Governors Ortom, Wike in war of words over Paris Club refund

Posted on March 28, 2017 by Staff Reporter

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State are bickering over calls for the probe of Paris Club refund.Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Terver Akase, in a statement described Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike’s call for probe of Ortom as not only laughable but also diversionary.

He said Wike was apparently trying to divert attention from the gross failure of governance and stinking corruption being witnessed in Rivers State.“Governor Wike’s call for the probe of last December’s Paris Club refund to Benue is a poor diversionary tactic. It is on record that Governor Samuel Ortom was the first to declare the Paris Club refund to Benue and stated specifically how much the state was expecting many weeks before the funds came in. When the N12.7 billion was released, the governor made it public including the disbursement for workers’ salaries. Governor Wike on the other hand has not made known to Rivers people the amount the state received as the first tranche of the refund.

But the PDP chairman in Rivers, Felix Obuah, has extended invitation to Governor Ortom to come and assess the developmental projects of the Wike’s administration.Obuah maintained that infrastructural, human capacity and institutional development have been top priorities of the Wike administration for which Rivers people, residents and business operators in the state are happy about.

He expressed grave concern over the insecurity leading to continued loss of lives of innocent citizens in Benue State under the watch of Mr. Ortom,
noting that any government worth its salt should be able to provide security for its citizens, a great feat that the Wike administration has achieved.

The PDP chairman regretted that Benue State governor, was unable to pay monthly salaries of civil servants running into several months, after borrowing over N60 billion in seven months.

Source: The Guardian

Destruction of illegal refineries responsible for soot deposits – Nyesom Wike

Posted on March 11, 2017 by Staff Reporter

Nyesom Wike, Rivers state governor, says uncontrolled destruction of illegal refineries is partly responsible of the soot deposits in the state.

Soot is a black substance that is produced when coal, wood or any item is burnt.

According to Simeon Nwakaudu, Wike’s media aide, the governor said this during the courtesy visit by Enobong Udoh, general officer commanding the sixth division of the Nigeria Army to the government house, Port Harcourt.

Wike said the methods currently adopted by security agencies in destroying illegal refineries were harmful to the environment.

He said while it was necessary to stop illegal refineries from operating, such actions must not expose the people to extensive and prolonged danger.

“The outcome of the uncontrolled destruction of illegal refineries without precautionary measures forms part of the reasons why the state is suffering from black soot,” he said.

“The present mode of destroying illegal refineries is negatively affecting our environment. Everywhere across the state you see black soot deposited on surfaces of buildings, cars and other structures.

“The state government is working hard to resolve this environmental challenge, but we need the cooperation of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies in the manner they destroy illegal refineries.”

He said his administration would continue to take steps to protect the state’s environment.

He added that the health of Rivers people depended on the environment; hence the state government would work with all stakeholders to stop the soot.

On his part, Udoh assured the governor that he would continue to work professionally to ensure that the people benefit from the presence of the division in the state.

Jonathan, PDP Governors meet over crisis in party

Posted on March 1, 2017 by Staff Reporter

Former President Goodluck Jonathan Tuesday met with governors elected on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) over the leadership crisis rocking the party.

Although agenda of the meeting was not made public, it was gathered that the festering leadership crisis in the party was top on the agenda.

Governors that attended the meeting included Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa); Ibrahim Dankwabo (Gombe); Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta); Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia); Dave Umahi (Ebonyi); Benedict Ayade (Cross River); Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom); Darius Ishaku (Taraba); Ayo Fayose (Ekiti); and the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Ipalibo Banigo.

The meeting, which was being held in Jonathan’s private office, located in Maitama, Abuja was said to have started about 6pm.

Rivers APC Blames Wike, PDP For Loss Of Oil Wells To Neighbouring States.

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Staff Reporter

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state has hit out hard at the State Governor, Nyesom Wike and the PDP, over the loss of oil wells to Bayelsa, Abia and Akwa Ibom states, asking them to bury their heads in shame over the ceding of the oil wells.

In a statement issued on Sunday in Port Harcourt by the SSA Media and Public Affairs to the Rivers State APC Chairman, Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, the party berated Governor Wike and the state PDP for attempting to shift the blame to former Governor Chibuike Amaechi over the unfortunate development.

“We are shocked by Wike and PDP’s brazen attempt to shift the blame to Rt. Hon. Amaechi via a statement issued by one Jerry Needam titled, ‘Oil Well Politics: Accept your empty promises, PDP tells Amaechi, APC’.

“This simply shows how shameless both Wike and the Rivers PDP leadership can be.

“It was Nyesom Wike and his confused PDP members who collaborated with the then President Jonathan Goodluck to cede oil wells belonging to Rivers state to neighbouring Bayelsa, Abia and Akwa Ibom states to show their disdain for Rivers State and her people.

“’Instead of hiding their faces in shame, they have the audacity to remind Rivers state and her people at this period of their golden age celebration, of how they wickedly connived with the then PDP-led Federal Government to deny Rivers State her entitlements as an oil producing State just because of their hatred for Amaechi.”

The Rivers APC advised Wike and PDP not to celebrate their “ugly feats in ruining the state that was being made Rivers of Gold under the watch of Amaechi to Rivers of Blood under the watch of Wike.

Also according to the party, Governor Wike, and the state PDP Chairman, Felix Obuah “have made politics to lose its meaning in Rivers and are dissipating their energies on a vain plot to pull down Amaechi, who did all he could to give Rivers state purposeful leadership and is now serving Nigeria at the Federal level in the capacity of Minister of Transportation.

“But we are glad that good people of Rivers state are too intelligent to be swayed by misguided elements that never meant well for the state.

“It is a pity that some PDP leaders who are desirous to milk the Rivers state treasury dry, are attempting to compare Wike’s administration with that of Amaechi, forgetting that you cannot compare light with darkness.

“Amaechi is far ahead of Wike in all aspects of life except, of course, in killing and using blood to sustain oneself in power,” they added.

Controversy trails customs’ seizure of military helicopters at Lagos Airport.

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Staff Reporter

Documents related to the controversial Bell Helicopters reportedly seized by the Nigeria Customs officials at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos show that there was communication regarding the transaction on September 2015.

This was contrary to claims by the customs that the helicopters were impounded in November 2016 from unknown smugglers. Rivers State Government that has claimed ownership of the helicopters, however, denied buying the estimated N10 billion military-type helicopters.

The Guardian learnt that Rivers State Government had in a letter dated September 28, 2015 written to the Comptroller-General of the Customs seeking the release of the helicopters.

When The Guardian contacted the Customs Public Relations Officer, Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Thelma Williams yesterday, she refused to comment on the controversy.

Williams said: “I am sorry. I don’t make comments on official matters at weekends. As I am talking to you I am at home preparing food for my children.”

The Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command of Nigerian Customs Service at the weekend claimed to have seized two civil model Bell helicopters imported into the country by unknown persons and handed them over to the Nigerian Air Force for failure by the unknown importers to produce end-user certificate from the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) in contravention of Section 36 (2) of the Customs and Excise Management Act.

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike had in his reaction said the armoured helicopters were ordered by the Rotimi Amaechi administration. He explained that he wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari to hand over the helicopters to the Nigeria Air Force, but he did not get any response from the Presidency.

Meanwhile, the immediate past governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi, has accused Wike of abandoning two helicopters purchased by the state at the airport and playing politics with it.

Amaechi explained that the helicopters were procured by his administration to curb the wanton menace of criminals in the state but Wike decided to abandon and dump the helicopters, because he does not care about the safety and security of lives and property in the State.

The former governor recalled that when took over office in 2007, criminal elements were on the prowl. But with a strong political will to tackle these menaces and make the state a safe place, he initiated a lot of measures to deal with the menace.

According to him, purchasing these helicopters was one of the measures the Amaechi administration took to curb the clandestine and criminal activities in the state

Wike said he went to the Federal Government to “give us a waiver for us to clear the helicopters, but the Federal Government refused. I wrote a letter to the President and to assure him that the helicopters are meant for security purposes, it should be handed over to the Nigerian Air Force.”

He added: “I am surprised that they have started propaganda and political falsehood on the said armoured helicopters. What kind of country are they turning Nigeria into? We stated that we couldn’t pay the custom duties because the helicopters are not for commercial use. They are to be used to monitor the creeks and track criminals.”

“I wrote to the President to give the helicopters to the Air force. It is shocking that the custom would turn around to claim that they impounded the helicopters,” Wike explained.

Source: Guardian

“21 INEC staff have been arrested and told to implicate Wike”, Rivers PDP alleges

Posted on January 12, 2017 by Staff Reporter

The Rivers state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that 21 ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who took part in the legislative rerun election in the state have been arrested and told to accuse Nyesom Wike, governor of the state, of offering them bribe.

In a statement it issued on Thursday, the party said the electoral officials were arrested on Wednesday and flown to Abuja the next day.

It said a source at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Port Harcourt confided in it that they would soon be paraded at a press conference that would be organised by the police high command, “in conjunction with the top leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC)”.

“Twenty four hours after the 15-man panel set up by the inspector-general of police to investigate the alleged violence during the December 10, 2016, re-run election in Rivers state visited the state governor, Nyesom Wike, in Government House, Port Harcourt, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Rivers state, has confirmed that 21 ad-hoc staff of INEC, who took part in the legislative re-run election in the state and served in areas where candidates of the PDP won, were last night arrested and detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department, in Port Harcourt,” read a statement signed by Jerry Needam, spokesman of the PDP in Rivers.

“Sources disclosed that those arrested were transferred to Abuja in the afternoon of today, and they are being forced to confess receiving money from the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its candidates.

“According to a source at the State CID, more arrests would be made and those arrested will be transferred to Abuja and paraded during a press conference that would be organized by the Police High Command, in conjunction with the top leadership of the APC.”

The party said the development shows that the panel set up by Ibrahim idris, inspector-general of police (IGP), to probe the rerun election, is biased.

Wike had expressed reservations over the conduct of the panel.

“This latest development undoubtedly, is a confirmation of the fact that the Police committee led by its chairman, Mr. Damain Okoro, that arrived the State yesterday, Wednesday, January 11, 2017, is on a mission of witch-hunt against the state governor and the PDP leadership,” the statement continued.

“Although, the police authorities have actually made no pretense about their biased role in issues surrounding the exercise in the state, with the premature sack of six of their men attached to the governor, and their refusal to question the conduct of Mr. Akin Fakorede during the election, but of much concern is what these activities portend for our democracy and the image of the police and other security forces who swore oath of allegiance of neutrality and to defend, protect and respect the provisions of the constitution of Nigeria, and rights of all citizens, and who are maintained by tax payers’ money, not only those of the APC, but all Nigerians.”

Rivers PDP alleged that the police had become the security arm of the ruling party, and called on Nigerians to resist the “ugly trend”.

“It is unfortunate that the police under the current inspector-general have so abused their constitutional responsibilities and have now turned into a security arm of a political party, the APC,” it said.

“The PDP would have expected the police to be more professional, objective, apolitical, and uphold the tenets of the constitution and regulations as contained in the Electoral Act, relating to the role of security agencies in an election.

“Regrettably, the Police in the case of Rivers State have become a tool of witch-hunt by the federal government and certain Rivers politicians of the APC.

“We call on well-meaning Nigerians to rise against this ugly trend and abuse of responsibility by the Police high command and the All Progressives Congress leadership in trying to silence the opposition by wrongly indicting innocent citizens, the Rivers State government and leaders of the PDP in the state.”

The Nigerian Police Force Parades Erring Rivers Officers

Posted on January 7, 2017 by Staff Reporter

Democratic Policing is one of the core values of the current Police management under the leadership of IGP Ibrahim K. Idris, NPM, mni. The IGP as an ardent apostle of the rule of law and adherent of international best practices of Policing has since assumption of office articulated a master plan to guarantee a reformed electoral process across the country. This is a novel security template devoid of violence, electoral malpractices and attendant destruction of lives and property which have been a recurring decimal in previous elections in the country.

Undoubtedly, this master plan as implemented by the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies under the auspices of Inter Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, (ICCES), has proved largely successful and should engender a credible roadmap for the foot-proof security of future elections in Nigeria.

The IGP has also instituted comprehensive measures to ensure compliance with strict rules of professional behaviours and code of conduct for officers and men under his watch. To this extent, they are under obligation to conform to the dictates of enabling laws while carrying out their statutory responsibilities to the letter.

Consequently, personnel of the Force who abuse their office, privileges and discretionary powers in the discharge of their official duties, will be brought to justice.

In the case of the recent parliamentary election in Rivers State, the IGP’s resolve to secure the process, was reciprocated with the unethical conduct of some bad eggs within the Force.

Inspite of strict warnings and instructions from the IGP that all Police personnel on election duty should be of good conduct and desist from escorting their principals, notably public office holders and politicians to polling units throughout the period of the election, some recalcitrant police personnel were still found blatantly breaching these directives. This is unacceptable by all standards in the Force.

Therefore, in the course of discreet investigations into the above misconduct, the following personnel of the Force were found to have in total disrespect to orders and directives, compromised, engaged in unprofessional acts and other unbecoming conduct

These acts, if not checked can be inimical to discipline and proper administration of the Force. Their actions are capable of bringing the entire Nigeria Police Force to disrepute and portray the Force in a very bad light as a lawless organization not guided by the rule of law. The officers are as follows:
i. AP/No.177893 EX. Inspr. Eyong Victor
ii. F/No. 400872 EX. Sgt Peter Ekpo
iii. F/No.374585 EX. Sgt Oguni Goodluck
iv. F/No. 385870 EX. Sgt. Orji Nwoke
v. F/No. 234216 EX. Sgt. Okpe Ezekiel
vi. F/No. 437983 EX. Sgt. Tanko Akor

These aforementioned Police personnel while in the convoy of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Rivers State Barr. Nyesom Wike on the date of election, 10th December, 2016 misused the firearms in their possession contrary to the provisions of Force Order 237.
The Service personnel became overzealous, took laws into their hands and opened fire, causing panic in the crowd. They joined in storming the Port Harcourt City Council Secretariat and prevented the movement of election results of Emouha polling unit to the appropriate collation centre designated by INEC, in flagrant disregard and disobedience to senior Police officers present at the venue.

The six (6) Police officers, after the conclusion of investigation into this public mischief, were subjected to internal disciplinary measures, found guilty and consequently dismissed from the Force. They will be prosecuted under the Electoral Act to serve as a deterrent to others.

The IGP wishes to restate the commitment of the force to carry out its constitutional obligations in accordance to the law of the land before, during and after every election in Nigeria. This will be done in a very professional manner bearing in mind the need not only to be unbiased but to be seen by members of the public as responsive and responsible security agency in election security in the country.

Nigerians should rest assured that the IGP and indeed the entire management team of the Force will not be deterred in its resolve to rid the Nigeria Police Force of personnel who indulge in actions or inactions that amount to unprofessional and serious misconduct.

The IGP commends all officers and men of the Force for their dedication, commitment, sacrifice, hard work and display of utmost professionalism in their service to the country despite daunting challenges. Without doubts, our sacrifices and sincerity of purpose will be commensurately rewarded.
Thank you for your time and God bless.

DCP Don N. Awunah,fsi,
Force Public Relations Officer,
Force Headquarters,

6 policemen dismissed for ‘using their firearms for Wike’ during election

Posted on January 6, 2017 by Staff Reporter

Six police officers attached to Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, have been dismissed for “misusing their firearms” during the Rivers legislative rerun election of December 10, 2016.

The decision to dismiss and prosecute these officers was sequel to a report from a panel set up by Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police, on the incidents recorded during the legislative re-run election.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, Don Awunah, force public relations officer, said the officers failed to abide by the instruction of not escorting their principals to polling units.

Awunah said these police officers were “overzealous, took laws into their hands and opened fire, causing panic in the crowd”.

“These police personnel while in the convoy of His Excellency, the executive governor of Rivers state Barr. Nyesom Wike on the date of election, 10th December, 2016 misused the firearms in their possession contrary to the provisions of Force Order 237,” he said.

“They joined in storming the Port Harcourt city council secretariat and prevented the movement of election results of Emouha polling unit to the appropriate collation centre designated by INEC, in flagrant disregard and disobedience to senior Police officers present at the venue.

“The six police officers, after the conclusion of investigation into this public mischief, were subjected to internal disciplinary measures, found guilty and consequently dismissed from the force. They will be prosecuted under the electoral Act to serve as a deterrent to others.”

He further assured Nigerians of “the commitment of the force to carry out its constitutional obligations in accordance to the law of the land before, during and after every election.”

The police officers are Eyong Victor, Peter Ekpo, Oguni Goodluck, Orji Nwoke, Okpe Ezekiel andTanko Akor.

“Niger Delta not part of agitation to break up Nigeria” – Wike

Posted on January 1, 2017 by Staff Reporter

Rivers state governor Nyesom Wike says the interest of Nigerians and Africans will be better served with the country “remaining as one strong and united nation”.

During a visit to the sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad, at the weekend, Wike said: “We cannot run away from this country. The unity of this country is very, very paramount. The unity of this country is non-negotiable. I am from the Niger Delta, from Rivers state to be specific so I cannot see us in a divided country. No way. We stand for the unity of this country.”

He thanked the sultan “for working tirelessly to ring peace and to bring unity to the people”, adding: “For all of us this is what is meant by one Nigeria.”

Wike said his administration has put a lot of time, resources and energy to protect national assets especially the ones in Rivers state.

“In Rivers you hardly find pipeline vandalisation. We are working at all times to protect national assets in our state. In my state, I am governor for all the people living in the state. I am not a governor of a particular political party, but a governor for all the people of Rivers state,” he said.

While commending the sultan for his leadership of the Muslim community in Nigeria, Wike said he was in the state to felicitate with Sokoto governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal who gave out his daughter in marriage on Saturday.

He dispelled the notion that his relationship with Tambuwal had political connotation.

“Tambuwal is my friend for a long time. If anything affects him, it affects me also. If he gives out his daughter in marriage, I have to be here to support him. If any problem happens to him, it affects me as well,” he said.

“Your Eminence I am here to seek your royal blessing. You have blessed me before, that is why I am growing. So let me wish you a prosperous new year ahead.”

Sultan implored Nigerians to live in peace with one another and wished their countrymen and women “a year full of happiness and blessings”.

DSS Accuses Rivers Gov. Wike of Sponsoring Violent Protests Using Saraki’s Aide

Posted on December 23, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Department of State Services (DSS) has accused Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State of engaging in a sinister plot to mobilize hoodlums to breach the peace and disrupt the machinery of governance via violent protests in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

In a statement released today and signed by Tony Opuiyo, the DSS alleged that Mr. Wike had recruited one Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, a personal aide to Senate President Bukola Saraki, to mobilize hoodlums to execute the violent protests which, according to the DSS, are meant to start today and continue for several more days.

The DSS stated, “The aim of the plot is to cause mayhem, a complete breakdown of law and order and cast the security agencies and the Federal Government in a bad light. It is also intended to divert public and international attention from the ongoing police investigation into the unwholesome role played by the Governor and some of his cronies in the violence that trailed the re-run election in Rivers State which resulted in the gruesome murder of civilians including the beheading of DSP Mohammed Alkali and some of his colleagues as well as the brutalization of INEC staff who failed to do the bidding of the Governor.”

The DSS said Governor Wike wanted to his hired protesters “to besiege the National Human Rights Commission, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), National Assembly, the Nigerian Army and Police Headquarters as well as British High Commission, US Embassy and the UN Secretariat, Abuja.” The statement added that the protests were designed to “raise a false alarm that Rivers State was under siege of security agencies during the elections.” It continued: “While the obvious aim is to draw public sympathy and international attention to spurious allegations of involvement of Federal agencies in violence during the last elections in Rivers State, the actual objective is really to trigger a round of violent action against the government and create the opportunity for idlers to join the deceitful protest. Part of the orchestration is to provoke the security agencies and prompt them to take action against the protesters that could result in bloodletting.”

The agency alleged that Senator Saraki’s aide had recruited some unemployed youths from the outskirts of Abuja to carry out the violent protests. “All this was to be done for a fee and resources to be provided from the treasury of the Rivers State Government,” said the DSS. It added: “It is also worrisome that Ikenga would engage in this nefarious plot when, after his last arrest earlier this year by the Service, he had pledged to be law abiding and not to cause a breach of the peace.”

