By: Felix Ikpotor
All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate for the rescheduled re-run election in Rivers South-east Senatorial district, Senator Magnus Abe, says the comments of Governor Nyesom Wike, on the December 10 legislative re-run elections has exposed him as a non-democrat but skilled in electoral fraud.
Abe said this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt by his media aide, Parry Benson in reaction to comments made by the governor in Gokana LGA.
Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike at a rally in Gokana Local Government Area of the state accused INEC of conniving with the APC to rig the December 10 rerun election.
The Governor alleged that those shortlisted as adhoc staff of INEC are members of the APC just as he warned those whose names have been shortlisted to stay away on election day.
He called on residents of the area to resist any form of threat from security agencies on the election day, arguing that he had also uncovered alleged plot by security agencies to procure fake Police and army uniforms for political thugs on the election day.
According to Wike : “For me, they are threatening that I will be the first governor they will assassinate. They are threatening that they will show me that they are security agencies. But, I will always protect the interest of Rivers State, no matter the threat.”
“INEC has released a fake list of adhoc staff for the rerun elections before the conclusion of their mandatory training.
“Majority of those on the list are known APC Ward Chairmen and Ward Secretaries who are mainly unemployed, but listed by INEC as staff of the University of Port Harcourt.
“They think that my love for peace is a sign of weakness. But I want to declare that enough is enough. We are supposed to be under an era of change, but the love for fraud by INEC and Police is unprecedented.
“Anyone whose son or daughter is on that fraudulent INEC list should tell him/her to stay away on election day.
“All these desperate actions are geared towards the plot to rig in favour of a particular candidate. But that candidate will not win. The people of Rivers South-East senatorial district must be allowed to vote persons of their choice”
Meanwhile, Abe said it was indecent of the governor to boast of being an election master rigger, pointing out that if it had been in advanced countries, the people would have matched and called for his resignation.
The statement asked how a governor could make a statement such as, “Na me bi their Oga (for rigging). I no give them this kind thing. Na me bi their oga. I no teach them this kind thing. Na who dey teach them all this kind thing? Trans Amadi Police station, you know we have police barrack there near Michelin. Na there wey the SARS Commander dey live, one Akeem.
” Every night, you go see them with this Tundra, this big hilux, black. Them go come. Them go tell all the security people wey dey for gate make them comot. Them go comot. Them go put off the light and bring down materials. I go tell them say me, I be professional. This thing wey una dey do, una bi small children”.
The statement said the comment portrayed the governor as someone who believes in election rigging and employed rigging to come to power.
It, therefore, urged the governor to resign as such statement was an admittance that he was a product of fraudulent election.
The statement enjoined the governor to respect the principle of one-man-one-vote, pointing out that this had been the area of disagreement between the APC and the PDP.
It noted that the governor had been wanting to impose his surrogates against the wishes of the people, adding that the Ogoni people and the entire Rivers South East Senatorial district would resist him.
The statement said the committee was aware of the schemes of Wike who would first accuse his opponents of rigging and turns around to rig the election.
