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Tag: Wike

  • Rivers: Wike suspends 12 local government chairmen

    Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers, on Thursday announced the suspension of 12 Local Government Chairmen in the state.

    Their suspension was announced in a terse statement in Port Harcourt, by Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, Wike’s Special Assistant on Electronic Media.

    According to the statement the suspended Council Chairmen are those of Okrika; Emohua; Abua/Odual; Degema; Khana and Gokana local government areas (LGAs).

    Others are; Ahoada East; Ikwerre; Eleme; Andoni; Omuma; and Ogu/Bolo LGAs.

    Nwakaudu added that the affected council chairmen were suspended for failure to participate in an official function.

  • Take advantage of my olive branch, Wike urges Rivers politicians

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has called on all politicians in the state to take advantage of his post election olive branch for the development of the state.

    Speaking during a congratulatory visit by the Governing Council of the Rivers State University at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Wednesday , Governor Wike said that the state needs peace and security for rapid growth.

    He said: “We want everybody to take advantage of the Olive Branch, if they love the state. We are not afraid of fight, but we want everyone to join us to work for the development of the state.

    “The state is uppermost on our mind. I will do everything possible to promote the peace of the state “.

    He said that anyone who loves the state should be interested in the development and progress of the state.

    “We thank God that all the political tension is behind us. You cannot govern a state when it is not peaceful. We continue to reiterate the need for peace. We want total peace and reconciliation “.

    Governor Wike urged the Rivers State University to take measures to check cultism in the Institution. He advised the university to submit names of cultists to the state government for necessary action.

    On employment of academic and non-academic staff at the University, Governor Wike approved immediate commencement of employment process.

    He stated that the Rivers State Government will implement the de-centralization of the Rivers State University, with the construction of the Ahoada Campus to be started soon.

    Pro-Chancellor of the Rivers State University, Justice Iche Ndu said the re-election of Governor Wike is well deserved as it flows from the people of the state.

    He decried the violence that greeted the election circle and called on the political class to cooperate with Governor Wike to promote peace in the state.

    Justice Ndu implored the Rivers State Governor to invite elders, statesman, church leaders and mediators to take over the peace building process.

    He urged the governor to approve the employment of new academic and non academic staff for the institution.

  • Wike dons peace toga, sends message to Amaechi

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has called on Transportation Minister Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to join hands with him to develop the state.

    It was the end of the road yesterday for the Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) in its battle to unseat the Governor Nyesom Wike-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government in the Southsouth state.

    The Supreme Court struck out three appeals filed by the APC, its candidate in the governorship election Tonye Patrick Cole and members of his faction.

    The governor, in a state broadcast to mark the landmark ruling by the apex court waved the olive branch. He said the state stood to benefit more if all leaders are united.

    The governor specifically urged Amaechi, the leader of the APC in the state, to team up with him in developing the state.

    He said: “Although the present politics of acrimony and bitterness may have strayed from the noble path of the past, I still believe that we shall be better if standing and working together for our state and our people.

    ”I therefore appeal to the APC and the Minister of Transportation to join hands with us to move our dear state forward. We cannot as leaders continue to remain divided and expect government to deliver on its responsibilities to our people. Let us from henceforth seek the common ground instead of allowing our differences to be exploited to retard our march to progress.

    ”I appeal to our people to eschew all acts of acrimony, criminality, unrest, and violence throughout the state. I wish to recommit myself to continue to do all that is humanly possible to ensure the unity and peaceful co-existence of all our people, irrespective of political affiliation”.

    Wike directed the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to review all pending criminal cases linked to politics before the 2019 elections and make necessary recommendations to promote reconciliation.

    He said: “I hereby direct the Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to review all pending criminal proceedings filed against any person by the state and directly related to political activities prior to the 2019 general elections and make appropriate recommendations to me for necessary action to promote reconciliation among us.”

    The governor pledged to run an inclusive government aimed at promoting the state.

    He said: “Today, I recommit myself to be the Governor for all the people of Rivers State for the next four years. Accordingly, we shall form an all-inclusive government to advance the collective interest of all our people, irrespective of party, ethnic or religious affiliations.

    “We have come a long way in the last four years and accomplished a lot to be proud of. But there’s still a lot more to do to advance and realise the ultimate vision of our founding fathers for a truly united, secure, and prosperous State and we need the support of all our people to realize this bold vision.