The DSS stated that Mr. Ugochinyere was now on the run, but disclosed that the security agency had arrested three collaborators, Emeka Idibia, Ugo Apuamagha and Ejike Nwachukwu. “These men were picked up at the mobilization venue trying to perfect the logistics for this unholy enterprise. The young men were hired by Ikenga to take custody of items and materials for the planned violent protest. The recovered items include banners, placards, and posters with denigrating, inciting and hate inscriptions meant to impinge the authority of the Federal Government and further subvert the entire machinery of governance in the country,” said the DSS.

The DSS further stated that, in order to lend a veneer of credibility to their plot, Mr. Ugochinyere and his collaborators had enlisted such groups as Lawyers in Defense of Democracy (LDD) and Citizens for Good Governance (CGG) “as cover to supposedly make them look like serious-minded civil rights groups and thus bring them into collision course with security agencies.”

According to the security agency’s spokesman, investigations pointed to Mr. Ikenga Ugochinyere as the field organizer and coordinator of the planned protests while Governor Wike was “his sole financial sponsor.” The agency stated, “The DSS is disturbed that the Governor who is the Chief Security Officer of the State will stoop so low to hire thugs and hoodlums to attack the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and create an atmosphere of chaos and disorder at this yuletide season.”

The DSS declared that it and other security agencies would not be cowed or “allow any person or group of persons no matter how highly placed to subvert Nigeria’s statutory institutions meant to protect critical installations and law-abiding citizens.”

It vowed the determination of all security agencies to conduct their constitutionally mandated duties and to conclude investigations into the Rivers State electoral violence.

The DSS restated its commitment to protect lives and property in Nigeria’s capital and throughout the country. It implored youths being lured by “desperate politicians” to resist the temptation of being used “to undermine the government or engage in acts capable of causing a breakdown of law and order.” It promised that all who threaten the peace and stability of Nigeria would be prosecuted, and urged all Abuja residents to go about their normal businesses.

Source: Sahara Reporters

OPINION: After “Wike-leak”, What Next? – By Ahmed Oluwasanjo

Posted on December 23, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The media should be lauded for its nice job on this “Wike-leak”. The leaked tape, however, would end up as useless – almost as usual – if Wike and his partners in INEC are not investigated and prosecuted.

A leaked audio tape revealing how the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, and his foot soldiers bribed Independence National Electoral Commission officials to rig the recently concluded rerun elections in Rivers State, should not come to many Nigerians as a surprise.

It is not a completely unfamiliar story.

In the leaked tape, Wike exposed the bloodlusting and ruthless megalomaniac in him, threatening to “kill” an INEC official who collected his money and was not cooperating with his foot soldiers.

Listening to Wike’s threat to the life of an INEC official reveals how brutish and nasty an average Nigerian politician is when it comes to the scramble for power. Regardless of their party differences, the ruthless and bloodlusting animal in an average Nigerian politician goes berserk while seeking power at all cost during elections.

If only we could have access to the telephone conversations of Wike’s contemporaries in other parties, we would have a clue of how bestial they are. It’s not all about Wike, the monster. There are deadlier Wikes hibernating in our polity, disguising as decent citizens.

While the ones in the All Progressive Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party are motivated by their sheer lust for power, their accomplices in INEC are motivated by the crumbs they get from thwarting the system in the interest of their pay masters.

So, that the leaked tape exposed the concerted effort between Wike’s team and some INEC officials to rig election should elicit some questions. One, who were the INEC officials who took these bribes and cooperated with Wike? Two, who, in particular, was the INEC official posted to Khanah, Rivers State, that took a bribe from Wike and became uncooperative?

And more importantly, are INEC officials supposed to take any gift from politicians before, after or while conducting election? This, perhaps, is the main reason elections are won before polls as many electoral umpires are shameless “cash and carry” hustlers.

While we may not be able to fully curtail the unholy alliance between politicians and INEC officials, it is however more alarming to watch election riggers escape the wrath of the law when their clandestine rackets are exposed, like we have seen in the past.

It is not enough for security agencies to investigate the issue just to prepare the usual white, black or red paper reports that would eventually end up in trash cans.

Before now, Captain Sagir Koli, a brave army officer, leaked a plot on how Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti State governor, and his collaborators, Senator Iyiola Omisore; Jelili Adesiyan, then Minister of Police Affairs; Musiliu Obanikoro, former State Minister of Defense; and some military officers, planned and rigged the Ekiti State gubernatorial election in 2014. Whether the perpetrators of the Ekitigate election scandal would ever be brought to book is still uncertain as I write.

Get me right. I know that Fayose, the chief plotter of the alleged rigging, is covered by immunity as a governor. But, are his collaborators covered by any immunity? As I write, Dr. Tope Aluko, the former Ekiti State PDP secretary, who brazenly confessed to how the poll’s rigging was masterminded on Channels Television is still walking freely. Isn’t it surprising?

Countries where elections are free, fair, and peaceful are not inhabited by saints. However, they have, over time, developed a system that strictly penalises culprits of electoral fraud. As a result, politicians and electoral officials who are hell-bent on rigging face the consequences of their malfeasance whenever they are caught.

In 2010, five men, including two former Councilors, were sentenced to jail for electoral malpractices in the UK, as the UK Guardian reported. In 2010, Guinean electoral commission head, Ben-Sekou Sylla, and his head of planning officer, El Hadj Boubacar Diallo were both sentenced to a year’s imprisonment for electoral fraud in the first round of Guinea’s presidential election.

If there is any lesson for Nigeria in these examples, it is that, our system must begin to punish culprits of electoral fraud to serve as deterrent to potential election riggers.

We cannot continue to threat cases of election rigging with kid gloves and expect that desperate politicians, their foot soldiers and accomplices in the INEC would one day have a change of heart.

It is not enough for security agencies to investigate the issue just to prepare the usual white, black or red paper reports that would eventually end up in trash cans.

The media should be lauded for its nice job on this “Wike-leak”. The leaked tape, however, would end up as useless – almost as usual – if Wike and his partners in INEC are not investigated and prosecuted.

After “Wike-leak”, what is next?

Ahmed Oluwasanjo writes from Abuja.

DSS Alleges Plot To Disrupt Activities In Abuja By Wike Supporters

Posted on December 23, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Department of State Services (DSS) has alleged plots by some protesters, suspected to be sponsored by Rivers state governor, Nyesome Wike, to disrupt activities in the Federal capital.
Accordinf to a statement signed by one Tony Opuiyo of the DSS, the Service has “uncovered a sinister plot by the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike to disrupt machinery of governance in strategic Federal Government agencies by provoking a violent breach of peace in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, yesterday, 22nd December, 2016.
“To achieve this, the Governor had secured the services of one Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, a Personal aide to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to mobilise some hoodlums to execute their plan.
“The aim of the plot is to cause mayhem, a complete breakdown of law and order and cast the security agencies and the Federal Government in bad light. It is also intended to divert public and international attention from the ongoing Police investigation into the unwholesome role played by the Governor and some of his cronies in the violence that trailed the re-run election in Rivers state which resulted in the gruesome murder of civilians including the beheading of DSP Mohammed Alkali and some of his colleagues as well as the brutalization of INEC staff who failed to do the bidding of the governor.”
The DSS also alleges that “in furtherance of this plot, protesters are to besiege the National Human Rights Commission, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), National Assembly, the Nigerian Army and Police Headquarters as well as British High Commission, US Embassy and the UN Secretariat, Abuja; all in an effort to raise false alarm that Rivers state was under siege of security agencies during the elections.”

Credit:

http://leadership.ng/news/564930/dss-alleges-plot-to-disrupt-activities-in-abuja-by-wike-supporters-2

Wike sets up parallel judicial commission of inquiry to investigate election violence

Posted on December 22, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Barely 24 hours after the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rejected the panel constituted by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Idris Ibrahim, to investigate the violence that marred the December 10 legislative rerun in Rivers State, Governor Nyesom Wike yesterday set up a parallel judicial commission of inquiry to undertake same task.

A communication issued by the secretary to the state government (SSG), Kenneth Kobani, said the panel would be inaugurated today in Port Harcourt.

It named Justice Chinwendu Nwogu as chairman while Mrs. Grace Akpughunum-Okwulehie, Prof. Okene O.V., Anthony Uzoma Ozurumba, Rev. Canon Hossanna Nnaewi and Ekeh C.B. are members. The chief state counsel, Alphonso Sibi, is to serve as secretary.

Meanwhile, the All Progress Congress (APC) in the state has urged the governor and his party to submit to the probe by the federal authority, stating that the constitution was very clear on the way out when a state law conflicts with federal’s.

Rivers Rerun: Wike Constitutes Judicial Commission Of Inquiry

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has constituted a Judicial Commission of Inquiry, to investigate the killings and other violent acts/matters that occurred during the December 10 rerun and supplementary elections in the state.

The constitution of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry was contained in a special government announcement signed by the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Mr Kenneth Kobani.

According to the announcement, the Judicial Commission of Inquiry has Justice Chinwendu Nwogu as Chairman, while other members include: Mrs Grace Akpughunum-Okwulehie, Prof O.V.C. Okene, Sir Anthony Uzoma Ozurumba, Rev Canon Hossanna Nnaewi, Alphonso Sibi Esq (Chief State Counsel, Secretary) and C. B. Ekeh Esq (Principal State Counsel, Legal Counsel).

The announcement read: “In exercise of the powers conferred upon him by Section 2 (1 ) of the Commissions of Inquiry Law of Rivers State (CAP 30) of Rivers State of Nigeria 1999 and all other powers enabling him in that behalf, the Governor of Rivers State; His Excellency, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON, hereby constitutes and appoints a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate the killings and other violent acts/matters that occurred during the December 10, 2016 rerun/supplementary elections to elect members of the National Assembly and House of Assembly in Rivers State.

“The Judicial Commission of Inquiry which would be inaugurated on Thursday at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House, Port Harcourt, has the following terms of reference.

?Investigate the remote and immediate causes of the violence during the December 10, 2016 rerun/supplementary elections in Rivers State.

?Identify the perpetrators of the various acts of violence and killings in the aforesaid election.

?Identify the victims of the violence including those killed

?Identify if property was damaged and the value of any such property

?Determine if the violence was localised to specific areas within the state or was state-wide

?Make appropriate recommendations concerning their findings or any other recommendations as the commission may consider appropriate in the circumstance and

?Submit its report to the Governor of Rivers State within one month from the date of its sitting, ” the statement reads.

Police Probe Panel

This follows the All Progressives Congress’s (APC) demand for the immediate redeployment of Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Aniedi Ikoiwak.

According to the party, the REC had colluded with Governor Nyesom Wike and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to rig the elections in favour of PDP.

In an election which was violence-ridden, the APC made the comments after an audio recording which was said to done Wike, surfaced few days ago.

According to the party, the audio in which the governor allegedly threatened INEC officials, confirmed their fears of him engaging in unwholesome conducts that contributed to compromising the integrity of the electoral process.

They also said concerning the 70 incidents reported, Wike must submit himself to the Police Probe Panel to join the police in bringing an end to the killings in Rivers State since he assumed office.

The governor on the other hand, rejected the order, stating that himself, as well as people of the state would not be party to the police ‘phoney’ probe panel.

Rivers Rerun Telephone Scandal: Police To Demand Wike’s Call Data This Week

Posted on December 19, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Police team, currently investigating some emerging issues during the rerun elections in Rivers State on December 10, will this week write telecommunication firms for the call data of Governor Nyesom Wike, The PUNCH has learnt.

Wike, in alleged telephone calls before the rerun polls in the state, instructed some electoral officials and other aides to rig the election.

An audio clip, alleged to be the recording of such conversation, has since been released, where a voice, said to belong to Wike, issued various directives, including a death threat.

It was gathered in Abuja that the investigation team, set up by the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, would demand the details of Wike’s calls before, during and shortly after the election.

A senior police source said the detectives would carry out forensic analysis on the governor’s incoming and outgoing telephone calls, including the name of the callers, the numbers dialled, the time, date and duration of the calls, as well as SMS.

“Obtaining the CDR shouldn’t pose any difficulty to the investigators because the telecom firms have it on their exchange. ‘‘Forensic analysis of the audio tapes would be matched with the call logs, which will also assist in identifying the voice prints of the suspects,” a source said.

Further findings indicated that the leaked audio of the telephone calls would be matched against the governor’s voice print to determine if he was involved in the alleged communication, allegedly meant to rig the poll.

The voice print is a set of measurable characteristics of a human voice that uniquely identifies an individual.

The IG had, on Saturday, announced the setting up of a team of detectives to conduct forensic analysis on the audio of a telephone call, purportedly made by Wike in respect of the concluded rerun elections.

The team was also mandated to conduct a thorough investigation into a statement credited to the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Yakubu Mahmud, in which he said 70 infractions were

The IG said the team would unravel those who were directly or indirectly responsible for such incidents and bring them to justice.

The investigative team, which is headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, has 30 days to complete the investigation and submit its report, which the Force spokesman, Donald Awunah, said would be made public.

An online medium, SaharaReporters had posted an audio clip of telephone calls allegedly made by Wike, in which he allegedly instructed some electoral officials on how to rig the election.

In another audio, a voice was heard threatening to kill some electoral officials if they failed to carry out the directives for which they were bribed.

Meanwhile, Wike, however, said on Sunday that his administration and people of the state would not be a party to the police probe of the December 10 rerun elections, describing such investigation as phony.

The Rivers State governor, who spoke at a victory thanksgiving mass of the Peoples Democratic Party at Our Lady Chaplaincy of Catholic Institute of West Africa in Port Harcourt, said the probe into the rerun elections had a predetermined goal to indict the PDP and commence a politically-motivated prosecution of some members.

“The police cannot deliberately murder Rivers people in cold blood and turn around to investigate.

“We are not a party to their so-called panel. We have passed that stage and we cannot fall into the trap of a panel of inquiry. After killing our people, you want us to assist you to unravel what? It is the police that killed our people,” he added.

The governor wondered why the police would claim it wanted to investigate issues surrounding the Rivers rerun elections, claiming that the police were involved in the attempt to subvert the will of the people.

He accused the Police High Command of refusing to prosecute the APC chieftains allegedly caught on camera printing fake result sheets ahead of the elections.

Wike added that petitions to the Police High Command on the negative activities of an Assistant Commissioner of Police and a police commander in the state were disregarded.

The governor added, “If it is a country that believes in its image, so many people would have lost their jobs. They cannot ask themselves why 28,000 policemen, yet to be ascertained number of soldiers, police dogs and horses, gunboats, and helicopters could not police ordinary legislative elections.

“It is because the police were the ones committing the fraud, violence, and election materials snatching. We are accusing the police of mass murder, and they turn around to set up a panel of inquiry.

“After killing our people, you fraudulently set up a committee of inquiry. Up till now, they don’t know that we are far ahead. This panel is a mere booby trap to indict the PDP members. If they cared about lives, they wouldn’t do what they did.”

In his sermon, Reverend Monsignor Pius Kii said that the coalition of forces would never defeat Rivers State.

The thanksgiving service was attended by the PDP leaders, senators, House of Representatives members, House of Assembly members and local government caretaker committee chairmen.

Nyesom Wike: Nobody can come after me because God is with me

Posted on December 18, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, says nobody can come after him because God is with him.

Fielding questions from journalists at the Rivers state government house, Port Harcourt, on Saturday, Wike explained what made him prevent the raid on the house of a judge back in October.

He said he had no personal interest to protect, but was only performing his duty as the number one citizen in the state.

“Nobody can be after me because God is with me. People say there is a high rate of kidnapping in Rivers state… If someone sends you a text message to say there is problem, that her house had been surrounded by some men putting on black,” he said.

“You call the director of Department of State Services (DSS), he didn’t pick. You call the commissioner of police, he didn’t pick, you will be forced to go and see what is happening. I took my security to the place and asked them what they were doing at the place at 1:30am? They said they had orders from above to arrest a judge, and that was a woman.

“Assuming they took her away or kidnapped and killed her, people would have said Rivers is not safe. Do you know the effect that would have had on us? I took oath to protect life and property, it doesn’t matter who.

“I have no business with any judge or anyone for that matter, if there is any crime that you have committed, you face the music. But things should be done in the appropriate manner. You don’t treat a judge as a criminal.”

He also denied the audio where he allegedly threatened an electoral official during the legislative rerun election.

Wike described it as the handiwork of his detractors.

“Have I not said it before that if you come to Rivers to rig you should prepare your will? Have I not said it? So what is it about threatening to kill electoral officials?” he said.

Asked if he held any conversation with an INEC official, Wike said: “Who is the INEC official that I spoke with? They claimed I gave the official money and was asking him where he is from? How can I be asking someone I gave money where he is from?

“What is all this crap? Let them produce video evidence; we have been able to show video of policemen rigging election. What have they done about it?

“The only person I can even speak to as far as INEC is concerned is the resident electoral commissioner (INEC) or the national commissioner, and that’s if I have any report. There were over 2000 ad hoc staff during the election, so which one did I talk to? Which one did I not talk to? Please discard those thoughts.”

BREAKING: Nigeria Police raise panel to probe Wike’s ‘threat to kill electoral officials’

Posted on December 17, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has constituted a panel of detectives to investigate crisis associated with the recent Rivers rerun elections.

A key aspect of the investigation would be a forensic examination of an audio clip containing threats allegedly made by Governor Nyesom Wike to kill electoral officials who failed to do his bidding after receiving bribes.

In the audio, first published by news website Sahara Reporters, Mr. Wike could be heard threatening to kill the officials if they did not do his bidding or return his money.

“They should return what they gave them or I will kill them,” the governor was heard telling a supposed aide whom he asked to warn the unnamed INEC officials from deployed from Plateau.

PREMIUM TIMES could not verify the authenticity of the clip or when the discussions held.

The governor’s office said the audio was manipulated.

A statement Saturday by police spokesperson, Don Awunah, said the police IG was responding to a statement credited to the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Yakubu Mahmud, to the effect that there were 70 incidents that tended to derail the election.

He said the IG “has set up a team of detectives and experts to conduct a thorough investigation into the incidents mentioned by the INEC chairman with a view to unravelling those who directly or indirectly are responsible for such incidences and bring them to justice”.

“The investigative team is also mandated to conduct forensic analysis on the audio report released by Sahara Reporters purportedly to be the voice of the Executive Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Chief (Barr.) Nyesom Wike (CON) pertaining to the concluded elections.

The statement enjoined the government of Rivers State and INEC to avail the investigative team with facts at their disposal and grant them the desired cooperation and assistance to achieve a comprehensive and conclusive investigation.

“The election observers, civil society groups, Human Rights watchers and other stakeholders are equally called upon to assist the team with valuable information they may have,” the statement said.

The investigative team is headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police who has “vast experience in investigation”, and the team has 30 days to complete the investigation and submit report that would be made public, Mr. Awunah said.

Rivers rerun: APC reacts to leaked Wike’s audio

Posted on December 16, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The All Progressives Congress says the leaked audio recording in which the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, is heard admitting to bribing some electoral officials and threatening to kill them if his instructions were not followed, has confirmed the fears raised by the party ahead of December 10 legislative re-run elections in the state.

The party said that going by the revelations from the leaked audio recordings, it was obvious that Governor Wike may have engaged in unwholesome conducts that might have compromised the integrity of the electoral process and undermined his office as the Chief Security Officer of a state.

“The only logical conclusion from this therefore is that the electoral victories of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may have been achieved through underhand dealings and intimidation of officials,” APC said.

“Nigerians have watched with grave concern how the process of the just concluded legislative rerun election has led to the death of ordinary citizens in the state including security officers.”

In an audio first published by SaharaReporters, Mr. Wike could be heard threatening to kill officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission whom he admitted giving money.

He said would “deal with” and “kill” officials who took money from him without doing his bidding.

“The statement that Governor Wike appeared to have made on record has now pointed directly at where responsibility should be placed for the violence that attended the election,” APC said Thursday.

“It is also evident that the allegations by the Rivers State government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of an assassination threat on Wike and the allegation by Wike that APC Governors funded violence in the state during the election might have been deliberately contrived to cover-up the role that the Governor had played in the violence that attended the election.

