Chukwudi Akasike, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said that the “invasion” of the state by security agents during the December 10 legislative rerun was an indication that the 2019 general election will be a Tsunami of sort.
Wike said Nigerians should expect fighter jets to be used during the next general elections, wondering why the military, 28,000 policemen and gunboats should be used for an ordinary legislative rerun.
The governor, who addressed journalists on Thursday night, observed that even Divisional Police Officers in the state were transferred a day before the rerun.
He said, “If you can have an invasion by the military, police, DSS and INEC for an ordinary legislative rerun election, then if you have presidential and governorship election, it will be a Tsunami.
“There will be fighter jets; they will locate people’s houses and bomb them because that is the only thing remaining. That is why I said anybody who is thinking about 2019 is wasting his time.
“28,000 policemen, three gunboats and others; even DPOs were transferred a day to the election. Some of the security agents had charms in their vehicles for the legislative rerun. They must bomb everybody who does not agree with them,” he added.
On the audio clip alleging that he threatened officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Wike described the material (audio clip) as contrived, adding that it was sponsored by the All Progressives Congress.
He said, “When you look at certain things, you just laugh. At no time did I speak to any electoral officer, let alone issue threats to any electoral officer. There is nowhere I spoke to an electoral officer, threatening him or her as the case maybe.
“It is totally not correct. The major issue is: did the police participate in rigging election? Did the army participate in rigging the election? Did INEC compromise?
“Let them face the reality and stop chasing shadows. What is audio clip? What can’t this government do? I don’t have an orderly; I don’t have a chief security officer, I don’t have camp commandant. All were taken away before the election.”
The governor said rather than bring the SARS Commander, Mr. Akin Fakorede, to justice for the roles he played during the rerun, as captured on video, the police authorities arrested the policemen who accompanied him (Wike) to stop the commander from swapping Rivers East Senatorial District results sheet.
He said, “They have now arrested and detained the policemen, who accompanied me to the collation centre to stop him. Even Akin Fakorede, who was caught on video, has been released so that police can bungle it. What kind of country is this?
But the State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Chris Finebone, said Wike was caught pants down and had nowhere to hide.
Finebone said, “It is important to state that the APC have on several occasions in the past been brought under scrutiny by Sahara Reporters to the amusement of Wike and the PDP. But today, they have found it convenient to associate the APC with Sahara Reporters.
“That is absolute falsehood coming from him. Governor Wike should think of a better response, which we doubt he has because the audio recording is clear to everyone that it is the voice of the governor threatening to kill people.”
PUNCH
