to conquer, supplying arms and money to unemployed youths who are used and dumped after the election. They instigate people to fight and kill each other because of election, in order to be able to achieve their objectives. The consequence of this has been damning. In the March 28 rerun election in the state,  seven people were  said to have lost their lives in the state, including a youth corps member, Okonta Samuel, and two soldiers.

    Political actors in Rivers State should learn from the September 28, Edo State gubernatorial election  that was totally devoid of violence; it is no doubt a testament to the competence of  INEC  in guaranteeing credible and conclusive polls when political actors and other stakeholders play according to the rules.

     

    • John, a public affairs commentator, writes in from Lagos