Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike has accused a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in Rivers State to have spent a whopping N10million to hire thugs to attack voters and disrupt the voting exercise in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state.
The Governor who made the allegation in a state-wide broadcast yesterday in readiness for the rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly elections also claimed that he had been inundated with reports of the partisan activities of the General Officer Commanding 6 Division of the Nigeria Army, Major General Jamil Sarham and the State Commander of the Anti-Robbery Squad, Mr. Victor Akin Fakorede who he alleged “have signed on to unlawfully deploy military and SARS operatives to actualize the APC’s plot to destabilize the State and create avoidable crisis in the state.”
He condemned the “unprofessional and provocative activities of General Jamil Sarham and Mr. Victor Akin Fakorede and plead with the international community to hold the duo responsible for any election-related violence and or crisis in Rivers State.”
He appealed to the Chairman of the National Council on Peace, General Abdusalam Abubakar, the Chief of Army State General Tukur Yusuf Buratai and the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar Adamu to prevail on Major General Jamil Sarham and Mr. Akin Fakorede to excuse themselves from elections duties in the State.
The governor reminded security agencies in the state that the Federal Government had reassured Nigerians that it would not interfere in the process and tasked the security agencies to remain neutral and deal decisively with anyone who attempts to compromise the integrity of the ballot box.
“For us in Rivers State, this is a golden opportunity for us to partake with the rest of Nigerians to move our country forward and shape a brighter future for our children,” Wike stated, adding that “no sacrifice is too much to pay to sustain our democracy.” God loves us and there can be no better opportunity for us to use the power at our disposal to affect the genuine change that we need.
The governor stressed, “We should, therefore, be profoundly inspired and motivated by the frustrations of the postponement of the election to come out in numbers to vote for the candidates of our choice.”
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He told the APC that it has lost the battle to participate in the general elections in the state advising: “There is always another day and as political leaders, we must have the courage to accept the reality, know when to stop fighting for nothing and tell our followers the simple truth, even if it may sound bitter. I would, therefore, advice my brothers in the APC to endeavor to put their house in order, allow the prevailing peace to continue and prepare for 2023.
“If you choose to destroy the State or kill and maim everybody because of power or someone else’s ambition to be President, there may be no one left for you to lord over when everyone is dead.”
Remember, the army and the police officers you are relying on to kill your own people may come and go, but Rivers State will always be. Believe it or not, we are all from Rivers State irrespective of party differences and no other interest can supersede the collective interest of our State.
“Let me assure everyone that the collective interest of our State will continue to guide our actions and we shall continue to accommodate everybody irrespective of party affiliation in our schemes of governance.”
In order to ease transport difficulties, Wike directed the immediate release of 18 luxurious buses to convey people, irrespective of political affiliation, to vote in their communities from today 21st February 2019 and return you back to Port Harcourt after the elections free of charge. The Commissioner for Transport will release details of the routes to be covered by the free bus services.
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