“The APC condemns any form of violence as it relates to elections or any other matter. In this instance, we urge security agencies to do the needful and ensure that sponsors and perpetrators of violence, no matter how highly placed, are brought to justice,” APC said.

Listen to the leaked audio below:

Wike did all he could to win Rivers re-run to remain Governor – Okorocha

Posted on December 15, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Imo State Governor and Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC Governors Forum, Rochas Okorocha, has stated that Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State was desperate for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to win the just concluded re-run elections in Rivers because he (Wike) wants to remain Governor.

Speaking with newsmen in Owerri yesterday, Okorocha stated that his Rivers counterpart did all he could to secure his office by making sure that the PDP won majority of the senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly seats in the state.

“If the governor did not do that to make sure he has majority of state and National Assembly members, he would have gone,” the Progressives Governors Forum chair stated.

This was as he noted that it is not an easy thing to defeat an incumbent governor in an election because he would do all he could to remain in power.

Speaking on the just concluded governorship elections which went in favour of the APC, Okorocha maintained that it is a testimony that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government was doing well.

He went on to assert that the APC would take over the governorship in Anambra State in 2017, adding that “Anambra State needs APC governor to succeed.”

Rivers Re-run: Govs of Bauchi, Benue, Kanu, Plateau Donated N1b Each For Rigging– Wike

Posted on December 15, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike has accused the Governors of Bauchi, Benue, Kano and Plateau states of donating one billion naira (N1b) each to the All Progressive Congress, APC, party candidates in the state for the rigging of the re-run election held on 10th December, 2016.

The election which saw the killing of over five persons including a police DSP was riddled with brazen rigging and violence.

Wike gave the allegation during a state broadcast after the election.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/12/rivers-re-run-govs-of-bauchi-benue-kanu-plateau-donated-n1b-each-for-rigging-wike/

Sagay is a false intellectual with broken moral compass, says Wike

Posted on December 13, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, says Itse Sagay, chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti- Corruption (PACAC), is a false intellectual with a broken moral compass.

Wike was speaking in Port Harcourt in reaction to a comment by Sagay that the desperation of politicians in Rivers, led by Wike, was making it difficult for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a free and fair election in the state.

“[Sagay] is a false intellectual with a broken moral compass and a beneficiary of the current dictatorship of the All Progressives Congress-led government,” Wike said.

Also speaking, Austin Tam-George, the state’s commissioner of information and communications, said Nigerians no longer take Sagay serious.

“Prof. Sagay is a happy beneficiary of the current dictatorship. I can tell you that most Nigerians no longer take him seriously. He is one of the pseudo-intellectuals seduced by the honey of power,” the commissioner said.

“Despite Sagay’s claims, governor Wike has consistently called for a free, fair and transparent electoral process in Rivers state.

“This is a sovereign and non-negotiable right of the Rivers people which must be respected. And we will always defend this right with the last drop of our blood.”

Release All Rivers Re-Run Election Results, PDP tells INEC

Posted on December 12, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the immediate release of the results of last Saturday’s elections in rivers state, saying that the Independent National Electoral commission was withholding the results in order to allow the All Progressive Congress manipulate the results.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, the spokesman of the party, Prince Dayo Adeyeye said the party was in possession of all the results as announced at the polling units and it was clear that the PDP had won.

The party also rejected the declaration of Magnus Abe as the winner of Rivers South-East Senatorial District saying no election was held in the area. ”

The whole world knows that elections did not take place in the Rivers South-East Senatorial District.

We therefore reject the declaration of Magnus Abe with the fabricated results, and demand INEC to conduct election in that Constituency.

We promise to avail ourselves every opportunity to seek redress on this matter in the interest of democracy and that of the constituents who are denied their right to vote” the statement noted. Making further clarification on results still being awaited, Adeyeye they include those of Rivers West and East Senatorial Districts, Andoni/Opobo-Nkoro Federal Constituency and Andoni State House of Assembly Constituency. ”
We have the results declared at the various polling units which show that, Senator George Abiye Sekibo of the PDP won the Rivers East Senatorial District while Senator Osinakachukwu Ideozu also of the PDP won the Rivers West Senatorial District, respectively.

“Equally, we make bold to state that Hon. Abiante and Ikunyi Ibani both of the PDP won their respective elections into Andoni/Opobo-Nkoro Federal Constituency and Andoni State Constituency, respectively.

“INEC is currently withholding these results in cohort with security agencies to pave way for the APC to manipulate the outcome of the Elections. We urge INEC to immediately release the affected results intact.

Anything short of this is unacceptable and the INEC, security agencies and the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi should be held responsible in whatever manner the people of Rivers State decide to react for robbing them of their votes.

“We again condemn in totality, the adverse role of the Nigerian Army, the Police Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other security agencies during this Re-run Elections in Rivers State. It was a nightmare and a complete reversal of their constitutional mandates of safeguarding the territorial integrity of the Country and the protection of lives and properties.

There are incontrovertible evidence that the security agencies worked for the APC against the interest of the Rivers people.They followed the directives of the APC Chairman, John Oyegun and Governor Ganduje of Kano State during the Mega Rally of the APC. They killed, they maimed, they harassed all in the desperate need to help the APC win at all cost. Very sad!

“It is trite that the Army dishonourably left their primary assignments and worked assiduously with INEC in collusion with the APC leaders in Rivers State led by the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi and mindlessly wrote the results that produced Senator Magnus Abe in Rivers South-East Senatorial District. This action depicts sheer rape on democracy. ”

It is no gainsaying that this Re-run Elections in Rivers State was not only a contest between political parties but mostly the PDP in contest with the Army, the Police, the INEC, the APC, and the Federal Government of Nigeria represented by the Honourable Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi and Co.

“We therefore call on all Nigerians to rise up to this challenge and stop the Federal Government, the APC and INEC from organising undemocratic elections as witnessed in most part of Rivers State and other previous elections in the Country since the assumption of this government. If Nigerian elections travesty continues, it’s goodnight to democracy” the statement noted.

Army hits back at Wike, says governor’s allegations on election irregularities false.

Posted on December 12, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, has said that the allegations made by Governor Nyesom Wike and other politicians, accusing the military of involvement in the Saturday legislative re-run elections in the state are aimed at tarnishing the image of the army.

Maj.-Gen. Kasimu Abdulkarim, the General Officer Commanding of the 6 division reacted to the allegations in a statement made available the Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday.

Abdulkarim flatly denied accusations that soldiers were involved in mass killing and arrest at Tai and Gokhana Local Government Areas of Rivers.

“These people allegedly accused soldiers of ballot box snatching, illegal escorts of some politicians, arrest and detention of voters during the general conduct of the elections.

“The weighty nature of these allegations could cause members of the public to view soldiers negatively, hence the need to adequately inform the general public on the true perspective.

“The public thus need to consider them as mere farce to garner public sympathy,” the GOC said.

According to Abdulkarim, the 6 Division, Nigerian Army remained apolitical in the conduct of the election. Its soldiers provided perimeter defence to ward off hoodlums and miscreants.

He said that the troops were in no way involved in any form of ballot box snatching, neither were they involved in the escort of politicians as alleged.

“They acted swiftly in response to security breaches in order to enforce the law, provide aid to the police and other security agencies especially in areas like Abonema, Etche, Gokhana, Ikwere, Eleme, Tai, Khana and Omoku amongst others.

“Susceptibility of mentioned areas warranted providing security for the electoral officials, voters, international and local observers, in conjunction with other security agencies by soldiers for a peaceful election to thrive in the environment,” he said.

The GOC said those areas were violated by armed men, who engaged security personnel in shootout.

“In Gokhana, armed hoodlums engaged the soldiers providing outer perimeter defence for the electorates.

“In Abonema there were three explosions that created bedlam.

“Subsequently, 11 NYSC members were abducted along with electoral materials.

“However, 10 of them were rescued two hours later by the soldiers while one was rescued about eight hours later.

“At Emouh five NYSC members were abducted with election materials in a Siena bus.

“The corps members were rescued while the suspect was handed over to the police.

“Several shootings were recorded in some communities such as Bodo, the hometown of the Secretary to the State Government, and Mogho in Gokhana Local Government Area, including snatching of ballot boxes.

“The most brutal incidence occurred at Ujju Community near Omoku in Onelga where police patrol team was ambushed. In the ambush, 10 policemen scampered into the bush.

“These attacks are reasonable evidence of violations of breach of law and order which portray the area as a flash point.

“In spite this barbarism, soldiers acted with civility and professionalism in guaranteeing peaceful election,” he said.

Abdulkarim said that the army as a respected institution with constitutional responsibility to safeguard lives and property, could not watch miscreants and hoodlums abduct, maim and kill innocent citizens, especially “in senseless attacks.”

He described the accusations of soldiers partisanship as “sham and phoney”.

He said that the division would continue to remain apolitical in the discharge of its roles.

#RiversRerun: We’ll resist this invasion even it means losing our lives – Wike

Posted on December 10, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, on Saturday said in his entire political career, he has not witnessed the kind of military invasion that occurred during the legislative rerun election.

Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt, the state capital, Wike vowed that he and his supporters would “resist to the last”.

He accused security operatives of conniving with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to intimidate voters.

“In all my political career, I have never experienced this kind of invasion by security agencies,” he said.

“What causes violence is when you give certain persons undue advantage, but be assured that we are resisting it, even though it may take our lives, we will resist to the last.

“That is what is expected when you are fighting for freedom. You must make sacrifices. It is unfortunate that we are congratulating the opposition for winning in Ghana, but here the military are directly involved in rigging and hijacking materials.

“They say that they want to give Rivers state governor problems, but you are not giving Rivers governor problems, you are giving Nigeria problem.

“I anticipated it. I tried to let the world to know that these were the plans of the security agencies.”

Violence and late arrival of electoral materials marred the exercise in different parts of the state.

One person was killed in Bodo community in Gokana local government, while the exercise did not hold in most parts of Khana local government.

Rivers Rerun: INEC, Security Agencies Meet With Political Parties

Posted on December 9, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the various security agencies, as well as political party leaders and their candidates have met again in continuous efforts to ensure that Saturday’s rerun polls in Rivers state are hitch-free.

With the poll already generating tension, the Deputy Inspector General Of Police in Charge of Operations, Joshak Habila, said no group would be allowed to cause violence during the exercise.

Meanwhile, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Aniedi Ikoiwak, has equally given the assurance that the commission is ready for the polls.

This is not the first time the commission is making the pledge to ensure that the December 10, Rivers Rerun elections, would be free, fair and violence free.

The emphasis is coming as a result of series of allegations by the Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike, who has said INEC, as well as security agencies have planned to rig the elections.

INEC in an earlier statement, however pointed out that the recent Edo and Ondo governorship elections “eloquently speak of the feat that can be achieved if all stakeholders do the needful”.

The Commission, then condemned the relentless false allegations, provocative and dangerous comments being made by some political actors, especially Mr Wike, against the Commission, which it insisted were capable of inciting people to commit violent acts that could derail the election.

Police: Wike’s CSO removed for ‘apparent partisanship’

Posted on December 8, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The police on Wednesday said Promise Nwosu, chief security officer (CSO) of Nyesom Wike, the Rivers state governor, was redeployed because of his “apparent partisanship”.

Wike had cried out over the withdrawal of his CSO, alleging that there was a conspiracy to take him out.

But in a statement, Don Awunah, police spokesman, said the officer was redeployed because he grossly flouted the rules of professional by joining a political party in a protest.

He said the inspector-general of police (IGP) had set up a panel to discipline Nwosu.

“The Nigeria police force have observed the innuendos, distortion of facts and wild allegations peddled in the mass media following the redeployment of the chief security officer (CSO) to the governor of Rivers state, DSP Promise Nwosu, as a result of gross professional misconduct,” he said.

“It will be recalled that on 17th November, 2016 during peaceful demonstrations of an opposition party in the state, All Progressive Congress (APC), the chief security officer to the governor, DSP Promise Nwosu was found among the protesting party faithful in a manner prejudicial to discipline and displaying conduct unexpected of an officer of his calibre and office.

“In the course of monitoring the public protest, an assistant commissioner of police in charge of operations in Rivers state observed the presence of the CSO among the protesting partisan crowd as illegal, unlawful and outside prescribed schedule of the duties of a CSO.

“The active presence of the CSO to the governor in a partisan crowd of an opposition party to the governor in a clandestine and suspicious manner was considered mischievous and detrimental to the security of the state and public order and also contrary to his oath of office which constitute an offence against discipline.”

Awunah alleged the CSO to the governor demonstrated brazen indiscipline and showed disrespect to the senior officer when he was challenged over his action.

“Accordingly, the CSO was officially queried for discreditable conduct, insubordination, engaging in partisan political activities, illegal duty and act unbecoming of a public officer,” he said.

“As a result of such gross misconduct and apparent partisanship, the IGP ordered the redeployment of the CSO pending further disciplinary action. To this end, the IGP has also constituted an investigative inquiry into the officer’s open engagement in political activities, disrespect to senior officers and unethical practices.

“It is absolutely imperative the police and police officers are insulated from partisan politics. The IGP therefore warns all police officers in any capacity to desist from acts that portray the force in a bad light and question the integrity of the personnel.

“In addition, any police officer, especially CSOs, Aides-de-Camp (ADCs), and orderlies attached to political officer holders or senior government officials who engages in activities outside the official schedule will be removed and made to face severe disciplinary action.

“It instructive to maintain that the redeployment of the CSO to Governor Wike must not be misconstrued or misinterpreted as it is widely reported in the media. The police force must not be drawn to direct partisan politics and acts that are inimical to peace and public order.”

He added that Wike was at liberty to select any officer of his choice from the strength of the command to serve as his CSO, but “under no circumstance should any officer abandon the security of his principal and legitimate duties to engage in direct partisan politics or conversely should any political office holder use police officers attached to them for political machinations”.

Wike Needs immediate Psychiatric Attention — Rivers APC

Posted on December 5, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has recommended immediate psychiatric attention for the State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, saying that his behavior and utterances these days do not present him as a person who is still in full control of his mental faculties.

The party said in a statement issued on Monday in the state capital Port Harcourt: “Nigerians may have observed the distorted, uncoordinated and incomprehensible manner in which Chief Wike addresses the public these days, which is perhaps an indication that he needs psychiatrist assistance as a matter of urgency before his case goes beyond remedy. Today he is accusing the military of being after him or tying to assassinate him, tomorrow he will be accusing the INEC and Police of plotting on how to rig the rerun election scheduled to hold on December 10. Later he will accuse Transportation Minister Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of trying to pay the salaries of civil servants which he Wike has refused to pay for these eight months. This is even as he would accuse NIMASA DG Dakuku Peterside of plotting how to restore security and peace to Rivers State, thereby dislodging and thwarting his policy of turning Rivers State to Rivers of blood while on the other hand accusing the APC Rivers South-East Senatorial District Candidate Senator Magnus Abe of meeting with senior police officers between 2am and 4am on Friday, where he requested that they support his rigging agenda in exchange for N10million EACH. If not that Wike has gone berserk where on earth does he wants Abe to raise such a staggering fund in an election that the Ogonis have vowed to vote for him?

Recently at the Rivers state Government House, Wike muttered to PDP Chieftains, “apart from the fact that Development creates crime and that since I resumed office as Governor of Rivers state, people are being killed and beheaded in Rivers state and pictures of those killed in the state were littered in social media, too much insecurity in Rivers state I will only try my little best to handle it but as the President of the new Niger Delta Republic, how can my fellow President, President Buhari of Nigeria withdrew my security and assigned them to Hon Asita O. Asita a small boy besides People should understand that in Rivers State, we have the capacity to resist the security agencies of Nigeria. To worsen our case, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has assigned all the Police SARs in the South-South (SS) to Senator Magnus Abe and those of South East (SE) region to ‘Senators’ Andrew Uchendu and Amachree”.

Rivers APC in the statement signed by the State Chairman, Chief (Dr.) Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, described Wike’s wild allegations and utterances as symptomanic of a person in need of psychiatric evaluation. “We suspect that the law of Karma is now after him including the blood of hundreds of Rivers State people that Wike and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) killed to install him and his lieutenants in office is now on a revenge mission, exacting a heavy toll on the usurper-Governor,’ the party said.

The quote, “he who sows the wind, will reap the whirlwind” makes better meaning with the current sorrow state of Wike and his mindless cohorts. The Holy Bible as contained in the book of Galatians 6:7 may have had Wike in mind when it stated, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap”

To further expose wike’s unstable mind and thought as Nigerian Master Electoral Rigger and how he rigged himself to power, let us listen to him, “How can APC topple me as master electoral rigger? 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”.

Everyday this man who is not fit to be a governor makes Rivers State a laughing stock before the country and the international community. He should be made to get help before it is too late.”

We therefore appeal to the Rivers electorate to utilise the opportunity offered by the rerun parliamentary election to vote massively for all APC candidates and thus free the State from the shackles of the ungodly and bloodthirsty PDP leadership.”

“In the same vein, we appeal to INEC and security agencies not to be intimidated by Wike’s tricks and pranks. We urge the security agencies to ensure that those hoodlums hired and kept by Wike to cause havoc during the election are properly caged so that people would feel free to exercise their franchise on December 10, 2016,” the statement said.

Wike, PDP Planning to Deploy Fake Army, Policemen On December 10 – APC

Posted on December 5, 2016 by Staff Reporter

As the December 10 rerun elections in Rivers State approach, the State Chapter of All Progressives Congress [APC] says it has received credible intelligence that the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike and the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] have made several National Youth Service Corp [NYSC] uniforms complete with APC tags which PDP thugs will wear and thumbprint ballot papers on election day to implicate the APC.

The plot by the PDP and Gov. Wike according to a statement signed today by Rivers State APC Chairman, Chief Davies Ibiamu Ikanya JP “is to justify the wild allegations the governor has been making against the Independent National Election Commission [INEC], the Inspector-General of Police, R/S Police Commissioner and other stakeholders in the weeks leading to the rerun elections.”

It reads: “Similarly, the same intelligence report indicates that the PDP and Gov. Nyesom Wike have been branding Hilux trucks similar to the ones used by security agents at an undisclosed secured location. They are alleged to have also cloned and produced various uniforms belonging to security agencies especially the Nigeria Police and special military camouflage for the purpose of infiltrating the security agencies and invading communities where rerun elections will take place on December 10 to hijack electoral materials and perpetrate other electoral mischief.

“According to the report, the governor’s plan is to be executed state-wide but with emphasis on Rivers South-East, Senator Magnus Abe’s stronghold. However, Gov Nyesom Wike and the PDP maintain a private army of armed gang under Solomon Ndigbara, a known associate of the governor and the PDP. Solomon Ndigbara has been confirmed to be under the protection of Gov. Wike and have been living in Government House, Port Harcourt even as a wanted person by Nigerian security agencies.

“The APC welcomes the decision of the Inspector-General of Police to provide 20,000 officers and men of the force for the rerun elections. We also urge sister security agencies to support the Police to ensure a violence-free rerun elections on December 10. We call on the security agencies to ensure that their ranks are not infiltrated by PDP gunmen dressed in cloned uniforms of the various security services.

Wike Alleges Plot By Security Agencies To Assassinate Him

Posted on December 2, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike on Thursday dropped a bombshell that shocked the crowd who had gathered to witness the ceremony to mark the beginning of the rehabilitation of a hospital in Gokana Local Government.

The governor told the crowd at the General Hospital , Terabor and General Hospital, Bodo in Gokana Local Government Area that security agencies are planning to assassinate him.

Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Nnamdi Omoni, however said the police were not aware of any plot to kill the governor.

Wike also accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of publishing a list of adhoc staff filled with members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the December election in some selected areas in the state.

Wike said: “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.

“Nobody should intimidate you with security agents. Beginning today, resist any arrest. You must move around in groups to promote resistance of the robbers of mandate.”

He said it was unfortunate that INEC and security agencies were disregarding the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari that they should be impartial and deliver free and fair elections.

The governor said: “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.”

The governor added: “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.”

On the rehabilitation of the Hospital , Terabor and General Hospital , Bodo, Wike said it will be completed and equipped in a record time.

He added that the Kpopie-Bodo road is nearing completion and the dualization of Sakpenwa-Bori road is progressing according to schedule .

Wike urged Ogoni people to vote for the PDP, pointing out that for eight years , APC failed to execute well meaning projects in Ogoni land.

