RIVERS State governor, Chief Ezenwo Nyesom Wike yesterday described the audio tape portraying him to be admitting to bribing some electoral officials and threatening to kill them as cover up for the atrocities the All Progressives Congress (APC) committed during the December 10 rerun election.
Wike, who spoke at the Government House, Port Harcourt, expressed surprise about the source of the allegation as he rhetorically asked: “Did they say I spoke to electoral officers or a third party? You see, when you look at certain, thing you will laugh. Tell me, so that I will know where to answer.
Who can tell me where I spoke with the electoral officer. What did I say? I never said anything. “This is just a cover up for the atrocities they committed and as far as I’m concerned, no electoral officer will say I spoke to him or her. When I heard that my media people have reacted on the issue, I said they shouldn’t have bordered themselves because I know Sahara Reporters very well
When I was the Chief of Staff, there was nothing they did say about me.” Wike stated that what he saw during the legislative rerun election was enough to tell Nigerians that there would not be free and fair election in 2019 election. He said: “It is very clear that there will be no election in 2019.
If they could invade the state for ordinary legislative rerun election aided by the security agencies, and even the Independence Electoral Commission (INEC), then Nigerians should forget about anything credible in 2019 election. The implication is that anybody who refuses to accept to align with their manipulation will die before or on the election day.
On why he led some of his supporters on peaceful protest to the state police command, Wike said the protest was not just for the PDP but for the people of the state who were tired of the killing of innocent people in the state by the police and other security operatives.
He noted that the people and government of the state were particularly dissatisfied with the recklessness of two senior policemen: the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Steven Hasso and the Commander of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Mr Akin Fakorede who he alleged to have led the sponsored onslaught against the people.
“We demand that the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Steven Hasso and the Commander of Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS) Akin Fakorede must leave the state. “The role of the security personnel in this election has made me to say I will not support them again. If they need support, they should go to NDDC.
I’m not the Federal Government. Since they cannot protect Rivers people, we cannot support them anymore with Rivers money.” When contacted, the Rivers State Police Public Relations, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Omoni Nnamdi simply said: “ The governor led a protest to our command and DC Cyril Okoro addressed them and promised to channel their message to the appropriate quarters.”
-thenation