    “We salute the opposition for their courage to fight within the confines of the law to the end. Now that the legal battle is over, the task of building the State must take precedence over all other considerations.”

    Wike expressed gratitude to God for the Supreme Court judgment, assuring the people that with the judgment all legal tussles have come to a close with the people having nothing to fear.

    He said: “Few hours ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria struck out the consolidated appeals of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Tonye Cole for lacking in merits.

    “With this decision, all legal issues regarding the fielding of candidates by the APC for the 2019 National Assembly, Governorship and State House of Assembly elections in Rivers State have finally and permanently been put to rest.

    “What this further means is that the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidates in the 2019 National Assembly, governorship and State House of Assembly elections is legally safe, secured and protected.

    “I wish to assure you that there is nothing else to fear or be worried about, as there is nothing more the APC or any other person can do to deny us the victory you freely gave to the PDP and its candidates.

    “Let me also express my deepest gratitude to the people of Rivers State for the opportunity to serve you as your Governor for another four years. I am truly humbled by your continued trust and I will not take this support for granted.

    “For me, the collective interest of the people of Rivers State is the reason I am in politics. When you gave me the mandate about four years ago, I committed myself to be the governor for all the people of Rivers State and stayed through to that commitment.”

    Also yesterday, Rivers PDP Chairman Felix Obuah echoed the governor’s call on APC members to join hands with him.

    According to him, yesterday’s ruling by the apex court once more heightened the dignity of the judiciary as the last hope of the common man.

    Obuah, said in Port Harcourt, noted that having exhausted all avenues of defusing the choice of Wike by the mass of Rivers people, the APC had no choice but to acknowledge the obvious fact that the governor’s re-election had divine endorsement.

    He hailed the wisdom and maturity exhibited by Wike, urging the governor to continue to see the state as one united and indivisible stock of God’s people.

    Obuah said: “Members of PDP in Rivers State are delighted and will forever remain grateful to God for seeing them through all the stress and above all, granting the Rivers PDP undisputed victory at last.

    “Today’s (yesterday’s) judgment of the Supreme Court striking out the consolidated appeals by the APC and Tonye Cole (the party’s governorship candidate) has ended the litigation by APC to put a wedge in the wheel of democratic governance in Rivers State.”

  • No court affirmed Omo-Agege as APC candidate for Delta central – Emerhor

    No court affirmed Omo-Agege as APC candidate for Delta central – Emerhor

    Olorogun O’tega Emerhor has disproved the report that the Federal Court in Warri upheld Sen Ovie Omo-Agege and Francis Waive as the duly nominated candidates for the Delta Central and Ughelli North/South/ Udu Federal Constituency in the last elections.

    Emerhor who made the statement through his media aide, Aghogho Orotomah, said he was shocked by the widely circulated false report on Omo-Agege’s affirmation as APC candidate for Delta central’

    The statement reads:

    THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT IN WARRI DID NOT AFFIRM OMO AGEGE AS APC CANDIDATE FOR DELTA CENTRAL SENATORIAL DISTRICT.

    We have received with shock and dismay, the widely circulated false report that the Federal High Court, sitting in Warri, yesterday upheld Sen Ovie Omo-Agege and Francis Waive as the duly nominated candidates for the Delta Central and Ughelli North/South/ Udu Federal Constituency in the last elections.

    There’s nothing further from the truth. We are shocked because NAN, to which the story is credited, simply adopted wholesale the false press statements of Omo-Agege and Waive’s legal counsel, and largely ignored that of Emerhor’s counsel.

    These are the facts of the matter.

    IN VIEW OF THE EARLIER DECISION OF THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT, FHC, ASABA , OLOROGUN OTEGA EMERHOR’S COUNSEL FILED A MOTION TO DISCONTINUE THE WARRI SUIT AND STRIKE SAME OUT.

    THE JUDGE, JUSTICE EMEKA NWITE J., HOWEVER PROCEEDED WITH HIS JUDGMENT .

    HE AFFIRMED THAT THE ASABA JUDGMENT HAS TAKEN CARE OF THE NOMINATION ISSUE AND WOULD NOT GO INTO IT, AND HE DID NOT.

    THE JUDGE ONLY NOTED THAT SINCE OMO-AGEGE WAS NOT JOINED AS A PARTY,HE WOULD NOT DECIDE THE CASE IN HIS ABSENCE.