Responding yesterday, APC State Publicity Secretary Chris Finebone said his party could not comprehend what the governor is talking about.

Finebone said: “Definitely, APC candidates are busy campaigning for the rerun election while governor Wike is busy with his circus show. We wish him luck.

“Rivers people are tired of Wike’s allegations. Soon we will not join issue with him because he is no longer making sense.”

Police dares Wike to prove rigging allegation by releasing video

Posted on November 30, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Rivers State Police Command has challenged the state governor, Nyesom Wike to prove his latest allegation about plots to rig the forthcoming rerun legislative elections in parts of the state by making public the purported video.

Wike had during his outing at Abonnema in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area claimed that the state government was in possession of audio-visual footage of alleged plot to rig the rerun.

He also accused the Commissioner of Police, Francis Odesanya of involvement in the alleged plot with officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

But the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, in the state, Nnamdi Omoni challenged the Rivers State Government to release the video.

Omoni said, “We are not aware of it. It is a mere allegation which is not verifiable. We insist that his allegation is never correct. Such thing never happened.

“If the Governor claims he has a video footage, a video recording or audio recording let him bring it out and make it public so everybody will see.

“As it stands what he said is still speculative and it does not offer any futuristic defence.”

Meanwhile, All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State has alleged that Wike is getting out of hand in his sundry allegations in the buildup to the rerun elections on December 10.

The Rivers APC stated that with less than two weeks to the legislative rerun, the Governor appears to have thrown caution to the wind as he launches a campaign of blackmail on everyone especially the APC, INEC and the Nigeria Police.

State Publicity Secretary of APC, Chris Finebone noted, in a statement, that Wike was putting up what he described as “a pitiable image of a disarmed dictator.”

In a counter allegation, the APC spokesman said Governor Wike has never embarked on any election without buying over the police and the rest of the security agencies.

The statement reads, “Governor Wike has also not engaged in any election without taking firm control of the election umpire and the judiciary.

“As the rerun elections approach, it appears to be dawning on the Governor that times have changed, as the security agencies are way beyond his influence.

“Despite still having pockets of moles in the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Rivers State Governor has lost the services of the top echelon of the commission due to the anti-corruption stance of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.”

Re-run: Wike To Release Video Implicating CP

Posted on November 29, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Rivers State governor,Mr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike,has announced that the state government would, in the coming weeks, release audio-visual footages of the state commissioner of police, Mr.Francis Odesanya, allegedly plotting with politicians on the methods to be adopted in rigging the December 10 rescheduled legislative elections.

Governor Wike, in a press statement signed by his Special Assistant, Electronic Media, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu, made the announcement while flagging off rehabilitation works of the General Hospital, Abonnema in AkukuToru Local Government Area of the state, yesterday.

According to him, the audiovisual footages would be made public through different media platforms to expose the extreme rigging desires of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with the backing of the police and other security

agencies. The governor further alleged that 600 policemen working with the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in the state have already been distributed to prominent APC leaders on local government basis by the Police Commissioner for the indiscriminate arrest of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporters a few days to the election. The governor added that the 600

SARS personnel so distributed would also be used to unleash unprecedented violence on the people on election day, so that APC leaders would have time to substitute result sheets handed over to them by the INEC leadership.

“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 re-run elections 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.

http://dailytimes.ng/re-run-wike-release-video-implicating-cp/

APC asks Wike to refund N2bn he allegedly donated to Ondo PDP

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Following the loss of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State, the Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has admonished the State Governor, Nyesom Wike to reclaim the N2bn he allegedly donated to the Ondo Chapter of the PDP.

Addressing APC supporters in Port Harcourt, the state capital shortly after its party candidate in the Ondo governorship election, Rotimi Akeredolu, was declared winner of the Saturday’s election, APC alleged that Wike is playing father Christmas with the state’s funds, adding that the money should be returned to the coffers of Rivers State.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared Akeredolu of the APC winner of the 2016 governorship election after polling 244, 842 votes to beat his closest challenger, Eyitayo Jegede of the PDP who polled 150, 380 votes.

The Rivers State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Senibo Chris Finebone said, “It is unfortunate that Gov. Nyesom Wike is still playing Father Christmas with the commonwealth of Rivers people for his personal egoistic political voyage despite that the governor has cancelled hundreds of overseas scholarships and the students repatriated home among other important programmes.

“Agriculture is in its worst state since Rivers State was created. Songhai Farm is gone; the Banana Farm at Tai is gone; RSSDA is now a ghost of its former self with the staff owed 17 months salaries. The various fish farms at Buguma, Andoni and other places that provided jobs for thousands of Rivers people are now history.

“It saddens the heart that our governor prefers to neglect important matters calling for attention at home but rather lavish our commonwealth on his personal political pursuits. Can you imagine that Gov. Nyesom Wike willingly donated a whopping N2bn to the Ondo State chapter of the PDP? It is horrible, mind-boggling and indefensible.

“Just like in the case of Edo, the PDP has lost and the governor should not wait to be reminded to return the N2bn back to the treasury of Rivers State immediately.

“Whereas the PDP has states like Akwa Ibom and Delta that collect high monthly federal allocations, it is only Gov. Wike that plays the party’s godfather. So far, he has wasted billions of Naira hosting two failed national conventions of the PDP in Port Harcourt. He has profligately donated billions of Naira belonging to Rivers people to faraway Bayelsa, Edo and Ondo PDP chapters for purposes of elections while medical workers, pensioners and teachers are owed back home.

“Is it that Rivers State has been conquered by a small band of buccaneers led by Gov Wike and genuine elders are keeping quiet?”

Wike’s baseless allegation a cheap ploy to intimidate, harass INEC- Amaechi

Posted on November 24, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, yesterday, alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had handed over original result sheets of the coming rerun elections in Rivers State to the former governor of the state and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.

But reacting swiftly, Ameachi, through his Media Office, said: “This new wild, baseless allegation by Governor Wike is a cheap ploy by a failing garrulous man to intimidate and harass INEC into doing his bidding and whip up public sentiment against All Progressives Congress, APC, its candidates for the elections and the President Buhari administration, ahead of the December 10, re-run elections in Rivers State.

“We know his game. This is an old worn out trick that will certainly fail. Wike is scared, profoundly afraid; this is why he is telling these spurious lies. He knows he will lose at the polls, if the election is free and fair. Amaechi has no business with any result sheets for the coming elections and has nothing to do with Sheriff or the self-imposed woes and travails of PDP.”

Similarly, the electoral body has dismissed the allegations as unfounded.

The state Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak, told newsmen on phone that he was not aware of such development, noting that result sheets for the election had not even been printed.

Wike’s baseless allegation a cheap ploy to intimidate, harass INEC – Amaechi

Posted on November 24, 2016 by Staff Reporter

But reacting swiftly, Ameachi, through his Media Office, said: “This new wild, baseless allegation by Governor Wike is a cheap ploy by a failing garrulous man to intimidate and harass INEC into doing his bidding and whip up public sentiment against All Progressives Congress, APC, its candidates for the elections and the President Buhari administration, ahead of the December 10, re-run elections in Rivers State.

Similarly, the electoral body has dismissed the allegations as unfounded.

The state Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak, said that he was not aware of such development, noting that result sheets for the election had not even been printed.

However, Governor Wike, who spoke while flagging-off the construction of Ulakwo II Afara Nihi road in Etche Local Government, claimed it was Amaechi that made the disclosure on Tuesday in Abuja during a meeting of Rivers APC leaders.

While boasting that he was in possession of the proceedings of the alleged Abuja meeting of the APC, he said: “While we are working for the people of Rivers State to convince them to vote for us, the APC is busy working with INEC to rig the rerun elections. Amaechi told them at the meeting that Sheriff is working for them (APC) and that they have finished PDP.” Sheriff cannot finish PDP, he can only finish himself.

“On December 10, follow your results bumper to bumper. Don’t allow anyone to swap results.”

Wike Denies Plan To Dump PDP

Posted on November 23, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Rivers State Governor, Chief Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike, has denied media reports that he is planning to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for a yet-to-be new political party.
Wike, is one of the PDP state governors backing the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led national caretaker committee of the party, and has remained one of the voices of the opposition in the present democratic dispensation.
The media have been awash with reports that the governor, along with other state governors, is planning to join forces with the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to float a new political party, ahead of the 2019 general elections.
But, Wike, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Inter-Party Affairs, Barrister Chris Itamunola, told newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday that there is no aota of truth in the report.
Insisting that the report lacks credibility, the governor stated that the allegations were mere speculations arising from his openness to interact with people irrespective of their party affiliations.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, has called on the people of the state to come out enmasse and vote for PDP candidates during the legislative rerun elections scheduled to hold on December 10, 2016.
Harry-Banigo, in a statement issued in Government House, Port Harcourt yesterday explained that the only way for them to be effectively represented at both the National and State Assembly is for them to come out in their numbers and cast their votes for the PDP government led by Wike whose performance has endeared the administration to the people.
She also called on the people of Rivers West Senatorial District to see the re-run election as a period to re-enact their seal as they did in the March 19, 2016 re-run election which was cancelled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for no justifiable reason.
The Deputy Governor advised Rivers people and non-indigenes alike to vote wisely and refuse to be intimidated by desperate politicians and other enemies of the State who are bent on instigating violence during the re-run election, stressing that “God would not allow them to succeed as God’s hand is on Rivers State.”

Credit:

http://leadership.ng/news/560799/wike-denies-plan-to-dump-pdp

PDP committed to violence-free rerun polls – Wike

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Rivers state governor, Chief Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike, has declared that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remains committed to a violent-free legislative rerun election in the state come December 10, 2016.

He also has declared that the state is too big for anybody to impose representatives on the people, stressing that the people must be allowed to elect their representatives.

Wike, who spoke yesterday during the dedication service for the flag-off of the PDP campaign for the 2016 re-run election in the state at Saint Paul’s Anglican Cathedral, Garrison Junction, Port Harcourt, called on the opponents of PDP to play within the rules of engagement.

The governor urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be neutral in the course of the rerun election to ensure that the will of the people prevails, saying, “this election will prove whether INEC is ready to conduct free and fair elections in Nigeria.

“What causes violence during election is when the umpire wants to manipulate, rig or write results. We will resist any attempt to write results. PDP will not be involved in anything violent, but we will not allow anyone to steal our votes. We will protect our votes and make sure that the people’s mandate is declared.”

He explained that the PDP was dedicating its forthcoming campaigns for the rerun elections to God, because the party relies on God for victories, noting that the party is sure of victory at the rerun polls because of the massive achievements of his administration in the last 17 months.

Venerable John Adubasim of the Saint Paul’s Anglican Church while dedicating the PDP campaigns for the rerun elections to God, asked members of the party to trust in the Lord for their sustenance and victory.

Wike urges NIS to assist ensure expatriates pay tax

Posted on November 16, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has urged the Nigerian Immigration Service to assist the state with the statistics of the entire expatriates working in the state for effective taxation.

Wike made the remark when he received the Controller of Immigration, Aminu Yarima, who paid him a courtesy call in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

He said the statistics was necessary to ensure that the expatriates did not evade tax.

Wike alleged that most foreign companies in the state deliberately withhold the accurate number of foreigners working with them.
According to him, this makes it difficult for the state Revenue Service to collect the legal taxes.

Wike said: “We need the support of the Nigeria Immigration Service on the number of expatriates working in the state.

“This information is vital to our revenue drive.”

Wike said that a partnership between the NIS and the state Internal Revenue Service would go a long way to improving the state revenue base.

He also urged the NIS to step up security measures to stop suspected terrorist and illegal immigrants from filtering into the state.

According to him, the international nature of terrorism requires the Nigeria Immigration Service to be on top of the situation at all times.

In his remarks, Yarima commended the governor for improving the security in the state.

[Pictures]: Deadly weapons surrendered during Rivers’ amnesty.

Posted on November 16, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike announced this during the submission of the report of the Rivers State Amnesty Programme in Port Harcourt that about 22, 430 cultists accepted the amnesty while 911 assorted arms, 7661 assorted ammunition and 147 explosives were surrendered during the programme.

Governor Wike declaring the first phase of the State Amnesty Programme closed at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Tuesday

Governor Wike declaring the first phase of the State Amnesty Programme closed at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

Arms, ammunitions and explosives recovered at the close of the Rivers State Amnesty Programme at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

APC accuses Wike of interfering with police investigation into fake result sheets

Posted on November 10, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers, on Thursday accused Gov. Nyesom Wike of interfering with police investigation of those arrested allegedly printing fake INEC result sheets.

This is contained in a statement issued by the party’s Chairman in the state, Chief Davies Ikanya, in Port Harcourt.

The News Agency of Nigeria [NAN] recalls that the police had on Saturday arrested some individuals allegedly involved in printing the fake result sheets, few days after the national electoral commission fixed Dec. 10 for legislative re-run elections in the state.

Gov. Wike was reported to have accused the police of plotting to cover-up the matter by transferring the case to its Zone 6 headquarters in Calabar, Cross Rivers, for investigation.

The APC described Wike’s position as misleading.

“APC’s attention has been drawn to recent utterances by Gov. Nyesom Wike aimed at interfering with police investigation concerning arrest of persons allegedly involved in printing of sensitive INEC materials.

“Particularly, the APC vehemently rejects attempts by Wike to dictate how the police will go about performing its duties.

“The governor’s statement amounts to undue interference and unbridled attempts to force the hands of the police in the direction of the governor’s choosing – of which we condemn in its entirety.

“We call on Wike, as an interested party, to desist from ongoing campaign to intimidate the Police; twist facts and mislead the public,” it said.

The APC urged the governor to stop overheating the polity, especially as the state prepares for the re-run national and state legislative elections.

It stressed that Wike must allow the police to carry out its investigations in the best way possible and within its established methods.

Wike alleges cover-up in fake result sheets scandal

Posted on November 10, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has accused the Police High Command of plotting to sweep the alleged printing of fake result sheets by the All Progressives Congress (APC) under the carpet with the takeover of the matter by the Police Zone 6, Calabar.

Giving an update at the Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday on the alleged printing of fake election result sheets by Rivers APC and INEC, Wike said the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone 6 has asked the Rivers State Police Command to transfer the case and suspects to Calabar.

He said: “The interest of the police is to ensure that all those indicted in this plot to rig the rerun elections are not prosecuted.

“INEC must realise that this has to do with its credibility . It is not enough to simply deny. They must take steps to ensure that they clear themselves.

“The question of how the printers got the serial numbers and the code numbers of the units used for the results sheets and sensitive materials must be answered by INEC.

“During the rerun tribunal sitting, the Rivers APC tendered results that were different from those declared by INEC after the March 19 elections. But the Court of Appeal and the tribunal were not deceived by the antics of the Rivers APC and INEC. These were the same people who said no election took place, but they had separate result sheets which they tendered in court.”

The governor recalled that PDP had raised the alarm on the day of the March 19 rerun elections that INEC had populated the voting landscape with fake result sheets, which was confirmed by the tendering of alternate results by the APC at the tribunal.

He called on the police and INEC to listen to the president’s directive that the elections in Ondo and Rivers States must be peaceful and credible.

Wike restated that Rivers people would resist those plotting to rig the re-run elections.

He added that the objective of sweeping the crime under the carpet was for the police and other security agencies to assist Rivers APC in swapping already prepared results with those generated at the polls.

“What we are doing is to avoid crisis or violence. We are insisting that the right thing must be done. Any free and fair election in Rivers State will be won by the PDP.

“The AIG coming to take over the matter is not acceptable. It is a ploy to kill the matter,” he said.

He emphasised, “The police should stop causing crisis in Rivers State. We do not want to take the laws into our hands. They should listen to what Mr. President said and avoid anything that would cause violence.

“The police in Rivers State should be allowed to handle this matter. The police should give the preliminary report. We will resist any attempt to transfer the matter to Zone 6, Calabar.

“If the AIG takes over a minor criminal case like printing of fake result sheets, what will he do if there is a complicated case of murder? The fact is that if the matter goes to zone 6, they may decide to destroy the evidence. But here in Port Harcourt, we will know.”

Don’t Link me With Printing of Fake INEC Result Sheets – Peterside tells Wike

Posted on November 9, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State in the 2015 general election, Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, has warned Governor Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike, against linking him with the alleged printing of fake result sheets of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

This is as he described as kidnap, the arrest of his cousin, Atonyesia Dimieari Peterside, who was arrested and taken to Government House, Port Harcourt, for allegedly printing fake INEC result sheets.

Peterside, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday, berated Wike and the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Chief Felix Obuah, for a ‘shameful and irresponsible’ attempt to rope him and other APC leaders into alleged printing of fake INEC result sheets.

The APC governorship hopeful said, “Let us assume without conceding that some people were printing fake INEC documents, is it the responsibility of Wike and Obuah to interrogate them in Government House? Why didn’t they call the Commissioner of Police? What are they afraid of, what were they hiding?

“Why is Wike so desperate to cause chaos and apprehension before the rerun election scheduled for December 10 by framing up leaders of APC in the state? Why is Wike always crying and shouting before every election?

“I have a track record of integrity, civility, law abiding and stickler for rule of law. I have zero tolerance for malfeasance and irresponsible behaviour. All the efforts made to tarnish my reputation will be fruitless because Rivers people and Nigerians know me as a man of honour.”

Rivers rerun: We’ll resist rigging – Wike

Posted on November 7, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has threatened those nursing intent to rig the legislative rerun election, scheduled for December 10, to be ready to face the consequences.

The governor, who briefed the media, yesterday, at the Government House in Port Harcourt, on alleged arrest and recovery of sensitive materials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), allegedly printed at Isiokpo Street, Port Harcourt, on Saturday, accused the electoral agency, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the police of plotting to rig the rerun election in the state.

The people of Rivers, said the governor, are prepared to resist such plot.

“If you rig this election, you rig your life. If you like, bring American Marines here, we will resist rigging in Rivers. Let the people make their own choices; INEC, should not take us for granted,” he said.

Wike also accused the police of trying to destroy evidence of the illegal printing of INEC sensitive materials and failing to prosecute those behind the illegal act.

He alleged it was due to pressure from Abuja and appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and ensure that perpetrators are prosecuted.

In a swift reaction, Rivers APC accused the governor and the PDP of using thugs to stage, “bursting of a fake result sheets printing syndicate in Port Harcourt.”

Publicity Secretary of APC in the state, Mr. Chris Fineface said no APC person, chieftain or ordinary member, was involved in any of the “purported actions as alleged by Wike and the PDP, assuming without conceding that any such development took place.”

“The APC would like to unequivocally state that the party has zero-tolerance for electoral malpractice and does not directly or indirectly engage in any form of electoral malfeasance. We advise Rivers people and indeed Nigerians not to fall for Wike’s antics deliberately contrived to tarnish the image of the APC and its members in Rivers State,” he said.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Nandi Omoni, confirmed that “some persons were arrested in connection with alleged printing of INEC sensitive materials” but did not disclose the number of persons arrested.

He only said the suspects were being interrogated and added that the police would make their findings public.

Alleged Plot To Rig Rivers Rerun As Wike Wants Buhari To Prosecute Dakuku, Others

Posted on November 7, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Rivers State Governor, Barr. Nyesom Wike has tasked President Muhammadu Buhari to take action against the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over their alleged plot to rig the December 10, 2016 State and National Assemblies rerun polls in Rivers State.
The Governor, who briefed reporters in Government House, Port Harcourt, over the arrest of a syndicate that prints fake INEC result sheets in Port Harcourt, expressed disappointment that the Commissioner of Police said he was under pressure to free the suspects of the alleged crime.
He described electoral fraud as a corrupt practice that Mr. President would frown at, and said that individuals who wanted to deny the people of Rivers the right to vote for the candidates of their choice won’t escape the President’s hammer.
Wike alleged that the person who awarded the contract for the fake result sheets, Emmanuel Chinda, the former Commissioner of Agriculture in former Governor Rotimi Amaechi;s administration, is a top member of the APC, but has not been arrested due to pressures on the CP.
He noted that Buhari would act because when he complained to him that bail out refund was being deducted from the state’s account despite not collecting bail out fund in the first instance, the President prevailed and the deduction was stopped.
He said: “They want us to take the laws into our hands. But we won’t do that. I am sure that the President will not take lightly what has just happened. INEC and APC want to rig the rerun at all cost…
“Buhari will never support this if informed. We believe that this is part of the corruption that is being fought. We want the public to know that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP will resist any attempt to rig the election.
“It is unheard of for a party to collude with INEC and deny the people their votes. I am in support of the President’s fight against corruption. We stand for peace, and want the world to know what is going on here.”
He added: “Each time Rivers is mentioned, they cite violence. But they are the ones causing the violence through their actions. When you print fake result sheets and you think we won’t resist it.
“The police, INEC and APC are threatening the security of Rivers State. I have written more than 15 letters to the Inspector General of Police complaining of dubious postings. But the IG never listened to me..,
“But you cannot kill everybody at the same time. Everybody knows that the APC cannot win here. They are only giving themselves false hope.
“Let me see that INEC official that will come and rig the election. If you rig the election, you rig your life. If you like come with the American Marines, we will resist them. We said we want change, so the people must be allowed to vote.”

