Rivers Rerun: Security Agencies Plotted to Make Rivers Ungovernable, Says Wike

Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared that the violence that trailed the rerun elections in the state was orchestrated by security agencies with a motive to making the state ungovernable for politically-motivated reasons.

The governor also announced that the police high command had arrested all his personal police detail who accompanied him to stop Police Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) Commander, Akin Fakorede, from rigging Rivers East senatorial district.

He said all the said policemen had been detained in Abuja by the police high command.
The governor spoke tuesday in Port Harcourt when he received members of the Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council who paid him a Christmas goodwill visit.
He said the police high command was insisting that the policemen shouldn’t have accompanied him to stop Fakorede.

Wike explained that he was compelled to take action because the previous day, policemen and soldiers were used by the All Progressives Congress (APC) at Ikwerre Local Government Area to beat up PDP agents and force collation officers to concoct results.

He said: “The security agencies orchestrated plans to cause violence with a view to making the state ungovernable for ulterior motives.

“As I speak with you, all my personal police details who accompanied me to stop Fakorede from successfully rigging the Rivers East senatorial district election have been arrested and detained in Abuja.”

The governor drew the attention of Nigerians to the fact that Rivers 
State has been peaceful since the conclusion of the rerun elections.

He said: “Look at how peaceful Rivers State has become after the elections. Why was the election violent? It is because they wanted particular candidates to win and they wanted to rig in favour of such candidates.
“I was called to share seats. I said I will not participate in such a fraud. I insisted that the votes must count. Let everyone go for elections “

The governor berated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conniving with APC to print fake result sheets ahead of the elections.

He noted that INEC and police have swept the matter under the carpet.
He informed that many INEC staff who were victims of violence by security agencies are under pressure from the electoral commission to deny the physical assault on them .

In his remarks, Chairman of the Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council, King Dandeson Jaja, Amayanabo of Opobo, warned against the militarization of the electoral process.

He commended Wike for always defending the rights of the people of the state.
He lauded Wike for his developmental projects in the course of 2016, saying that his efforts have helped to improve the fortunes of the state.