    HE THEREFORE STRUCK OUT THE SUIT.

    THE REAL PURPORT OF THE DECISION IS THAT THE JUDGMENT OF THE FHC ASABA STANDS.

    We are naturally taken aback by the report credited to NAN. How can a case struck out, not dismissed, for lack of jurisdiction be said to uphold Omo-Agege’s false claim to the Delta Central Senate seat?

    Does the reporter realise that any remarks in court that are not enrolled as consequential orders are obiter dicta, mere expression of opinion not essential to the decision and therefore of no moment?

    We hold NAN in towering esteem and are convinced that the reporter’s tales by moonlight are entirely of his own creation and have nothing to do with the agency and its other hard working employees.

    We herewith attach our statement circulated to him and which he willfully ignored.

    Aghogho Orotomah
    Special Assistant, Media,
    To Olorogun O’tega Emerhor.

  • BREAKING: INEC declares PDP’s Nyesom Wike winner of Rivers governorship election

    BREAKING: INEC declares PDP’s Nyesom Wike winner of Rivers governorship election

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday declared Nyesome Wike of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the March 9th governorship election in Rivers state.

    The Returning Officer for River state, Professor Teddy Adias of the Niger Delta University Otuoke, Bayelsa state who declared Wike winner of the election said he polled a total of 886, 264 votes to defeat his closest opponent and candidate of the African Action congress(AAC), Biokpamabo Awara, who scored a total of 173, 859.

    According to Prof. Adias, “That I, this day confirm that I am the returning officer for this election and that Nyesom Wike of the PDP having satisfied requirement of the law and scored the highest number of the votes is hereby declared winner and stand elected.”

    Earlier, the returning officer had said that a total of 3, 048, 741 voters were registered across the state for the elections, and a total of 1, 130, 445 were accredited, while a total of 1, 123, 840 votes were validated as a total of 249, 324 votes were either cancelled or elections not held.

    Also a total of 1, 123, 840 votes were cast in the exercise.

  • Rivers guber poll: Wike maintains massive lead as INEC resumes collation of results

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday resumed collation of results of the March 9 governorship election in Rivers State. A total of 19 LGAs have so far been collated as at Wednesday morning.

    Two more results from Ahoada West and Gokana LGAs are being expected.

    However, two LGAs, Khana and Abual/Odual will be outstanding to complete the 23 LGAs in the state.

    As it stands, there is possibility that the Governorship result collation committee will declare the final result today, if that happens, then the expected re-run elections in the two LGAs, (Khana and Abua/Odual), may no longer hold.

    Meanwhile the two main contenders have each polled:

    PDP-763,603

    AAC -162, 180

    The committee is to reconvene by 3:00pm for collation of Ahoada West and Gokana LGAs results.

    The results of LGAs collated Wednesday morning is as follows:

    Ogu/Bolo LGA

    PDP-11, 855

    AAC-814

    Obio/Akpor LGA

    PDP-281, 164

    AAC- 7, 495

    Asari-Toru LGA

    PDP-18, 945

    AAC-32, 172

    Degema LGA

    PDP- 12,133

    AAC-5, 071

     

  • Rivers APC kicks as INEC resumes collation of March 9 elections results

    Rivers APC kicks as INEC resumes collation of March 9 elections results

    The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has kicked against alleged plan by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to favour Governor Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Collation of results of the March 9 governorship and House of Assembly elections are resuming tomorrow in the Southsouth state.

    Ahead of the resumption, the party’s Publicity Secretary Chris Finebone, yesterday in Port Harcourt, accused Wike of desperation to be re-elected, thereby depriving the state’s governorship candidate of African Action Congress (AAC), Biokpomabo Awara, of his mandate.

    The APC, which was stopped by the Supreme Court from fielding candidates in the state elections following internal dispute over party primaries, is backing the 40-year-old AAC standard bearer.

    INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of Rivers, Bayelsa and Edo states, May Agbamuche-Mbu, a lawyer, stated in Port Harcourt at the weekend during a stakeholders’ meeting that the commission was not taking sides with any political party or candidate.

    Governor Wike and his AAC challenger Awara were among the stakeholders at the meeting.

    Agbamuche-Mbu also insisted that the results of the elections were not tampered with, but kept in INEC’s strong room, calling on Rivers residents to allow peace to reign in the state before, during and after the activities outlined for the conclusion of the controversial elections.