Credit:

http://dailytimes.ng/alleged-plot-rig-rivers-rerun-wike-wants-buhari-prosecute-dakuku-others/

EXCLUSIVE: Obasanjo, Okorocha, Sanusi, Ooni of Ife, Others slay at the #SokotoDurbar

Posted on November 5, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Omojuwa.Com was ably represented at the Durbar ceremony organized to commemorate the 10th coronation anniversary of the Sultan of Sokoto, Muammad Sa’ad Abubakar, which kicked off on the 2nd of November.

In attendance were all dignitaries including politicians and royal fathers from all parts of the country. The Durbar which came in last in a 4-day long celebration drew international attention to the Seat of the Caliphate, Sokoto State.

Among some of the dignitaries were; Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President Bukola Saraki, HOR Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Kwara State Governor Abdulfataah Ahmed, Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, Former Deputy HOR Speaker Emeka Ihedioha amongst others.

Apart from the ceremony, the event was an opportunity for the state governor, Aminu Tambuwal who was the speaker of the house representatives in the last administration to showcase and publicize some of his legacy projects which after inspection were commissioned by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari.

Security was top-notch as armed forces in conjunction with other sister agencies ensured the state was under adequate security due to the ravaging Boko Haram attacks in the state in recent times.

Sokoto state, heavily laden with a vast and rich historical and cultural background seized the opportunity to show off some of it’s heritage to visitors and tourists from all parts of the world. The Caliphate happens to be one of the biggest in northern Nigeria. However, with untold stories of the Jihad among other historical struggles.

It is rumored that over 700 Horses and Camels participated in the colorful event. And with confirmation from the Omojuwa.Com correspondence, that rumor is not far from the truth.

The Durbar, like this one is usually a common event set up to celebrate special occassions in northern Nigeria. It is also an event that dates back to the pre-colonial history of the Hausa-Fulani people across the country.

Below are some of the pictures from the event:

Wike: Judges have lost their voice and politicians are happy

Posted on November 4, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, has expressed dissatisfaction with the decision of the National Judicial Council (NJC) to suspend judges accused of corruption.

Speaking on Friday when the executive members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Port Harcourt branch, paid him a courtesy visit, WIke said the action of the council will encourage politicians to write frivolous petitions against judges.

“This move to ask judges to step aside is in favour of politicians because no judge will and deliver judgment against government or a ruling party,” he said.

“The implication is that politicians can now write as many petitions, alleging that they saw a judge taking brown envelope – which will warrant the judge to be asked to step aside.

“For us, politicians, we are happy with this development because if I notice that I will lose a case, then I will tell my lawyer to write a petition which will result to the judge stepping aside.

“So, in other not to be alleged to have done anything wrong, judges will not give judgment against government or the ruling party.

“This is because, if judge deliver judgment against government or the ruling party, then agencies of government will come after them.”

Wike said the development portend grave danger to the judiciary arm of government and to the common man.

He said the move was a clear manipulation and attempt to silence the opposition, especially as the nation was heading toward 2019 general election.

He said a good example of manipulations was the quick compliance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to announce federal and state legislative rerun elections shortly after the national assembly compelled the umpire to do so.

“Simply because the senate said it must conduct election within five weeks; the next day, INEC came up with a time table for the election,” he said.

“This is the same INEC that cited insecurity as reason why it could not conduct elections in Rivers, and now within one day after senate’s position, the same INEC released a time table.

“The question is when did INEC meet security agencies to now take a position that there is no longer security problem in Rivers state.

“All these boil down to manipulations which not only endanger our democracy but threatens us as a people.”

Wike accused some lawyers and judicial workers in the state of having a penchant for tax evasion, explaining that the development had affected government revenue portfolio.

He advised the legal practitioners to lead by example to enable government to carry out its developmental functions.

Wike: Any anti-graft war that doesn’t begin with Amaechi is a mere expedition.

Posted on November 4, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The administration of Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, has described as a “fishing expedition” any anti-corruption fight that does not begin with Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation.

The Rivers government said this in response to the allegations that Wike and some PDP big wigs asked some judges to indict Amaechi.

Davies Ikanya, chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers, had accused Wike, Godswill Akpabio, former Akwa Ibom governor; Udom EMmmanuel, incumbent Akwa Ibom governor; and Ifeanyi Okowa of telling judges to rope Amaechi.

John Okoro and Sylvester Ngwuta of the supreme court had said Amaechi attempted to offer them bribe.

But Ikanya described the judges claims as lies, saying four PDP politicians were hell bent on pulling the minister down.

Reacting to Ikanya’s statement, Austin Tam-George, RIver’s commissioner for information and communication, said “all the federal anti-corruption agencies have so far treated the serious allegations against Mr. Amaechi with the moral timidity of Lucifer’s wife”.

“The attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to yet another scurrilous statement by the Rivers State branch of the All Progressives Congress, APC, alleging that Governor Nyesom Wike had a hand in the judicial scandals that have engulfed Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transport,” he said in a statement.

“Governor Wike had refrained from making public comments on this subject, because the people of Rivers State feel sadly vindicated by these latest scandals swirling around the transport minister.

“In the run up to his screening by the Senate for the post of minister in the federal cabinet in 2015, Nigerians were warned about Mr Amaechi’s egregious antecedents in public office.

“As governor of Rivers State, Mr Amaechi left a shameful record of waste and dysfunction. His thoughtless policies and mismanagement of public funds literally broke the economic spine of Rivers State.

“Amaechi’s continuous presence in the federal cabinet is an ugly moral sore, a dark blight on the so-called fight against corruption. Any war against corruption that does not begin with Mr. Amaechi in the dock is a mere fishing expedition.”

Tam-George also alleged that leaders of the APC had been commending Amaechi for his “enormous financial contributions” to the campaign of President Muhammadu Buhari.

He accused Amaechi of looting of billions of naira belonging to the state in order to bankroll the campaign of the ruling party.

“Amaechi has of course always protested his innocence. But even chieftains of his party, the APC, including serving governors, have publicly praised Mr Amaechi for bankrolling the party’s presidential campaigns in the 2015 general elections, and for sponsoring candidates in that election,” he said.

“Amaechi’s financial contributions to the APC, estimated to be in billions of naira, constitute a serious financial crime against the people of Rivers State.

“The allegations made against the transport minister by the justices of the court are therefore hardly surprising, because the scandals fall within a pattern of his moral turpitude in public life.”

My administration has spent over N90bn on roads, says Wike.

Posted on October 26, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Rivers state government has spent over N90 billion on the construction of critical roads in the last 17 months, according to Nyesom Wike, the governor.

Wike made the disclosure while declaring open the West Africa Architects Fair (WAAF 2016) in Port Harcourt.

He also said the infrastructure development programme of his administration had been insulated from political consideration for the attainment of positive results.

“We have spent over N90 billion on construction, rehabilitation and reconstruction of roads, bridges and jetties,” Simeon Nwakaudu, his spokesman quoted him as saying.

“This money has effectively delivered over 80 roads while work is ongoing on the construction of about 35 new roads, spread across the three senatorial districts of the state.

?”Most importantly, in order to derive maximum value for money spent, we have insulated our infrastructure development and delivery master plan from political considerations by ensuring that the designing, construction and supervision of all our roads are handled by reputable professionals and construction companies.”

?Wike said his administration had overcome the initial challenges of empty treasury, unpaid salaries, insecurity caused by closed courts and a weak economy.

?”When we assumed office, we met a state that was at the lowest rung in all indices of development,” he said.

“Besides an empty treasury, we inherited months of unpaid salaries to civil servants and a totally broken infrastructure.

“The poor security situation was exacerbated by the prolonged closure of the courts for over 12 months, leading to unprecedented capital flight and disinvestments.

?”However, 17 months after, we have recorded remarkable achievements in several areas of development.”

He said his administration’s priority was to clear the backlog of salaries, fix broken roads and transport infrastructure and create jobs by reflating the economy.

“In all these, we have successfully delivered,” he said.

?”For instance, apart from clearing the arrears of salaries, we are among the very few states with proven capacity to meet our financial obligations to civil servants, contractors and vendors.”

He lauded Nigerian architects for their contributions to the development of the country.

He recalled that since his days as council chairman of Obio/Akpor local government area up to becoming the minister of state for education, he had been collaborating with architects to deliver quality projects.

“I belong to the kitchen, living room, other room”– Mrs Wike

Posted on October 24, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike backed the President, by saying that she belongs to the kitchen, the living room and every room created by God while speaking at the 10th Biennial Diocesan Women’s Guild Conference Thanksgiving Service of the Anglican Diocese of the Niger Delta North in Saint Thomas Anglican Church, Diobu, Port Harcourt yesterday.

According to her, “All women have been through a lot as they strive to build the society.

“Our contributions to societal development cannot be underestimated.

“I belong to the kitchen, I belong to the living room and I belong to every room created by God. So also other women.

“We are created by God to do more. In my own case as a judicial officer, I also belong to the courtroom. Other women belong to different rooms, depending on their professional calling.”

“Women are very important to the development of any community. They form a larger percentage of the workforce that keeps the society,” she added.

DSS operatives clash with Wike at federal judge’s residence in Rivers

Posted on October 8, 2016 by Staff Reporter

There was confusion in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, in the early hours of Saturday as operatives of the Department of State Services and the police besieged the house of a Federal High Court judge.

It was gathered that the security operatives had stormed the residence to arrest the judge.

It was gathered that the state governor, Nyesom Wike, who rushed to the scene, was harassed by the operatives.

The Special Assistant to the Governor on Electronic Media, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu, who said the incident happened in the wee hours of Saturday, said Wike was pushed around by the DSS and policemen

Nwakaudu said, “The illegal failed abduction was led by Mr. Tosin Ajayi, Rivers State Director of the Department of State Services and Rivers State Police Commissioner, Mr. Francis Odesanya.”

“The operatives of DSS reportedly rough-handled Governor Wike, pushing him around and injuring his hand. A few of the operatives cocked their rifles and threatened to shoot the Governor.

“They were irked by Governor Wike’s arrival at the scene shortly after the failed abduction process began. It was learnt that Governor Wike received security information on the illegal moves, minutes after the operation started.

“The security operatives blocked the entrance of the residence of the Federal High Court judge at about 1am on Saturday morning, claiming that they were acting on orders from above. As they dragged Governor Wike, they insisted that they must be allowed to leave with the judge.”

Help the poor to get justice – Wike tells NBA

Posted on October 5, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has called on the state branch of the Nigerian Bar Association to assist the poor who cannot foot the cost of litigation.

Wike made the call on Tuesday while inaugurating a building donated to the NBA by the state government.

The governor said some indigenes of the state had been denied justice because they could not afford the services of lawyers.

He urged the NBA to make its presence felt in the state by helping to deepen the rule of law to make the judiciary in Rivers one of the best.

He added that “the greatest return that you can give to us and all those that organised the realisation of this project is to ensure that this property is adequately utilised and cared for to serve the purpose for which it was built.

“As government, we shall always call on you to join forces with us to deepen the rule of law to ensure that judiciary embraces the law and the interest of the poor in the state.

“We urge the NBA in Rivers to strive toward excellence in the discharge of its duties so as to be counted as one of the best in the country.”

The governor also said that the donation became necessary to accommodate the growing size of the Rivers State branch of the Association.

He said the edifice would enable the NBA to operate independently outside the official premises of the judiciary.

Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), the President of the NBA, commended the governor for the achievements so far and for donating the edifice to the Association.

Mahmoud said: “I have heard so many testimonies since I came to Rivers in the last couple of weeks about the giant strides being made by this administration.”

The Chief Judge of the state, Justice Adama Iyaye-Lamikara, on behalf of the NBA, thanked the state government for the donation and promised the Association’s support in enhancing judicial activities.

Rivers rerun: Police must be apolitical – Wike tells AIG

Posted on September 28, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has advised the Police High Command to take urgent steps to weed out bad eggs from the force.

Governor Wike made the call at the Government House in Port Harcourt during a courtesy call on him by the AIG, Abubakar Marafa of Zone Six.

Governor Wike observed that the bad eggs in the police structure negatively affected the implementation of security measures.

He assured the Zone 6 Police Command of the continued support of the Rivers State Government in the maintenance of security across the zone

According to him, “Our security is becoming stable but it can be more stable if the police can be apolitical. If they continue to see the entire state as their own constituency.

“Even though the AIG has promised me that they will be apolitical, I don’t want to believe it until the rerun. That is the only time we will know whether they are apolitical or not.”

Governor Wike appealed to the Police Zonal Command to support the Amnesty Programme of the Rivers State government, which he said was aimed at improving security in all communities within the state.

Governor Wike Appoints Special Assistant On Traffic Lights

Posted on September 26, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has appointed Daye Graham-Douglas as his Special Assistant on Street/Traffic Lights.

The governor in an online statement by his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, yesterday stated that the appointment took immediate effect.

Rivers State Government grants amnesty to cultists

Posted on September 19, 2016 by Staff Reporter

An amnesty programme has been set up by the Rivers State government for cultists in the state to surrender their arms and turn a new leaf.

This comes as recent battles for supremacy among suspected cult groups in the communities have resulted into many deaths and destruction of property with thousands fleeing their homes.

Although, some of the youths have said that they were freedom fighters and not cultists, the state government has offered them an opportunity to start afresh.

The Egi clan of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area in Rivers State has been in the eye of the storm and there also seems to be progress in the ongoing peace moves.

Traditional leaders and representatives of government have held a peace session which involved other members of the communities.

The meeting also involved the youths who have been the active players in the violence.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has also inaugurated the amnesty committee with the belief that accepting the amnesty must go beyond mere words.

The government has given 60 days to the committee to wrap up its exercise.

Wike Inaugurates Amnesty Programme Committee For Cultists

Posted on September 17, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike friday inaugurated the State Amnesty Programme and reiterated his warning that the state would not pay for arms surrendered by cultists and militants.

The governor said the inauguration of the committee was a major move to restore peace across all communities in the state.

The committee has as members, representatives of the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Nigerian Police and the Department of State Services. The Special Adviser to the Governor on Amnesty, Sir Ken Chinda was appointed chairman.

In his inauguration speech, Wike charged the committee to interface with different cult groups for the purpose of retrieving arms from them.

The governor also charged the committee to work out modalities for ensuring the proper integration of cultists and militants who willingly subscribe to the amnesty programme.

He warned the committee members against promising repentant cultists and militants that the state government would pay for arms surrendered in the course of the programme.

He declared: “Anyone who has surrendered his arms and has followed through the process laid out for the amnesty will be pardoned. Such a person will not be prosecuted.

“This committee has 60 days to complete its assignment. After the 60 days, any cultist or militant who fails to subscribe to the amnesty programme will face the full weight of the law.”

The governor reiterated that the amnesty programme was not politically motivated, pointing out that it was designed to promote the security of all communities in the state.

Governor Wike Recalls Suspended Cabinet Members And Head Of Service

Posted on September 16, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers has announced the recall of the four suspended commissioners, the Head of Service and the Special Adviser on Lands.

Information on the recall is contained in a statement issued by the governor’s Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, made available to newsmen on Friday in Port Harcourt.

Wike suspended the commissioners: Dr John Baziafor (Chieftaincy Affairs), Mrs Tonye Briggs-Oniyide (Culture and Tourism), Dr Fred Kpakol (Finance) and Mr Boma Iyaye (Sports).

Also suspended were Mr Godwin Rufus (Head of Service) and Mr Anugbum Onuoha, the Special Adviser on Lands.

Operation Crocodile Smile will address Niger Delta crisis – Buratai

Posted on September 6, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, has said that the ‘Operation Crocodile Smile’ will address the security challenges facing the Niger Delta and enhance peace in the region.

This is as Rivers State governor, Chief Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike, declared his support for the Operation Crocodile Smile by the Nigerian Army.

Buratai, who spoke yesterday when he led other senior military officers to pay a courtesy call on Wike at Government House, Port Harcourt, explained that the Operation Crocodile Smile was introduced to train army personnel on the techniques of operating in the Niger Delta.

The Chief of Army Staff said, “The Operation Crocodile Smile is an exercise to train our troops on amphibious operations.”

He stated that the exercise seeks to provide the civil authorities with the right environment to carry out governance.

Buratai further stated that the exercise will ensure that the troops are professional with the required training to conduct operations within the law.

The Army Chief said, “Our waters are generally porous. The Nigerian Army has amphibious capabilities in conjunction with the Nigerian Navy to carry out limited operations within the creeks.”

He noted that another aspect of the Operation Crocodile Smile will witness the Army intervening in critical areas of need for the communities, pointing out that already, the Army has embarked on medical outreach in Bille in Rivers State and Nembe in Bayelsa State.

Responding, Governor Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike, stated that he will do everything to ensure peace and security in the Niger Delta.

Wike said, “The Rivers State Government is fully in support of the Operation Crocodile Smile. I was fully briefed by the Brigade Commander and we associate ourselves with the programme because it will make the Niger Delta safer.”

Rivers: Wike’s Deputy Defends Amnesty For Criminals

Posted on August 31, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Rivers Government says it has no regrets initiating the ongoing amnesty programme for repentant cultists and criminals in the state.

The Deputy Governor, Dr Ipalibo Banigo, told newsmen in Port Harcourt on Wednesday that the programme was in line with the peace initiative of the state government.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the amnesty programme came under attack recently when some analysts described it as a measure to shield supporters of the state government.

The analysts asked the government to make public arms recovered from the allegedly repentant criminals to boost confidence in the process.

Banigo, however, said that the state government would not give cash to those enlisting in the programme.

He assured that government would provide responsible rehabilitation that would integrate them back into society.

She said that the essence of the programme was to ensure that the state became peaceful and safe for both residents and investors.

“We have no plan to give cash to anybody; our intention is to provide sustainable rehabilitation for them.

“To say that steps to put repentant criminals on the right path is wrong, means a clear case of lack of understanding of the dynamics of peace building,’’ she said.

The deputy governor further said that government was already implementing an economic empowerment programme aimed at empowering Rivers youth for self-reliance.

Banigo said that the government had shown reasonable concern toward stamping out cultism, crime and violence in the state.

“Shortly after being sworn-in, Gov. Nyesom Wike signed into law the Rivers State Kidnap Prohibition Amendment Law 2015 and led Security Agents to demolish some criminal hideouts in the state,’’ she said.

NAN recalls that communities in Rivers State had been living in fear following the activities of cultists and kidnappers who have made life horrific for residents.

Ahoada, Omoku, Egbeda, Ubima, Ula-upata and Obrikom, are some of the communities that have come under attack forcing people to flee to neighbouring communities.

Wike, Akpabio Deny Funding Niger Delta Avengers

Posted on August 8, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, and ex-Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, have denied funding the Niger Delta Avengers.

Both men along with ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, and Chief Edwin Clark were among South-South leaders named as sponsors of the Niger Delta Avengers by the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, a group which split from the NDA.

Others mentioned in the list were Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson; ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo); the founder, African Independent Television, Raymond Dokpesi; Kingsley Kuku; Kimi Angozi, and Patrick Akpobolokemi.

Wike, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu, called on Nigerians to ignore the list.

On his part, Akpabio, the Senate Minority Leader, described the allegation as “baseless, reckless and senseless”.

“Senator Akpabio has no link with the Niger Delta Avengers or any other militant group for that matter,’’ a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Anietie Ekong, on Sunday said.

