Rivers rerun: We’ll release video of plot by Rivers CP to rig —Wike

GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has threatened to release the audio visual footages, showing where the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Francis Odesanya, was allegedly plotting, in connivance with the leadership of the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on methods to be adopted for the rigging of the December 10 legislative rerun election in the state.

He said this while flagging off the rehabilitation of the General Hospital, Abonnema in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, on Monday, noting that the audio-visual footages would be made public through different media platforms to expose the alleged rigging desires of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with the backing of the police and other security agencies.

However, the Commissioner of Police, while denying the allegation, said it was a ploy by the governor to distract the police from effectively carrying out their duty during the rerun election, adding that he was committed to a free and free election.

However Governor Wike further alleged that the Commissioner of Police had distributed the 600 policemen deployed for the rerun exercise, working with the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in the state, to prominent APC leaders on a local government basis for the indiscriminate arrest of PDP supporters, few days to the election.

Wike, according to a statement issued by his media aide, Simeon Nwakaudu, in Port Harcourt, on Monday, said, “We are now in possession of the DVD of how the police commissioner and some politicians were planning on how to rig the forthcoming legislative rerun election in Rivers State. At the appropriate time, we shall release the materials for Nigerians to understand the depth of the electoral fraud being perpetrated by INEC and police.

“For the security of this all-important audio-visual material, we have mass-produced them and kept them at different locations. Nigerians are entitled to know the truth about the unfortunate rigging machine.

“Now that we have caught them on tape, this will shake the world. Rivers State is not like other states where you can plot and execute easy rigging plans. We are ahead of them by 50 steps. If they take one step, we take 50. On behalf of our people, we shall continue to monitor these persons who are trying to steal the mandate of our people”.

Reacting however, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Odesanya, described the allegation as blatant lie aimed at distracting him from ensuring a free and fair legislative rerun election in the state and challenged the governor to produce the video tape.

“I cannot respond to such an allegation. You journalist were there when he made an allegation that his police security had been withdrawn, only for him to be seen publicly with some police officers guarding him. You people should tell him to make the video available to the public.

“I cannot respond to something futuristic. These are mere distractions and political intrigues. If you or the governor has anything, please show it. There is nothing like that. I am not interested in rigging. Rather, I am committed to a free and fair election and I am personally convinced that the legislative rerun election will be free and fair”, he added.