Rivers Rerun: Hold Wike Responsible For Any Breakdown Of Law And Order, APC Tells Security Agencies

Nyesom Wike

The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday called on security agents to move in to halt what it described as the madness going on in Rivers State, accusing Governor Nyesom Wike of inciting the people against the Nigerian Army and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Wike had while speaking at the grand finale of the Rivers East Senatorial District Campaign Rally of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at Elele in Ikwerre LGA, on Tuesday, claimed to have uncovered an alleged plot by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and national commissioner of INEC, Mrs Amina Zakari to swap authentic results from polling units during this Saturday’s legislative rerun elections with fake results.

“All those who plan to swap result sheets, may their souls rest in peace. Nobody will rig in Rivers State”, he said.

“Anybody who thinks Amaechi will give them result sheets to swap, should be ready to swap their dead bodies. I have told the REC, you were here before, you can’t play games with me”.

In its reaction, the APC, in a statement issued last night by its National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni, expressed concern over the death threat issued by the governor on INEC officials coming to conduct the Saturday’s rerun election.

The party said it was compiling evidence of the politically-motivated killings in Rivers State which have taken genocidal dimensions under Nyesom Wike’s watch, adding that it will present evidence to national and international law enforcement agencies.

The statement reads: “In the lead up to the March 19, 2016 Rivers State rerun elections, the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is worried by the fresh reckless and irresponsible statements including death threats issued by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) especially on the person of Mrs. Amina Zakari, a National INEC Commissioner who has a record of supervising some of the most credible, free and fair elections by INEC in the past.

“The Rivers State governor has also issued dangerous threats on the Nigerian Army. The Party also views Nyesom Wike’s petition to the United Nations (UN), European Union (EU), Africa Union (AU) and the governments of about 50 countries demanding ‘global surveillance’ for the Rivers rerun election as an affront on the 1999 Constitution (as amended), INEC and sovereignty of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“Nyesom Wike has been in the forefront of inciting the people of Rivers State against INEC and the Nigerian Army.

On Tuesday, Nyesom Wike accused INEC Commissioner Mrs. Amina Zakari of an unsubstantiated and cooked up plot to swap election result sheets in the yet-to-be-conducted election.

“He went ahead to issue a death threat on the INEC Commissioner over the unsubstantiated and cooked up plot. The APC takes Nyesom Wike’s death threats and campaign of calumny against critical national institutions including the Nigerian Army very seriously.

“Under Nyesom Wike’s watch, the country and indeed the international community has been traumatised by the daily lynching, maiming, killing and beheading of APC members and supporters in Rivers State.

“The APC believes that Nyesom Wike’s repeated threats to INEC to ‘write their will’ before coming to conduct elections in the state is real and must be looked into by relevant security agencies.

“The APC calls on relevant security agencies to hold Nyesom Wike responsible for any breakdown of law and order before, during and after the March 19, 2016 Rivers State rerun elections.

“The party also welcomes President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to security services to deal decisively with sponsors and perpetuators of political violence in Rivers State. The Police and other security agencies must ensure that the murderers and their sponsors are brought to book and must face the full wrath of the law”.