The reaction was similar for Clark, who spoke through his lawyer, Mr. Dotun Sowemimo.

He said, “The allegation is an attempt to undermine the efforts of the Niger Delta leaders to bring true, lasting peace to the region.

“Clark and other leaders in the region believe in the unity of Nigeria. The list is a cheap lie, which is meant to distract the peace moves by the elders and leaders in the Niger Delta.”

Dokpesi also distanced himself from the Niger Delta Avengers, stressing that he remained committed to strengthening the unity and stability of Nigeria.

He said, “I don’t know who is giving that report; I have never met any member of the NDA in my life, I have no association with them and I don’t know who they are. I have been committed to strengthening the unity and stability of the country.”

A former spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, also denied having anything to do with the NDA.

http://punchng.com/wike-akpabio-deny-funding-niger-delta-avengers/

Rivers State Gov, Nyesom Wike, Dismisses Claims Of Being A Sponsor Of Niger Delta Avengers

Posted on August 8, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has released a statement denying claims that he was a sponsor of Niger Delta Avengers.

A faction of the militant group, Niger Delta Avengers had released a statement over the weekend that himself and some politicians including former President Goodluck Jonathan and some others were sponsors of their activities.

In a statement by his spokesman Simeon Nwakandu, Wike described the group’s claim as “false media propaganda.”

The statement reads;

“Our attention has been drawn to yet another false media propaganda wherein it was claimed that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike is one of the sponsors of the militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers.

We nequivocally deny this false report which was fabricated with the aim of diverting attention from the superlative performance of Governor Wike.

Any close observer of this propaganda machine would have noticed that all they do is concoct lies about Rivers State.

We urge all well-meaning persons to disregard this current falsehood credited to a faceless splinter group of NDA.

This falsehood may not be unconnected to Governor Wike’s speech at the just-concluded conference of the Nigerian Guild of Editors where he publicly declared that he and other stakeholders in the state have prevented militant groups from sabotaging oil installations as is the case elsewhere.

Not happy with this declaration, they resolved to concoct another ill-conceived report trying to mislead the people.

Nigerians already know what these propagandists represent. They represent retrogression , deliberate falsehood, under-development and biased unprofessional journalism.

Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike is a patriotic leader, committed to the sustenance and improvement of the nation’s democracy and economy.

He is a promoter of security and good governance. He cannot be disparaged by concocted publications from APC media agents.”

254 Teachers Drag Wike To Court Over Unpaid Salaries

Posted on June 28, 2016 by Staff Reporter

No fewer than 254 workers, whose salaries have been stopped since February 2016, have dragged the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria sitting in Bayelsa State.

The workers, who are teachers of primary and demonstration schools of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, and Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, have prayed the court to compel the government to pay their salaries.

Governor Wike had reportedly announced in February 2016 that the state government would no longer pay the salaries of primary and secondary schools’ teachers of demonstration schools of RSUST and other designated institutions where pupils and students pay school fees.

The teachers, 102 of RSUST, 97 of IAUE and 55 of KSWP, claimed that since Wike’s order in February, their relevant institutions had refused to pay their salaries.

While the demonstration schools at KSWP are said to have been shut down since Wike’s directive, those of RSUST and IAUE have yet to be closed down but the affected teachers have remained unpaid for five months.

The claimants (unpaid teachers) in suits NICN/YEN/87/2016 for IAUE; NICN/YEN/88/2016 for KSWP and NICN/YEN/89/2016 for RSUST, sued Nyesom Wike (1st defendant), for ordering the stoppage of their salaries.

The claimants, who prayed the court to declare their appointments valid and subsisting, also joined the Attorney-General of Rivers State (2nd defendant) and their various institutions – RSUST, IAUE and KSWP (3rd defendant) in the suit.

In the reliefs sought by the claimants against the defendants, jointly and severally, they prayed the industrial court to declare that their respective employments were valid and subsisting.

Credit: Punch

Wike Describes Buhari’s Visit For Ogoni Cleanup Launch As Historic

Posted on June 2, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers has described the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari for the launch of the Ogoni cleanup programme as historic.

Speaking during a state-wide broadcast on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, Wike said that the visit was historic because it was not a political mission.

According to him, the visit is a good omen for the state since it is to kick-start the cleanup of oil exploration-induced pollution on Ogoniland.

“The president is not on a political visit to the state; he is here to kick-start the largest environmental cleanup in our nation’s history; this makes it historic.

“It is a visit for which Rivers people and indeed the Niger Delta will remain grateful.’’

The governor used the medium to urge Rivers people to come out massively to accord the president a warm reception.

Wike announced that the government would put every measure in place to ensure that the state was safe for the presidential visit to achieve its purpose.

“We have, therefore, banned the use of motorcycles and tricycles in Gokana and Khana Local Government Areas for the period between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday.

“I call on Rivers people to be peaceful, law-abiding and demonstrate the traditional Rivers hospitality towards the president and his distinguished entourage throughout the visit.

“As I have noted earlier, Mr President is here as the father of the nation, who cares about the environmental and developmental challenges that we face,’’ Wike said.

(NAN)

Apologise, Refund N10bn Wasted On PDP Convention, APC Tells Wike

Posted on May 24, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has been told to apologise and refund the N10 billion from the State coffers which he wasted on last Saturday’s inconclusive National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) made the demand in a statement signed by its Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, and issued on Tuesday in Port Harcourt.

Rivers APC said: “The well advertised PDP National Convention in Port Harcourt has come and gone with its disastrous outcome. With the party now factionalised into three, the demise of the once greatest political party in Africa is not far from sight. “As much as we sympathise with the endangered party of the torn umbrella, we hereby unreservedly condemn Chief Nyesom Wike for wasting a whopping sum of N10 billion belonging to the good people of Rivers State on this charade, especially in these lean times. This is not only condemnable but also abhorrent and unacceptable to the good people of Rivers State. We therefore request Chief Wike and his cotravellers to account for and return this huge sum to the Rivers State treasury as we cannot continue to fold our hands and watch him mortgage the future of Rivers State through his shocking financial recklessness.”

Rivers APC berated PDP leaders who turned up for the ill-fated convention, saying that they should have known better.

“Those PDP leaders who gathered in Port Harcourt to waste the scarce resources of Rivers State are as guilty as their host, Chief Wike. For crying out loud, they should have known that the so called National Convention would be a charade in view of the court order barring any such exercise and with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stating from the very beginning that it would neither participate nor recognise the outcome of the purported convention,” Rivers APC said.

The party sympathized with PDP Acting National Chairman, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, who was unceremoniously removed in Port Harcourt after being lured with the fake promise that he would be made to contest and win election as the party’s substantive chairman.

The statement, however, wondered how Sheriff despite his wealth of political experience could fall into the hands of treacherous Wike who, together with out-voted former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, destroyed PDP when they ensured that Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi and other party pillars were forced out of PDP, thus inadvertently laying the foundation for the party’s loss of power.

“We wonder why Sheriff is crying that he was betrayed at Port Harcourt,” Rivers APC said, adding: “If we may ask, does a leopard change its spots? If Wike could betray and ridicule Amaechi, who did everything humanly possible to make him Obio-Akpor Local Government Chairman, his Chief of Staff and nominated him as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, then we wonder why Sheriff or any other PDP leader should trust him not to betray them.”

Credit: Vanguard

Buhari, Wike In Closed Door Meeting

Posted on May 16, 2016 by Staff Reporter

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday met briefly behind closed door with Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike.

The meeting which was held inside the President’s office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja did not last up to 30 minutes.

Wike arrived for the meeting at about 2pm and left a few minutes after.

The agenda of the meeting was not made public.

The governor also did not speak with State House correspondents at the end of the short meeting.

Credit: Punch

Wike Condemns Oil Installation Vandalism In Niger Delta

Posted on May 13, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Rivers Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, in Port Harcourt on Thursday condemned the resurgence of oil installation vandalism in the Niger Delta region.

A Government House statement, signed by Simeon Nwakodo, the Governor’s Special Assistant on Social Media, quoted Wike as making the condemnation during an interview with a German Television station.

He said that blowing up oil pipes and destroying other installations was an economic crime and capable of sending the nation economically backward.

“Such acts are criminal and clearly not in the interest of the nation and the region; the effects are negative.

“Destroying oil installations will reduce the revenue coming to the country and the Niger Delta states, the implication is purely negative,’’ the governor said.

Wike pledged to work with other governors in the Niger Delta to ensure proactive collaboration with the security agencies to check the crime.

“We will work with the law enforcement agencies to ensure that this ugly trend is tackled; it is not a good omen to our economy.

“Blowing up pipelines will not solve our development challenges, I know that insecurity is a threat to development, I will never support it,’’ he said.

(NAN)

Wike Heads PDP’s Convention Committee

Posted on April 4, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike is to head the National Convention Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as chairman.

The Governor of Taraba state, Mr. Dairus Ishiaku will serve as Wike’s deputy while his counterpart in Ebonyi state, Mr. Dave Umahi will serve as secretary.

A statement on Sunday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, said the committee would be inaugurated on Tuesday.

Other committees also to be inaugurated by on Tuesday include the Reconciliation Committee, which will be chaired by the Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson.

Senator Ibrahim Mantu is to serve as deputy chairman of the Reconciliation committee.

The Finance Committee has Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo as chairman,while Senator Godswill Akpabio will serve as deputy.

The party has similarly set up a Zoning Committee, to be chaired by the Akwa-Ibom State Governor, Mr. Emmanuel Udom, with and Mr. Kelechi Igwe as secretary

The statement added that the committees will be inaugurated by the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Ali Modi-Sheriff at the Abuja national secretariat of the party.

Various stakeholders and interest groups within the party have been mounting pressure on the leadership of the party to set in motion programmes for the national convention tentatively fixed for May 21.

The pressure was a reaction to a directive by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) mandating the National Chairman to set up the committees, for the purposes of conducting the convention.

Credit: Nation

Wike Playing Politics With People’s Lives –Amaechi

Posted on March 30, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has accused the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike, of playing politics with the lives of the people of the state.

He also accused Wike of not taking the development of the state seriously.

Amaechi, a former governor of the state, said this in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

He accused Wike of “twisting, butchering and turning the truth upside down; and in most cases telling outright lies in his failed bid to denigrate, tarnish and rubbish his towering image, person and laudable, landmark achievements.

He said that most troubling was Wike’s alleged propensity, without any qualms whatsoever, to play politics with the safety and security of the lives of Rivers people.

This, he said, was indeed most worrisome.

Amaechi said, “It is no secret that Wike plays politics with the development, welfare and well-being of Rivers people.

“But no government should play politics with the safety and security of its citizens like Wike is sadly and shamelessly doing.

“Governor Wike claimed that the brutal political killings and murder of the All Progressives Congress members and other hapless citizens in the state are cult-related or a result of cult clashes.

“What cult wars is he talking about? Since he claimed to have security reports, we challenge Wike to tell Rivers people the cult group that Franklin Obi, the APC Ward Chairman in Omoku, belongs to, that led to his being gruesomely beheaded and butchered, alongside his pregnant wife and teenage son.

“Or did Franklin suddenly become a cult member because he had the guts and courage to host a resoundingly successful ward meeting of APC faithful in the same ward as Wike’s Peoples Democratic Party State chairman, Felix Obuah, just a few days to the rerun elections?”

The former governor challenged Wike to tell Nigerians the cult groups and the cult wars that led to the killing of the innocent youth corper, Chukwudumeibi Okonta, on the day of the last rerun election on March 19.

“Was the youth corper a cultist or a victim of cult wars or yet another victim of politically-motivated killings in Rivers State?,” he asked.

He also said that Wike must tell Rivers people the cult wars that led to the brutal murder of hundreds of Rivers people since the election that made him governor was held, and the cult groups that all those that had been murdered, belong to.

He said that Wike’s cult wars/cultists claim was akin to insulting and spitting on the graves and memories of all those murdered and their families.

Amaechi said, “With pity, we watched as Wike tried to compare the political killings of the late Okonta and Independent National Electoral Commission ad hoc staff on the rerun election day in Rivers State to the fire accident that occurred at the home of the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kano State days after the elections of 2015.

“How pathetic! Even for Wike, this is a new low.”

On the Rivers Monorail project Amaechi started, which Wike said that he would abandon, the former governor said Wike needed to know that the monorail belongs to Rivers State and not his “Amaechi’s” private monorail.

He said, “Pray, Governor Wike, which Rivers people told you not to touch the monorail project? Is it the same Rivers people that have consistently praised the project and see it as a catalyst to jump-start the local economy and place the state at the forefront of transport infrastructural development in Africa?

“Or is Wike aggregating the jaundiced views of the coterie of court-jesters that hang around him daily, as the opinion of the entire people of the state?

“It is sad, very sad that Wike has elected to play politics with this laudable project that was almost completed before Amaechi left office.”

He said that Wike also described several ongoing projects in the state when he (Amaechi) left office as ‘abandoned projects’ that the former governor claimed to have completed or about to complete.

The former governor said Wike specifically mentioned the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo Unity Road that connects the Island of Opobo to Andoni and the rest of the state.

“What a shameless lie! This project was ongoing and was almost completed as at May 29, 2015. May we also remind Wike that the Eagle Island- Diobu Road that he once claimed to have been abandoned was 90 per cent completed with just the final course of coal tar remaining as at when he succeeded Amaechi,” the former governor added.

APC Can’t Win Any Election In Rivers, Wike Insists

Posted on March 29, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has declared that the All Progressives Congress, APC, is not in a position to win an election in the state, accusing the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi of sponsoring violence to remain politically relevant.

Wike informed that with the proofs of corruption against Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation resorted to blackmailing the leadership of the APC that he would reveal to the public how much he invested in the party’s campaign if he was not confirmed as a minister.

This is even as the Senate Caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, led by Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio insisted that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, must release the collated results of the March 19, 2016 rerun elections. Speaking during a solidarity visit by the PDP Senate Caucus, Governor Wike said the Minister of Transportation lost his local government area and Federal Constituency, hence his desperation to influence the release of the results. He said: “Any person who loves Mr President won’t be causing unnecessary crisis for him. We have problem in the North East, problem in the South-East, so there is no need for another problem in the South-South .

“It is good that the elections were held so that Nigerians will know the truth about the polity. If elections are held 20 times, PDP will win”.

The governor decried the role played by soldiers during the rerun elections. He said the military were directly involved in the elections at polling units and at the collation centres in direct violation of the Electoral Act. He regretted the killing of the corps member, Samuel Okonta during the rerun elections, but stressed that investigation into the type of bullet that killed him must be made public. He confirmed that the state government will immortalise the late corps member.

Credit: Vanguard

There Would Be No Elections In Rivers Until The State Is Conducive To Conduct Elections – INEC

Posted on March 22, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Independent National Electoral Commssion, INEC, has said that it will not return to Rivers until the state is conducive to conduct elections.

We won’t return to Rivers until there is peace, Mr Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity said while revealing that INEC had scheduled a meeting for tomorrow to review the situation in Rivers.

It would be recalled that the commission annulled the election in eight local government areas and also suspended collation of results after declaring few results.

Peterside Will Face Murder Trial — Rivers Govt

Posted on March 21, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The River state government has said that Dakuku Peterside, the defeated governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state and Managing Director of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), will be prosecuted for alleged murder.

He is accused of trying to kill an aide to the governor’s chief of staff on Sunday in the heat of the violent legislative elections held at the weekend. Peterside himself had earlier released a statement saying he escaped an assassination attempt by agents of the state government.

Simeon Nwakaudu, special assistant to the governor on electronic media, said in a statement that Peterside, who is now the managing director of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), “directed his security details to murder an aide to the Chief of Staff to Governor Wike while fleeing with some result sheets from Ikwerre Local Government Area.

“The incident took place at the UTC junction in GRA after Dakuku Peterside instead of taking Ikwerre Local Government Area result sheets snatched from collation officers to INEC office drove with it towards the GRA.

“He had stormed the Collation Centre in Isiokpo with soldiers after which he hijacked the already collated results, which included the Ikwerre/Emohua Federal Constituency. Chief of Staff to Governor Wike, Engr Emeka Woke is a PDP Collation Agent for Emohua Local Government Area.

Dakuku Peterside, plays politics from Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area and has no links with Ikwerre Local Government Area. “After he snatched the results alongside his defeated running mate, Asita Asita, Dakuku Peterside and the soldiers fled towards Port Harcourt. The PDP leaders of Ikwerre and Emohua Federal Constituency followed suit.

“At Omagwa near the airport, the soldiers withdrew leaving the SARS personnel from Abuja to take over the electoral theft operation. At Omagwa, defeated APC candidate for Ikwerre State Constituency, Azubike Wanjoku attempted to murder the LGA Electoral Officer when he used his Armoured Sports Utility Vehicle to ram into the Electoral Officer’s car.

The SARS personnel with Dakuku Peterside also opened fire on the rest of the people. The Electoral Officer was shot. “It was from this point that Dakuku Peterside motorcade in neck-breaking speed drove towards Port Harcourt. “Chief of Staff to Governor Wike, Engr Emeka Woke became a victim as the same SARS personnel with Dakuku Peterside opened fire on the vehicle of the Chief of Staff. “Like in the case of infamous Chidi Lloyd, Dakuku Peterside went ahead to release a false press statement on the issue.”

Nwakaudu sent a picture along with the press statement, appearing to show a wounded man at the back of an SUV.

Credit : Vanguard

PDP Leader, Emma Anyanwu Disowns Son Loyal To Amaechi

Posted on March 14, 2016 by Staff Reporter

A Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Etche Local government area, Chief Emma Anyanwu has disowned his first son, Charles Anyawu for allegedly leading a military raid on his home and community in Ulakwo.

Chief Anyanwu at a media briefing in his home town of Etche accused the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi for ‘misleading’ his son.

Charled Anyanwu has been estranged with his father. He was appointed a Special Adviser to former Governor, Rotimi Amaechi. After the founding of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Charles
abandoned his father in the PDP to join Amaechi in the APC.

Amaechi also appointed Charles as the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Etche Local government area after which he was arrested along with 5 others for illegal possession of fire arms where they were arraigned at the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt.

However, The PDP Chieftain, Emma Anyanwu who is also a veteran journalist said, “I want to re-emphasize that Charles is no longer my son. He led the military into my house. But that is not even the case. He led the military to pull down the Ulakwo town hall which I owe my allegiance. He has been disowned for his behaviour. For destroying the town hall, he remains disowned. He doesn’t possess the qualities of the Anyanwu family. He has been stripped of all his rights,” he said.

Source: DailyPost.ng

‘Wike Lacks Capacity To Govern Rivers State’ – Amaechi

Posted on March 14, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Former Rivers State governor and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has accused his successor, governor Nyesom Wike of lacking the political will and capacity to govern Rivers State.

Amaechi stated this on Sunday at an APC rally in Rumueme, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, ahead of the state and national assembly elections on Saturday.

Amaechi said, “Wike lacks capacity to govern. Somebody who just knows how to steal money is a bushman. Wike said, am corrupt. He should bring evidence to show. I will bring evidence to show that Wike is corrupt. Wike did the Rukpoku/ Eneka road during my tenure he did not complete it. I
gave Wike the contracts to do all the roads around Aristle House(a hotel in GRA) but he failed to do them, I gave him fourteen schools to give to Obio/Akpor people, he stole them, he lacks character”.

Also speaking on the security situation in the state, Amaechi said, “When I was the governor, one thing that I kept thinking of was how to chase these criminals away but under Nyesom Wike, he meets with them. If Wike does not secure you people, the federal government will secure you. If he doesn’t want to be ignored he should go and secure you people because federal government will no longer tolerate these killings in Rivers State.

Amaechi further told his supporters not to be intimidated by Wike’s threats and come out to vote APC at Saturday’s election.

“Saturday is your day, come out and vote.They will no longer have the Police they had, they will no longer have the Army they had, we pray that INEC should be neutral, your job is to match out and vote for APC ,we will not write results like Nyesom Wike , so go back to your wards and do door to door”.

Also, in Akuku/Toru local government area, Amaechi told his party supporters to be courageous in exercising their franchise without fear of intimidation

“You see, it is not enough to provide security because if there are no votes we will lose, the implication therefore is that all of you must come out and vote for APC so that we will win the election.”,he said.

