Rivers rerun: My CSO withdrawn —Wike

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike  has alleged that the Police High Command has withdrawn in Chief Security Officer (CSO), alongside several policemen from the Government House, Port Harcourt.

The  governor who said  this on Monday, added that 500 senior and junior police officers  were transferred out of the state, while policemen allegedly saddled  with  ulterior agenda, were posted back to the state.

He said with the obvious partisanship  of the police and its alleged plot to compromise his security, he was looking up to God and the youths to protect him.

The governor  said the Police High Command withdrew his CSO after the Assistant  Commissioner of Police, Steven Hasso, allegedly attempted to  invade  the Government House, Port Harcourt  without success.

He said despite the partisanship of the leadership  of the police, the Inspector General of Police  had no vote in Rivers State.

“Does the Inspector-General of Police vote in Rivers State? The APC  can take the IG. For me, I will remain  with the people,” Wike said.

While reacting to the allegation, the  Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Dan Awunah, said the police authorities were not aware that Governor Wike’s CSO had been withdrawn.

Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has condemned the removal of the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the Rivers State governor, Wike, less than five days to the state’s legislative rerun.

“With this ignoble action by the federal government,

it is now clear that the Federal Government is out to subvert the will of the people of Rivers State by whatever means in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

Governor Fayose, who alerted the international community on the imminent danger being posed to Nigeria by the APC-led Federal Government, said; “Nigeria deserves total attention from the international community at this time. The international community should not look the other way while those holding power in Abuja plunge the country into crisis of international magnitude.”

Special Assistant to the governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, quoted the governor as saying that it was getting clearer that Governor Wike was right when he claimed that there was a plot to assassinate him before Saturday.

The governor said President Mohammadu Buhari should be reminded that he sworn to protect all Nigerians, irrespective of the party they belong to.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has called on INEC to demonstrate its independence by ensuring that the forthcoming re-run election in Rivers State is free, fair and credible.

The party made the call in a statement issued by its national publicity secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, in Abuja, on Monday.

Adeyeye also called on security agencies to continue to maintain their constitutional roles and duties of protecting lives and property in the country as well as maintaining law and order during elections.

PDP, according to Adeyeye, however demanded an unreserved apology from Governor Umar Ganduje of Kano State for the people of Rivers State and the South-South region in general for a statement credited to him.

Adeyeye said that Ganduje, who is also the chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Rivers State Rerun Election Campaign Committee, was quoted as saying “having a free and fair election in Rivers State is abnormal.”

Adeyeye said that the governor also boasted that the APC-led Federal Government would deploy massive securities for the Rivers re-run.

“This statement coming from the governor is not only unfortunate; it is ridiculous and absurd to say the least. It is highly unbecoming of a governor to make such an unguided statement that denigrates the people of the whole state and the South-South region in general,” he said.