    Rivers APC, however, said: “We condemn in strong terms, the so-called timeline and activities to conclude the March 9 governorship and House of Assembly elections in Rivers State, as announced at the stakeholders meeting. It is a mere charade, well-organised and choreographed by INEC, in its bid to work from answer to question.

    “The ultimate result can only be to announce their (INEC’s) preferred partner and collaborator (Wike) as the winner, against the AAC’s governorship candidate (Awara), who was clearly in the lead before collation was aborted (on March 10). Whether INEC will succeed in its machinations will be seen in the days to come.

    “Several actions of INEC had prepared the minds of many that the entire exercise was skewed to favour Wike and the PDP, leaving in the process, several questions without answers.

    “How come that Wike knew about the 17 local government areas, which results had been allegedly collated and had posted same on his (Wike’s) official Twitter handle, long before INEC made the announcement? Answers to this and other questions will continue to hang on the neck of INEC like an albatross.”

    The APC blamed the logjam in the Rivers electoral process on what it called a tripartite collaboration between Wike and the INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Obo Effanga, ably assisted by the Administrative Secretary of the commission in Rivers, Elder Etim Umoh.

    But Wike, through his Commissioner for Information and Communications, Emma Okah, declared that APC’s accusation against him was meaningless and senseless.

    The Rivers commissioner, who doubles as PDP Campaign Council’s Information and Communications Director, said: “The APC’s accusation that INEC is favouring Governor Wike does not hold water. It is the same old song; empty, meaningless and senseless. Majority of Rivers people do not take the APC in the state seriously.

    “They (APC members in Rivers State) blame everybody, apart from themselves, for every problem. When they had internal problems that cost them their place in the ballot, they blamed others. When their adopted puppet in AAC could not win one unit in the state, because he was unknown and never campaigned, the APC blamed others.”

    Okah also stated that like a bad workman, who would always quarrel with his tools, leaders of the APC in Rivers would attempt to teach INEC, soldiers, police etc., how to do their job, accusing them of resorting to blackmail whenever they meet a brick wall.

    In his remarks at the stakeholders’ meeting on Saturday, the INEC administrative secretary said: “We have the results for these seventeen LGAs: Ahoada East, Akuku-Toru, Andoni, Bonny, Eleme, Emohua, Etche, Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Ogu/Bolo, Okrika, Omuma, Opobo/Nkoro, Oyigbo, Port Harcourt and Tai. Their (17 LGAs) collation was at the local government level. Collation was not completed in the remaining six LGAs: Abua/Odual, Ahoada West, Asari-Toru, Degema, Gokana and Khana.

    “In Abua/Odual LGA, the materials and men did not even go out to the field. They were frustrated from going out and elections did not take place there. In Gokana LGA, materials and men went out to the field, but none came back, because there was outright violence and everything was destroyed. So, we do not have any result from there.

    “In Ahoada West LGA, out of about 100 polling units, we have results in only 24 and that is not good enough. Asari-Toru LGA was not concluded, but we have the polling units’ results available, but they were not collated. Degema LGA has 17 registration areas, which we call wards in INEC’s context, and collation took place in ten, remaining seven.

    “The seven wards, their results are in INEC’s strong room. In Khana LGA, there was no collation at the local government level, but we have results from the polling units and the collation from some wards available.”

    Umoh also disclosed that the collation, scheduled for between April 2 and 5, would hold at the INEC’s office on Aba Road, Port Harcourt.

    The Rivers Commissioner of Police, Usman Belel, also assured during the stakeholders’ meeting that there would be adequate security of lives and property of residents of the state before, during and after the collation of results.

    Belel, who is also the Chairman of the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) in the state, expressed optimism that the collation would be hitch-free, in view of the stakeholders’ synergy.

    The Police chief said: “As it is usual in every contest, winners and losers must emerge, but the maturity with which the contest’s results is accepted, determines how peaceful the society can be.

    “I wish to appeal to all stakeholders to give peace a chance (in Rivers State) and be magnanimous, either in victory or in defeat, as there will still be Rivers State beyond these elections.”

  • Wike offered me N3 billion, says AAC gov candidate

    The African Action Congress (AAC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Engr. Biokpomabo Awara, has addressed claims by his erstwhile deputy candidate that the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and the All Progressives Congress (APC), forced them to sign post dated resignation letters.