Amaechi had earlier paid condolence to the family of slain APC stalwart Mr. Ofirite Amachree who was killed and burnt beyond recognition by unknown gunmen in Buguma.

Amaechi has also pledged to assist families of slain All Progressives Congress (APC) members in Omoku, Ogba,Egbema/Ndoni local government area of Rivers state.

Amaechi gave the assurance at the weekend when he visited families of late Frankline Obi and late Chukwuladi Adiela in Omoku, Rivers State.

The late Frankline Obi was the APC chairman of ward 4 and was killed and beheaded by unknown gunmen alongside his pregnant wife and son while late Chukwuladi Adiela was an APC stalwart of ward 14.

Addressing the deceased families, the Minister said, “The President is aware of the death of your son who was our party ward chairman. I personally gave him the photograph of the beheaded body. Everybody must learn to give account of their action or inaction in Omoku. We can’t have police and be experiencing this kind of thing. Internal security is the responsibility of the police so if we have police and keep experiencing this in Omoku it means the police in Rivers State has failed and the people that are been killed are mostly APC members”, he said.

Amaechi also told the bereaved families that the president was aware of the killings in Omoku and promised that full investigation will be carried out to unravel the killers.

“The President is fully aware of the situation. I was the governor of this state and Omoku wasn’t this bad Stay clear they will kill more. The police can’t claim not to know who the people are because I was governor, the police worked with me, we knew where the criminals were and we went after them.”

Amaechi also assured the people that arrangements have been made to beef up security ahead of the State and National Assembly re- run elections in the state.

“There will be enough security on the election day, there will be enough security to protect lives.

Wike Recalls Suspended Commissioner, Accountant-General

Posted on February 15, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has recalled the commissioner for Finance and Accountant- General of the state suspended last week.

This is contained in a statement issued on Monday in Port Harcourt by Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, Special Assistant to the Governor on Electronic Media.

It said the Commissioner, Dr Fred Kpakol and the Accountant-General, Sir Abere Dagogo’s suspension was lifted following interventions by different political leaders.

The statement quoted Wike as urging political appointees to differentiate between friendship and governance in the discharge of their functions.

“Governance is a serious business. It is not friendship. When it comes to governance I won’t know friendship.

“I will lift the suspension on the Finance Commissioner and the Accountant-General, but they must henceforth take their functions seriously.

“Next time, I will not take into consideration the pleas of political stakeholders,” Wike said.

The statement said the governor advised all political appointees to take their responsibilities seriously to enable government succeed in the delivery of projects contained in his administration’s development blueprint.

(NAN)

Supreme Court Adduces Reasons For Wike, Ibikunle’s Return As Governors

Posted on February 12, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Supreme Court on Friday gave reasons while Nyesom Wike was affirmed as the validly elected governor of Rivers.

Justice Mohammad Mahmud, who presided, held that the Governorship Electoral Petition Tribunal that handled the case swayed INEC guideline on the use of card readers for the election.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) also held that the tribunal also denied Wike fair hearing.

The Justice said: “While the court commends the introduction of card readers, the innovation, however, cannot supersede the voters register.

“The extant laws of the Federation provides for the use of voters register but the card reader irrespective of its importance does not have a place in any extant law of the land.

“Hence it said that the tribunal was wrong to base it judgment on non-compliance with the use of card readers,’’ Mahmud held.

On the issue of allegation of violence and irregularities during the election, Mahmud held that Dakuku Peterside, candidate of the APC in that election, failed to prove the allegations.

“The APC and its candidate, Mr Dakuku Peterside, were not able to prove the allegations beyond reasonable doubt because they failed to bring witnesses from all the polling units to substantiate the claims.

“For Peterside to prove non-accreditation, he ought to have tendered the voters register and then demonstrate it before the open court.

“We have aligned ourselves with the provision of the law that recognizes the voters register as key element to conduct any elections,’’ he said.

Mahmud, therefore, said the voter register could not be jettisoned for the card reader because it had a place in law while the card reader did not.

According to him, the tribunal and the lower court were unduly swayed by INEC’s directive on card reader usage during the election.

While noting that INEC had empower to make subsidiary regulations regarding conduct of election, Mahmud held that the regulations must not go contrary to constitutional provisions.

On the evidence of INEC staff who described the election as a sham and a mockery of democracy, the court held that his evidence could not take the place of testimonies of voters.

“We however discovered that under cross examination witness did not state whether he personally witnessed any violence at any polling unit, thereby making his evidence hearsay.

“The laws do not give room for arbitrary nullification of an election. A petitioner has to prove that there was substantial non-compliance in all polling units, this we did not see,’’ he said.

Mahmud further said that APC and Peterside failed to bring the issue within this parameter.

The CJN, however, commended the introduction of the card reader but urged the electoral body to approach the National Assembly to give its usage the status of law.

On that of Ogun state, the Court held that Amusu Ibikunle’s return as governor hinged on similar reasons adduced in the Rivers appeal.

Ibikunle contested the election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mahmud held that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Gbeyeoga Isiaka, failed to prove allegations of violence, irregularities and other related malpractices during the election.

(NAN)

Rotimi Amaechi Replies Nyesom Wike Over $150m Allegation

Posted on February 9, 2016 by Staff Reporter

369

Read the press statement below..

Sadly, on Sunday, February 7, 2016, Nyesom Wike, the governor of Rivers State in furtherance of his administration’s one-point agenda, yet again, continued his grossly irresponsible, repugnant and contemptuous, albeit, feckless mission of denigrating and disparaging the person and office of the immediate past governor of the state, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who is now the minister of transportation.

The ‘story-story’ this time is about another phantom $150,000,000(One Hundred and Fifty Million Dollars) that Amaechi purportedly stole from Rivers State government coffers and siphoned to his party, the All Progressives Congress(APC) within eighteen days, from December 1 to 18 of 2014. Sadly again, Wike picked a church, a sacred temple of God to tell his new imaginary tale, another bogus, fallacious concoction.

This new scurrilous fabrication by Governor Wike is in sync with the one-point agenda of the Wike administration, which is to throw as much mud as possible at former governor Amaechi, hoping that some may at least stick. All sorts of spurious stories about alleged corruption and stealing of state funds against the Amaechi administration, have been bandied in the media with no attempt to substantiate or prove these distorted false claims that completely makes nonsense of common sense.

Even, when Amaechi challenged the Wike administration and its agents to use any constitutionally available legal process or procedure to prove their jaundice, deceitful allegations against him and his administration, they have rather elected to do their own corruption probe, trial and conviction in the media; and now, even inside our solemn places of worship (churches). How callous! Why would a government be so determined to desecrate and destroy every institution, all in the name of playing politics?

It continues to baffle us, like most right-thinking Nigerians that Governor Wike will stand in a church- a solemn place of worship- and carelessly, brusquely tell such a profound lie. He condescendingly descended to falsely and indecorously shout corruption against Amaechi, without providing a single shred of evidence to back his claims. How pathetic!

Pray, Governor Wike, who collected the $150million on behalf of APC? From which State Government account(s) was the $150million taken from? How was the $150million taken and given to APC? Was it by wired transfer from Rivers State government account(s) to APC account(s)? So many questions, if Wike had attempted to answer, would have made nonsense of his supercilious allegations.

Rivers people and Nigerians are indeed sick and tired of this old worn-out trick of Governor Wike to hoodwink and distract Rivers people from the real issues. Making a new spurious allegation of corruption against Amaechi every day, will not make Rivers people forget that most of the beautiful, working institutions built by the Amaechi administration are now been allowed to rot away in spite of the billions of naira that had accrued to the State and the billions of naira borrowed by Wike. Rivers people want to know why weeds and grasses have taken over the beautiful schools built by Amaechi? Why the standard working health facilities Amaechi built and left behind are now looking desolate and abandoned? Rivers people are concerned and worried that crime and criminals are back and have taken over. No quantum of mudslinging and attempt to disparage the inspiring legacies of the Amaechi years in Rivers State would distract Rivers people from these issues.

I Am Ready To Work With Wike – Dakuku Peterside

Posted on February 3, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Defeated governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Honourable Dakuku Peterside, has indicated his willingness to work with Governor Nyesom Wike to move the state forward.

He made this known, on Thursday, while reacting to the Supreme Court judgment, on Thursday, which upheld the victory of Wike in the governorship election held in the state on April 11, 2015.
Governor Wike, reacting to the court’s decision, on Wednesday, had praised Dakuku for approaching the judiciary to seek redress over the outcome of the election, rather than going violent.

The governor also extended an olive branch to his opponent and the opposition in the state, asking the APC candidate to join hand with him in the task of moving the state forward.
Dakuku, while accepting the offer from Wike, however said APC would remain a formidable opposition party in the state, serving as a mirror for the activities of the government.

“Consequently, we shall do our best to work for the peace and development of Rivers State and all who reside in it.

“We shall creatively offer our help to Governor Nyesom Wike. We will provide a virile opposition, serving as a mirror for the conscience of government, in the interest of Rivers people.

“When encouragement is needed towards a just and proper course of dealings, we will offer our commendation to the government.
“Conversely, we will constructively express objection to policies and actions we consider inimical to the overall interest of Rivers people.

“It is our hope that Governor Wike and his team will appreciate the suggestions and proposals that would be made in the interest of Rivers people.

“If we sometimes sound strident, he should pay heed to the message of passionate and zealous Rivers people rather than dismiss the messenger”, he said.

The APC governorship candidate however said the judgment was a departure from the earlier findings of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, which had both declared that the election failed to comply substantially with the requirements of the Electoral Act.

News Alert: Supreme Court Affirms Wike As Governor Of Rivers

Posted on January 27, 2016 by Staff Reporter

News reaching us says Supreme Court has affirmed Nyesom Wike as governor of Rivers State.

Our source who just left the Supreme Court not long ago, reports that the final verdict was read after an intensed court session in the court auditorium.

Our source adds that there was jubilation everywhere after the final verdict was read, affirming Nyesom Wike as the governor of Rivers State.

Wike, Fayose Hail Dickson’s Re-election

Posted on January 11, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and his counterpart in Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, have declared that the re-election of the Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson is a victory for democracy in the face of unrelenting external forces.
In a congratulatory message to the Bayelsa State Governor, following his re-election at the conclusion of the supplementary governorship election, Wike said the will of the people of Bayelsa State has prevailed as they have resolved to remain with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

A statement issued by the governor’s Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, pointed out that the people of Bayelsa State exhibited the true Niger Delta spirit which abhors oppression and injustice.
He said with the re-election of Dickson, a clear message had been sent to the dark forces of rigging and electoral manipulation that they will never find accommodation in this geo-political zone.
Wike specifically commended the good people of Bayelsa State for being vigilant all through the governorship election process, saying that their hard work and dedication to the enthronement of democracy have been rewarded by the re-election of a true Niger Delta patriot.

The governor stated that the people of the Niger Delta remain dedicated members of the PDP because that is the only political platform that gives Niger Delta issues the priority they deserve, while the others are only interested in the pecuniary benefits which flow from the area.
While rejoicing with Governor Dickson, the Rivers State governor expressed confidence in the ability of the Bayelsa Governor to consolidate on the democracy dividends which he availed the Bayelsa people during his first term.
On his part, Fayose has hailed the re-election of the Dickson, describing it as a demonstration of the resolve of Bayelsa people to choose their own governor and resist imposition of a governor on them by the powers that be in Abuja.
The governor, who described the people of Bayelsa as “worthy heroes of democracy that stood their ground against agents of darkness that were prepared to short-change them by imposing a governor they do not want on them,” said Governor Dickson’s victory was another vindication of his prediction on 20 things to expect this year.

Credit: Thisday

News Alert!!! Court Of Appeal Nullifies Election Of Nyesom Wike, Orders Election Rerun

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has upheld and affirmed the decision of the Governorship Election Tribunal -nullifying the election of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State. The Appeal Court has ordered INEC to conduct election in Rivers State in 90 days. More details to follow.

Wike Fires Media Adviser

Posted on November 6, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, early on Friday morning, sacked his embattled Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Opunabo Inko-Tariah.

Inko-Tariah, who is also the Publisher of Port Harcourt-based Hard Truth newspaper, on a local radio at 10 a.m., claimed that he resigned, alleging that Wike starved his office of funds and refused to take his advice.

Credit: NationOnline

Wike Asks Appeal Court To Set Aside Tribunal’s Judgment Nullifying His Election

Posted on November 5, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has filed an appeal at the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, asking the court to set aside the judgment of the Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal which nullified his election on October 24, 2015.

In a notice of appeal dated November 3, 2015 and filed same day by his lawyer, Mr. Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), the governor raised 26 grounds of appeal upon which he sought to set aside the tribunal judgment.

The governor is challenging the entire judgment.

He joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Peterside and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as respondents.

He asked the court to allow the appeal and to make an order setting aside the judgment/decision of the Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal.

He further urged the Court of Appeal to make an “order striking out or dismissing the petition filed on May 3, 2015 by Peterside and the APC.”

Credit: ThisDay

Forget About Re-run, Wike Tells Peterside

Posted on November 4, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has told the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2015 governorship election, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, not to delude himself on the possibility of a rerun of the poll in the state.

Wike, who said Peterside embarked on an illegal campaign on Saturday, explained that the APC leader’s action could heat up the polity.

The governor, who spoke on Tuesday through his Media Assistant, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu, disclosed that his lawyers were concluding the appeal process to challenge the ruling of the Justice Suleiman Ambrosa-led Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.

He noted that the ruling, which was premised on card reader accreditation and hearsay testimonies, had already been expunged from the tribunal’s records by the Court of Appeal.

Credit: Punch

Appeal Court Removes Part Of APC’s Petition Against Wike

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, yesterday, expunged some paragraphs of the petition that led to the annulment of the April 11 governorship election that brought Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State to power.

In a judgment it delivered, a three-man panel of Justices of the Appeal Court headed by Justice Datti Yahaya, struck out portions of the petition alleging that security agents were used to rig the election in favour of Wike and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The decision of the appellate court followed an interlocutory appeal that was lodged before it by the APC and its governorship candidate in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Peterside.

Both APC and Peterside had gone before the court to challenge the ruling of the previous chairman of the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal panel, Justice Muazu Pindiga, which deleted paragraphs of the petition containing criminal allegations against unnamed security operatives.

Justice Pindiga, who was subsequently removed from presiding over the petition by the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, based his decision on the fact that the petitioners failed to join the said security agents and other persons it said participated in the alleged electoral fraud as parties to the suit.

Among those that the APC alleged masterminded the rigging of election in Rivers State included wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Dame Patience.

Credit: Vanguard

News Alert!! Supreme Court Dismisses Wike’s Suit Against Tribunal

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The supreme court has dismissed the suit of Nyesom Wike, Rivers state governor, who challenged the jurisdiction of the Rivers governorship election petition tribunal to hear a petition by Dakuku Peterside of All Progressives Congress (APC). Wike had argued that the tribunal sitting in Abuja had no jurisdiction over matters that transpired in the state.

His contention is that the tribunal should have sat in Rivers state and not in Abuja. The tribunal was moved to Abuja over for security concerns, as those of Akwa I?bom, Yobe, Adamawa and Borno. The appeal court had earlier ruled that the tribunal could sit in Abuja to handle Rivers election petitions. The Rivers tribunal had last Saturday sacked Wike as governor of the state, and ordered that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) hold a fresh election within 90 days.

The apex court held that the tribunal was properly constituted and had jurisdiction to hear the petition of Peterside. It ruled that the shift in location of the tribunal from Rivers to Abuja was out of necessity, and added that the president of the appeal court did not err in law by ordering the? relocation of the tribunal. The court therefore dismissed Wike’s suit for lack of merit. ?The seven judges of the court, who were all in agreement with the ruling, stated that the relocation of the tribunal was to protect members of the panel and as such complied with the “doctrine of necessity”.

Source – The cableng

Wike: Supreme Court Decides On Tribunal’s Jurisdiction Today

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Supreme Court would today deliver judgment in the appeal filed by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike challenging the jurisdiction of the Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal to hear the petition against his election in Abuja.

Wike’s counsel, Chris Uche (SAN) had argued that the relocation of the tribunal from Port Harcourt to Abuja is a breach of section 285 (2) of the 1999 Constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act 2010.

The tribunal chairman, Justice Suleiman Ambursa, who led a three-man panel in his judgment on Saturday, cancelled the election of Wike.

Wike, PDP Head To Appeal Court Today

Posted on October 26, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Embattled Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and his sponsor, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, whose election was nullified at the weekend by election tribunal in Abuja, head to Court of Appeal today.

Chief Chris Uche, SAN, counsel to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, counsel to Gov. Wike, say they will appeal the judgment of the tribunal.

Addressing journalists after the judgment, Uche, SAN, declared that Gov. Wike remains Governor until the appeal processes are exhausted.

“It was wrong of the tribunal to raise heavy weather on the use of card readers when INEC itself admitted that both card readers and manual can be used where there are challenges”, he stated.

Credit: DailyTimes

Tribunal Sacks Nyesom Wike As Rivers Governor

Posted on October 24, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal has read its judgement in the petition filed by the APC candidate Dakuku Peterside against the election of Governor Nyesom Wike.

Having being satisfied that the petitioners have proved their case, Tribunal then ordered INEC to conduct fresh elections.

Drama As Amaechi Finally Enters Senate Chamber For Screening

Posted on October 22, 2015 by Staff Reporter

After weeks of high-wired politics, former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, on Thursday, finally was received into the hallowed chamber of the Senate to be screened as a ministerial nominee by Senators.

Amaechi was led into the chamber by Chairman of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Odigie Oyegun and Speacial Adviser to the President on National Assembly (Senate), Sen. Ita Enang.

This came, following the formal receipt by the Senate of report of the Sen Samuel Anyanwu-led Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition, over a petition bordering on allegations of fraudulent practices during his tenure as the governor of the state.

The petition against Amaechi was sent to the Senate by an anti-corruption group, Integrity Group.

Drama, however, ensued when Senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Sen. Godswill Akpabio raised a point of order, stating that content of the report of the Senator Anyanwu-led committee should have been made known to the Senate, before Amaechi’s screening.

Akpabio noted that the PDP-caucus in the Senate had reached a resolution not to ask Amaechi questions.

By this statement, the Senate was thrown into a frenzy, even as Senate Leader, Ali Ndume pointed that being a former lawmaker, Amaechi should be allowed to take bow.

Source – Vanguardngr.com

Wike Condemns MASSOB Agitators’ Protests In Rivers

Posted on October 21, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has warned that his administration would not tolerate a repeat of the protest embarked upon by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra.

Members and supporters of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra and the IPOB had on Tuesday demonstrated in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

Both MASSOB and IPOB had demanded for a breakaway from Nigeria and the unconditional release of one of their members, Mr. Nnamdi Kalu.

The protesters had marched through Ikoku, Ikwerre and some major roads in the state capital.

But Wike, who spoke through a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Opunabo Inko-Tariah, said he was peeved by the protest.

The governor stressed the indivisibility of Nigeria and added that the actions of the protesters were capable of stimulating chaos in the state.

“The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has warned against insidious actions by anybody or group in the state.

“The governor, who was peeved by the protest by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra in Port Harcourt, warned that such demonstrations will not be brooked by his administration.

“Emphasizing the indivisibility of Nigeria, the governor said the actions of the IPOB members are capable of stimulating chaos in the state,” the statement read.

Wike warned that as the chief security officer of the state who swore to protect lives and property, he would not tolerate actions that would lead to the breakdown of law and order in the state.

He, however, dissociated himself and the state from the protest and cautioned that a coercive legal machinery would be set in motion against any group that would breach the peace in the state.

The governor called on residents and those transacting businesses in the state to go about their lawful duties without fear, assuring them of safety.

I Have No Interest In Amaechi’s Appointment –Wike

Posted on October 6, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has insisted that he doesn’t care if his predecessor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi is appointed as a minister or not.

The reason he made this statement was because of the claims by the All Progressives Congress that he was orchestrating a protest against Amaechi’s likely appointment as a minister.

Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Opunabo Inko-Tariah, in Port Harcourt, on Monday, the governor described the claim that he was working against Amaechi’s likely appointment as ridiculous.
He said:

“It is not only spurious, but fatuous and malicious. Governor Wike has no cause to orchestrate a protest against the appointment of Rotimi Amaechi.

