Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike of Rivers State has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of overheating the polity by its actions which, he claimed, do not inspire confidence in stakeholders .
The governor also reaffirmed his statement that security agencies operating in the state are planning to assassinate him .
According to a statement issued by the Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, the Governor spoke on Channels Television breakfast programme: “Sunrise Daily” on Monday, stressing that several actions of the electoral body connote that it is working for a specific political interest and political party.
He said all his public statements against INEC and the Police are backed by incontrovertible facts and intelligence in his possession . He said aside weak press statements, INEC and Police have failed to deny these weighty allegations
He said that during the March 19 Rerun elections in Rivers State , INEC suspended elections in 8 Local Government Areas including Tai Local Government Area , only for the same INEC to wake up four months later to concoct results in favour of the APC .
The governor pointed out that INEC did not list Tai Local Government Area as one of the areas where rerun elections would be held , noting that such action was unbecoming .
He said that ahead of the rerun elections , the police is overtly partisan.
The governor said: “They have assigned Special Anti-Robbery Squad ( SARS) personnel to APC Candidates, without assigning any to PDP candidates .
“These SARS personnel have been assigned to the APC candidates for them to intimidate PDP supporters on Election Day.
“I have written the Inspector General of Police five letters that the Assistant Commissioner of Police , in charge of Operations , Steven Hasso and the Commander of SARS , Akin Fakorede have threatened to kill me. But the Inspector General has not replied even one letter.
The governor further confirmed that the Police High Command has withdrawn 200 out of the 250 policemen posted to Government House , Port Harcourt .
He recalled that before the March 19 rerun elections , he made clear statements on the fact that INEC planned to use APC members as collation officers . He said it was proven that majority of the collation officers who ran away from collation centres were card carrying APC members.
He added that there was also the issue of fake result sheets raised by the him for the March 19 Rerun elections , which INEC vehemently denied, but on March 19, the elections were suspended in 8 LGAS because electoral officers introduced fake result sheets , which were resisted by the people .
He noted that for the December 10 rerun elections , despite the fact that training was still going on, INEC released a list of adhoc staff to conduct the December 10 rerun elections dominated by APC members .
Wike said: “There is an agenda against Rivers State . I have to defend my people . I have to protect my people “.
He reiterated his earlier statement that he was in possession of a video footages which detail how the Rivers State Police Commissioner and others plotted to rig the rerun elections .
The governor said that when released at the appropriate time, the video would shock the nation as to the extent the security , INEC and Police rigging machine are willing to go to steal the mandate of Rivers people .
“Our own position is that people should be allowed to vote. They are prepared to lose seven states, in as much as they can take Rivers State “, he said .
He said that PDP remains the party of choice in the state because his administration has massively developed the state .
“It is our performance that gives us confidence that we will win. We are always commissioning and flagging off projects . We have made positive impact on our people .
“When I walk on the streets, you see people troop out, very happy . There is no part of this state, I have sited a project. That is what gives me joy.
“My joy is that we are paying salaries up to date. We have paid pension arrears . There is nothing APC will use to campaign against us”.
He noted that Rivers State is one of the most peaceful of the Federation where oil exploitation is taking place without vandalism of pipelines . He stressed that the State Government through funding of security logistics and community networking; has ensured the protection of national assets.
The governor said : “We are protecting national assets in Rivers State and there has been no pipeline vandalism in the state . Nobody has commended us. Whatever you achieve supporting the Federal Government , they will never agree”.
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