    Aware while expressing disappointment over Yeeh’s resignation and defection to the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) refuted the allegations.

    According to him, Amaechi and the APC offered him and his party unconditional support, because of their shared ideology and love for the Rivers people.

    The AAC candidate, who spoke at a media briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, said Yeeh decamped to PDP because he was under tremendous financial pressure.

    He said, “When the story of his resignation first came out as a rumour, that Rivers State Governor have offered him N200m to abandon me, I had no reason to believe it because that Elder Yeeh was aware I had earlier turned down an offer of N3bn, Gov. Wike offered to me some days ago through his associates. I discussed this with my running mate and outlined why we must not succumb to the lure from the governor or any interest group. I was convinced that we were in agreement because he neither expressed nor alluded to a difference in opinion on the matter.

    “When the rumour became rife by Sunday, I made several attempts to reach my deputy without success. I started developing some strange feelings pointing to a possible sell-out by him.

    “I am aware that a key component of their plot is to attempt to smear the towering image and figure of the Honourable Minister of Transportation Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. I want to state categorically that all the accusations made by my running mate against the Honourable Minister are blatant lies poorly crafted by his paymaster, Governor Wike and associates, and you could see how tough it was for him to read the script handed to him.

    “Let me be clear. I was never asked to and did not sign any letter of resignation. I am aware that my deputy also was not asked to or signed any letter of resignation. My deputy, Elder Akpo Bomba Yeeh, is believed to be under tremendous financial pressure based on his statements.

    “The support the AAC got from the Honourable Minister and the APC was unconditional. Those conditions my deputy alleged in the statement drafted for him by Governor Wike are false, crude lies. The alliance between AAC and APC for the governorship election is as a result of our shared love for the state and our shared vision to liberate Rivers State from the shackles of cultism, rapidly growing poverty and the unsafe nature of our state in the hands of an administration that has wrecked almost everything in our state.

    “It is indeed sad, regrettable, disheartening and pathetic that my running mate will act in the way he did. I feel pity and sorry for him. However, I must be quick to add that it is one move that has no consequences on the AAC governorship ticket. It is inconsequential in all ramifications. No sane man standing an election as crucial as that of Rivers State will say the things he said.

    “One of the reasons I picked him as my running mate was because of the long running relationship between the Ogoni and Kalabari people, dating back to pre-independence. I also chose him because I saw a fatherly figure and capacity in him that could benefit Rivers Youths. I personally saw our joint ticket as Obama/Joe Biden ticket.”

  • Rivers: Wike ‘bribed’ AAC deputy governorship candidate N200m to withdraw from race – APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has alleged that the deputy governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the state, Akpo Yeeh, was bribed with N200 million by Governor Nyesom Wike to defect from the AAC.

    Recall that Yeeh stunned the public on Monday when he resigned his membership of the AAC, defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and pledged political support to Wike who has been battling to survive a tough election battle with the AAC.

    Yeeh’s action came as a surprise to many because his party, backed by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and the APC, has become the major opposition against PDP in the state.

    The court had barred the APC from being on the ballot because of the internal power struggle in the party.

    More so, the governorship and the House of Assembly elections are yet to be concluded in the state.

    “Honestly, I think we are not surprised at the news that the deputy governorship candidate of the African Action Congress, Mr Akpo Yeeh, has resigned the membership of his party to join Wike after collecting N200 million from the government,” the APC spokesperson in Rivers, Chris Finebone, said in a reaction to the development on Tuesday afternoon.

    “We are only reacting to his decision because we adopted in principles, the AAC governorship candidate, Biokpomabo Awara, and the fact that Mr Akpo, for want of justification for his actions, is struggling to lie about the Hon. Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.

    “Even the retarded of the earth know that Mr Akpo simply responded to what many people called ‘stomach infrastructure’.

    “Depending on Mr Akpo’s station in life, N200 million definitely is a once in a lifetime opportunity he had to grab. His ilk totally jettisons their conscience in time like that.

    “We wish him well. We only want to inform Mr Akpo that even as he struggles to reap from a script written by others, that in a few days he came close, he had no opportunity to know or to associate with the minister as to be in a position to say what he is claiming,” Mr Finebone said.

    The Rivers State government has denied that it bribed Yeeh to abandon the AAC.

    “They are talking rubbish,” the Commissioner for Information in the state, Emma Okah, said of the bribery allegation.

    “They are a people who have no shame, trying to distract people’s attention from the calamity which they have inflicted upon the people of Rivers State during the elections.

    “Why do we need to bribe a deputy governorship candidate? Does it change the fact that we won the elections? Are we under any threat by AAC?” Okah said.

    The commissioner said the PDP has won the governorship and the House of Assembly elections in the state.

    “What we can say is to thank the man (Mr Yeeh) for realising that there comes a time in a man’s life when you must tell yourself the truth,” he said.

     

  • Army defends ‘intervention’ in Rivers governorship poll, fingers Wike, INEC, Police in electoral chaos

    Army defends ‘intervention’ in Rivers governorship poll, fingers Wike, INEC, Police in electoral chaos

    The Nigerian Army, on Monday, disagreed with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), over the position it adopted regarding the governorship election in Rivers State.

    It maintained that the electoral body failed to look at the circumstances surrounding its intervention during the conduct of the exercise and more so when it made a presentation to the commission’s fact-finding committee during its visit to the State.

    In a statement issued by the Deputy Director Army Public Relations in Charge of 6 Division, Colonel Aminu Iliyasu, the Army accused the Festus Okoye committee of lack of sincerity in its final report.

    “Headquarters 6 Division Nigerian Army (NA) have observed with dismay and sense of betrayal in the statement made by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) signed by its National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee Festus Okoye Esq on 15 March 2019.

    “The statement according to INEC was the findings of its Fact-Finding Committee that assessed the situation in Rivers State.

    “It is, however, pertinent to note that, representatives of the 6 Division met with the Fact-Finding Committee on Tuesday 12 March 2019 at the INEC Headquarters in Port Harcourt and had honest discussions and made a written submission to aid the Committee in its task

    ” Regrettably, none of the Division’s input form any of the findings of INEC as made public. This clearly indicates lack of trust by an institution that the NA sacrifices so much to assist in the course of performing their role.

    “Genesis of the suspension of Governorship/State House of Assembly elections process in Rivers State

    “What INEC failed to mention or even consider is the fact that at about 10:30 pm on Saturday 9th March 2019, troops of 6 Division NA detailed at the outer perimeter of Obio/Akpor Local Government Headquarters Collation Center were brazenly attacked by Governor Wike’s security aides and armed thugs who stormed the collation center with the Governor in a convoy of more than 50 vehicles while collation of results was going on. In the ensuing melee, Captain Adams Salami was shot at close range by the security aides of Governor Wike while Corporal Adeosun Adebayo was matcheted by Governor Wike’s thugs.

    “Both victims are currently receiving treatment at University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) Intensive Care Unit and Military Hospital Port Harcourt respectively with life-threatening injuries.

    “Thereafter, election materials were carted away and electoral officials abducted by the Governor’s thugs to an unknown destination. This was made known to the INEC Fact-Finding Committee but INEC does not see it worth condemning or mention in its report.

    “Consequently, after due consultations and considerations between 6 Division and the Rivers State Police Command on Sunday the 10th of March 2019, the Rivers State Police Command, on their own, – took the initiative to invite the media to the hospitals where the 2 victims are receiving treatment and thereafter to host a press conference on the matter with the view to dissociate itself from the unprofessional conduct exhibited by their men attached to Wike and tell the public what disciplinary action the command will take or is already taking.

    “However, while the visit to the victims was accomplished and the 2 victims interviewed by the media, the press conference was aborted by the Police after journalists have been assembled.

    “Coincidentally, a rescheduled press conference on the matter was also aborted on Thursday the 14th of March 2019. Most disheartening is that while the Rivers State Police Command accepts the involvement of their personnel in the attack at Obio/Akpor LG Headquarters, till date those personnel have not at least been reprimanded.

    “To this end, – in the circumstance, – the 6 Division NA as a stakeholder in the 2019 General Elections takes exception to the lopsided and therefore unfair INEC report and is hereby strongly and totally rejected by the NA.

    “The Division is equally disappointed with the attitude exhibited by the Nigerian Police in this regard and hereby request the police leadership to commence full scale investigation of those security aides to Governor Wike that attacked troops at the Obio/Akpor LG Headquarters Collation Center and shot at Capt AA Salami with a view to appropriately sanction those found responsible/culpable. Until that is done, Headquarters 6 Division NA will have to review all existing joint activities with the Rivers State Police Command,” the statement read.