“Let me reiterate for the umpteenth time that the governor has no nexus with the appointment of Amaechi or otherwise. It is the right of the President to appoint anybody of his choice provided such an appointment is in sync with the relevant laws.

“The appointment of Amaechi will definitely have no bearing on the governance of Rivers State. There are crucial issues the governor is more concerned with which are issues of the state and not trifles like the appointment of Amaechi.

“It is apparent that the APC in Rivers State has exhausted its basket of lies and barren propaganda but still wants to be heard or noticed despite its waned popularity in the state,” Wike said.

“Governor Wike’s concern now is to clear the rubbish Amaechi left behind in his eight years of maladministration that impoverished the state and the people.

“Therefore, if the APC is dispensing such unfounded falsehood as a stratagem, it has failed. Or, is the APC distraught that Amaechi might not scale through the screening because of his antecedents?

“If that is the problem, it (APC) should think of how to sort it out and not spread falsehood to gain sympathy. Governor Wike is not interested in Amaechi’s matter because it is inconsequential,” he added.

Source: Punch

Rivers Election Tribunal: More Army Witnesses Insist No Election Took Place On April 11

Posted on September 11, 2015 by Staff Reporter

More witnesses from the Nigerian Army who testified on Thursday at the Rivers State Election Tribunal sitting in Abuja, insisted that the April 11 gubernatorial polls did not hold in the state contrary to the claim of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor Nyesom Wike.

Compelled by subpoena, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) who sent three other army officers to testify at the Justice Suleman Ambrosa led tribunal , maintained that election did not hold in virtually all polling centres assigned to them to provide security.

Corroborating what Captain Garba Sani testified on Wednesday, the three army officers who led
different deployments on the order of the Nigerian Army said that political hoodlums and thugs carted away the election materials after the would-be voters had allegedly been scared away with gun shots.

The three army officers who covered different local governments for the army are captains Abubakar Mohammed, Captain Fred Bala and Captain Isa Almakura.

Almakura who covered Ikwerri local government along with 30 other soldiers claimed that the entire council was tensed up right from April 10 when his team arrived the area to provide security for voters.

Fayose, Wike Kick Against Death Penalty For Corrupt Govt Officials

Posted on September 11, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Governors of Ekiti and Rivers state have kicked against the suggestion that government officials found guilty of stealing the Nations treasury should be sentenced to death.

The state governors spoke against this during the National rallies held by NLC members to canvass for support for the Buhari anti corruption drive as well as call for death penalty to be enforced on corrupt government officials.

Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, Fayose argued that death penalty which has been enforced in some other countries has not stopped the looting of public funds in those countries.

“In countries where death penalty was introduced, it has not stopped looting. In advanced countries like US, jail sentence is the penalty. What we need is proper moral education to change orientation of the people. Jail sentence is better; it can reform,” he told Punch

In the same vein, the Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike who spoke through his media aide, Opunabo Inko-Tariah, said that death penalty was practiced in the military regime. He however called for a review of the laws on looting the Nations treasury

“Nigerians have a role to play by deriding looters and not to praise them for their fiscal irresponsibility. There should be a strong punitive measure to discourage looting because of its domino effects. When a treasury is looted, there won’t be money for the provision of necessities such as hospitals, roads, etc. Maybe because it happened in Ghana and the economy improved, the labour organisations want it in Nigeria. But that was a military regime and Jerry Rawlings was a military man. However, the extant laws on looting need serious and urgent review, even if the death penalty is discouraged.”he said

Ondo state governor, Olusegun Mimiko, who spoke through his information commissioner, Kayode Akinmade, said due process must be followed if Nigerians agree that the death penalty is what should be meted on corrupt officials.

“We are not under a military rule; this is democracy and we have constitution that we follow. If it is put in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, irrespective of whether you are a governor or not, so be it. If that is what Nigerians want, it is okay. Everybody is against corruption, but there is a process of making law. Thank God we have a National Assembly and the state assemblies who are representative of the people. If such bill could be sent to the national and state assemblies and be passed into law, it must become a law. If the process is followed and it is the wish of Nigerians that looters be killed, why not? Let it become a law. It is a fact that Nigerians are not happy with this corruption tag, which has slowed down our economic development but if we have a law that will bring about capital punishment for the looters, it is okay.”he said.

I Have Declared My Assets To The Relevant Authorities, I Don’t Need To Make It Public – Wike

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike says he has declared his assets to the relevant authorities and is not compelled to make it public. Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Sir Opunabo Inko-Tariah, Wike said what is important in asset declaration is the sincerity behind it …

“The governor has declared his assets and this is exactly what he told newsmen during the tour of his administration’s projects. There is no law compelling him to make his declaration public. He has declared his assets and the declaration was made to the relevant authority. Let me also say that it is not just about asset declaration; it has to do with the sincerity of the person because some may over-declare when they want to steal in future. So, they declare to accommodate the theft in future.

Some may also declare for whatever reason; maybe they have held public offices in the past and they don’t want people to know that they have stolen money. So, people will declare; it is not all about the declaration of assets. What is crucial is the sincerity of the person declaring and you are supposed to declare when you get out of office. But the truth is that if you are a governor or a minister, what matters is the delivery of the dividends of democracy. That is what is important and it is not about what you declare and how much you declare.” Wike said

Wike Squandered N120bn In 100 Days- APC

Posted on September 8, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) alleged yesterday that the state governor, Nyesom Wike, squandered more than N120 billion in his first 100 days in office.

In a statement released yesterday by Davies Ikanya, state chairman of APC insisted Wike wasted 100 days by merely engaging in falsehood and propaganda.

The party detailed how the governor allegedly spent the money. Ikanya said Wike “squandered” N30 billion borrowed shortly after assuming office, N10 billion left by the Rotimi Amaechi administration and over N80 billion accruing to the state from internally generated revenue and the Federation Account.

“Chief Wike represents everything that should not be found anywhere near the corridors of power. He personifies inaction, profligacy, corruption, maladministration and vendetta…”

Read More: sunnewsonline

Publish Statements Of Govt Accounts, Amaechi Challenges Wike

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Former Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, has challenged his successor in office, Governor Nyesom Wike to publish the statements of government accounts with Skye Bank, FAAC, Zenith Bank and Access Bank, insisting that about N7.5 billion cash was left as balance in the state Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, as at May 29, 2015, alongside money in other accounts, totalling N8 billion.

Amaechi in a statement, yesterday, by his media aide, said: “Our attention has been drawn to comments by Governor Wike, where he attempted to justify his sham probe of the immediate past governor of the state and distort our statement on the amount of money Amaechi left in the state treasury.

“However, what the public may not know is that Wike’s deceptive probe of Amaechi is a distraction to entertain and keep the public focus on his circus show, while he siphons and salt away billions of naira from the state treasury. From the moment he stepped into Government House, Port Harcourt, Wike has run a government of lies, deception and fraud.

“Wike claimed he met a completely empty treasury. That again is another big lie and grand deception to steal state funds. We have said that Amaechi left billions of naira and we even went ahead to mention the banks and give the names of the accounts the money were, as at May 29, 2015.

“We repeat that N7.5 billion cash was left behind as balance in the state Internally Generated Revenue account with Skye Bank, FAAC account with Zenith Bank, balance with Access Bank and funds in the State reserve fund account in First Bank. This is besides other balance in the state Government House account with Zenith Bank and other government ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs accounts, like the Bureau for Public Procurement, BPP. Amaechi left N939m in the Commercial Agric Credit Scheme Account in Zenith Bank.

“By the time you pull all these together, we are looking at readily available cash in the region of N8 billion to N10 billion left for the Wike administration. We have mentioned banks, account names and funds left in the accounts. These are facts that cannot be distorted by Wike.

“If Wike says he’s not lying that he met an empty treasury, we challenge him to publish the statements of these government accounts that we have mentioned and other Rivers State Government ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs accounts as at May 29 to prove his claim and show the public that Amaechi left an empty treasury for him.”

Go & Defend Yourself Before Judicial Commission, Wike Tells Amaechi

Posted on August 31, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has called on his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi, to go and defend himself before the judicial commission of inquiry sitting in the state.

Wike, who was reacting to Amaechi’s declaration on Saturday that he (Amaechi) would not appear before the Justice George Omereji-led panel of inquiry, said it was wrong for the former governor to describe the commission as illegal even when the court had ruled that the panel was in order.

The governor, who spoke on Sunday through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Opunabo Inko-Tariah, said he would not take issues with Amaechi over the setting up of the judicial commission of inquiry.

Wike stressed that it was necessary for Amaechi to defend himself on certain issues concerning how the state was managed during his tenure.

Read More: punchng

Wike Did Not Inherit N7.5bn From Amaechi- PDP

Posted on August 25, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has denied a recent claim by former Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi that he left N7.5billion Internally-Generated Revenue, IGR, with some banks for Governor Nyesom Wike.

The party said there was no such amount in the state treasury on Wike’s assumption of office on May 29, 2015.

In a statement issued yesterday by state PDP chairman, Mr. Felix Obuah, the party described Amaechi’s claim as “false, unfounded and indefensible,” and pointed out inconsistencies in the former governor’s statement.

Obuah said: “By the time you pull all these (accounts) together, we are looking at readily available cash in the region of N8billion to N10billion left for the Wike administration.”

Read More: nigerianpilot

Don’t Call Buhari ‘Baba Go Slow’, Neither Was It Right For You To Have Called Jonathan ‘Clueless’, Governor Dickson Warns

Posted on August 19, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has warned Nigerians to desist from calling President Buhari ‘Baba Go Slow’ saying a man that occupies the number one seat in the country should not be addressed that way. He said he wonders what those calling him the name stands to achieve and wonders how they want the international community to look at him. He also condemned those who called ex-president Jonathan too clueless saying it was nothing but wrong.

Dickson made this statement yesterday during a news conference at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. Hear him;

“What are you saying when you call President Buhari ‘Baba go slow?’ In what light are you putting the President before the international community? When you refer to someone as ‘clueless’, what do you mean?”

Governor Wike Promises To Complete Projects Started By Amaechi

Posted on August 19, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Governor of Rivers State, Gov. Nyesom Wike promised to complete relevant projects that were started by the previous administrations, including that of former Governor Chibuike Amaechi.

Wike gave the assurance in Port Harcourt, yesterday, when the Archbishop of the Niger Delta Province, Anglican communion, Archbishop Ignatius Kattey, visited him in the Government House, Port Harcourt.
He promised that his administration will take the state to greater heights by fulfilling his campaign promises to the people.

He said:

“Our administration shall never lose focus. We have made promises and we shall keep to the promises. Any project that will impact positively on the lives of the people of the state will be completed by this administration.”

Earlier, the Archbishop of Anglican Province of the Niger Delta, Archbishop Ignatius, described Wike as a man who kept promises, noting that the development projects of the administration should be commended.
He also urged the governor not to be distracted by unwarranted attacks on his person by political opponents.

Source: Vanguard

Tribunal Declines To Dismiss APC’s Petition Against Wike

Posted on August 17, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja, has declined to dismiss the petition seeking to sack Governor Nyesom Wike from office. ?In a ruling this afternoon, the Justice Muazu Pindiga-led tribunal held that the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its governorship candidate in the state, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, properly convoked a pre-hearing session on their case against Wike.

The tribunal said it was not persuaded by contention of both the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and Wike that the failure of the petitioners to pay a mandatory ?N100 fee for the convocation of the pre-hearing session, rendered their substantive petition liable for dismissal.

INEC had through its lawyer Mr. K.O.C. Njemanze, SAN, sought the dismissal of the petition as having been abandoned in consequence of non compliance with the provision of paragraph 18(1) of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act.

INEC’s motion dated July 27, was filed pursuant to section ?6(6) (a) of the 1999 constitution, as amended, and paragraphs 18(1) (3) and (47) of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act.

The electoral body insisted that there was no evidence that the petitioners paid the necessary fees before they applied to the Secretary of the tribunal to issue them Form TF007, which will okay pre-hearing on the petition.

Similarly, Wike, through his lawyer Mr. Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, relied on the case of Ihedioha vs Okorocha and argued that the failure of the petitioners to properly apply for the pre-hearing session rendered the case before the tribunal liable to be dismissed.

Wike noted that the Imo State Governorship Elections Petition Tribunal had in a ruling it delivered on July 22, held that the failure of Ihedioha to pay the N100 filing fee in respect of an application for pre-hearing was fatal to his petition against Okorocha. The PDP which is the 3rd Respondent in the matter also aligned with INEC and Wike in asking the tribunal to dismiss the petition.

However, in its ruling, the tribunal upheld the argument of counsel to the petitioners, Chief Akinlolu Olujunmi, SAN, ?who had urged the panel not to allow the Respondents to rely on technicalities to defeat the essence of justice in the electoral dispute.

Besides, the panel stressed that the letter the petitioners served on the Secretary to the tribunal on June 23, which requested for the issuance of Form TF007, did not qualify as a filed document as envisaged by paragraph 37 of the Electoral Act.

“It is clear that there is no imposition of any fee for the kick-starting ?of a pre-hearing session and the application for issuance of pre-hearing form does not involve any filing fee. “Form TF007 and TF008 are not documents filed as envisaged by paragraph 37 of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act.

“If a pre-hearing session has began as in the instant case, the way it was kick-started? is no longer of any moment whatsoever. We hold that there was no defect in the pre-hearing kick-started by the petitioners. The applications by the Respondents are hereby discountenanced and dismissed”, the tribunal ruled.

?Meantime, the tribunal is currently entertaining arguments from all the parties on the propriety or otherwise of allowing the petitioners to inspect all the materials that were used for the April 11governorship election in Rivers State, considering that the issue is already pending before the Appeal Court.

“I Am Still The INEC REC Of Rivers State” – Mrs. Gesila Khan

Posted on August 17, 2015 by Staff Reporter

THE Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Gesila Khan, has said she is still in charge as the state REC and has not been transferred.

Khan was reacting to claims in some quarters that she had been transferred by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The state REC, who was alleged to have been arrested and detained by operatives of the Department of State Services spoke with journalists on Monday at the state INEC office, Port Harcourt during the ongoing inspection and certification of materials used for the 2015 polls.

Khan maintained that she would not have been part of the ongoing exercise at the state INEC office if she had been transferred as speculated.

“I am here and I am still here. I have not been transferred. If I have been transferred, I should not be sitting here; I should be picking my things. Even if I am transferred, there is nothing wrong with that because it is government work and anytime you are called to move, you move. But for now, I have not been called to move,” she stressed.

On whether she has any regret as a result of her experience so far in Rivers State, the REC said, “I have no regret whatsoever. I am an Human Resources practitioner, so, anything you see in life, you move along with it. You cannot predict man. They are free to think and say what they want.”

She, however, pointed out that the photocopying of election materials and certification of documents were going on without any hitch.

Explaining that INEC headquarters crafted three administrative secretaries to assist in the exercise, Khan noted that this was necessary in order not to delay the submission of required materials to the election tribunal.

“During the presidential election, three national commissioners came; during the governorship election, three national commissioners came and now again, we have three administrative secretaries. That is just to make the job fast and you know the tribunals are time-bound and the work (sorting our election materials) is voluminous.

“We have been working since. Today, it is either this document or another. Some they want in long hand while some they want it in short hand. So, the law says when they request, you give them and since the time is very short, we have to,” she said.

Meanwhile, the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress, has disagreed with the State Electoral Commissioner that she was detained by the DSS for two weeks.

The state APC said the DSS invited Khan for questioning, alleging that her actions and inactions constituted a security threat to the state and the country at large.

Describing Khan as a victim of her own devices, the state APC in a statement signed by its Secretary, Media and Publicity Committee, Mr. Godstime Orlukwu, said her alleged earlier refusal to release materials used during the last election was capable of affecting the peace of the state.

Wike Wants Peterside’s Petition Dismissed Over N100 Fee Default

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Nyesom Wike and the Independent National Electoral Commission, on Friday asked the state Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja to dismiss the petition filed by the All Progressive Party and its candidate in the poll, Dr. Dakuku Peterside.

Wike and INEC predicated their prayer for the dismissal of the petition on the petitioners’ failure to pay a fee of N100 for the filing for the issuance of pre-hearing notice, Form TF007.

But counsel for Peterside and the APC, who are through their petition, challenging the declaration of Wike as the winner of the April 11 poll, Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN), asked the Justice Muazu Pindiga-led tribunal to dismiss the respondents’ application for lacking in merit.

Olujinmi insisted that since the application for the pre-hearing notice was by a letter to the Secretary to the tribunal, his clients were not liable to pay for filing fee as such was not specifically provided for in any law.

He maintained that Paragraph 2 of the TF007 only made provision for the submission of the form and not filing which would have warranted payment of filing fee.

He added that even if his clients were required to pay the fee, failure to do so could only amount to a mere irregularity which the tribunal could direct them to pay at any time.

He also maintained that his clients, like other pa?rties to the petition, had made a deopsit of N500,000 security fund to the tribunal, so the tribunal could easily deduct N100 from the said money if it was a must that the N100 fee be paid.

Read More: punchng

Wike Welcomes Appointment Of Amaechi As Minister

Posted on August 13, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State said he is not opposed to the appointment of his predecessor in office, Rotimi Amaechi as minister.

Wike was reacting to claims that he was attacking Amaechi in order to deprive the former governor of a ministerial appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Wike noted that he is not worried about the possible appointment of Amaechi into President Buhari’s cabinet.

He noted that has never discussed the issue of whether Amaechi should be appointed by the President or not with anybody.

Wike, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Opunabo Inko-Taria, said he was angry with Amaechi with the way the former governor managed the state’s treasury.

He said it was annoying that when he took over, he met an empty treasury.

Read More: Punch

Tribunal Throws Out Four Petitions Against Wike’s Election

Posted on August 6, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has struck out four out of the five petitions filed to challenge the election of Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the governor of the state.

The only surviving petition challenging the declaration of Wike as the winner of the April 11 election is the one filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate, Dakuku Peterside.

Three of the petitions, which were filed by the Social Democratic Party, Labour Party and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) were dismissed on technical grounds.

The fourth petition was voluntarily withdrawn by the petitioner, Kemka Elenwo, who was KOWA Party’s governorship candidate in the election.

Read More: Punch

Anybody Close To Me Knows That I Don’t Like Money – Rotimi Amaechi

Posted on August 3, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has accused his successor, Nyesom Wike, of leading people of the state to blackmail him.

Amaechi noted that since Wike and members of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state are jittery that his appointment will be the main determinant of the state politics, they have moved to tarnish his image in the eyes of President Muhammadu Buhari, who detests corruption.

The ex-governor spoke at a reception organized in his honour in Abuja Sunday night.

He said, “Let me tell you what is currently going on in Rivers State. The governor and PDP are afraid of me getting an appointment to the national executive council because that will determine what the
politics of Rivers State will be.

“And they know that the current President abhors corruption and the only way they can stop me from getting the appointment is to paint me with corruption. And the people that know me in Rivers State know that I don’t like money. But I am not angry with them. My anger is that in Rivers they know I don’t like money. And I expect them to defend me that I don’t like money.”

The same Wike, according to Amaechi, who used to advise him that merely executing project without wasting money on people would not earn him a second term in office, has sponsored newspapers’ adverts to rubbish his reputation.

Amaechi added: “Governor Nyesome Wike has again sponsored one advert in a bid to rubbish me. He will go and publish in the paper on Monday as advert. Only God knows that if there is one thing I don’t like, I don’t like money. Anybody close to me knows that I don’t like money. Even Nyesom Wike told me you will not win second term if you don’t use money. So all this wasted projects will not deliver us. And I said let us do it once and for all.”

Tribunal Dimisses Wike’s Bid To Relocate Election Tribunal To Rivers

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, has dismissed an application by Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike, seeking an order relocating its venue to Rivers.

In a ruling, the three-man panel led by Justice Muazu Pindiga, dismissed the application on the ground that the tribunal had power to sit in Abuja, following security challenges in the state.

The tribunal also held that the composition of the tribunal was not in any way defective and that the President of the Court of Appeal had the power to fix the venue of the tribunal.

Mr. Pindiga added that ?the issue of accessibility and proximity of the venue for the tribunal cannot be decided without considering the security situation, earlier argued by the governor’s counsel, Emmanuel Ukala, SAN.

The governor had prayed the tribunal to relocate the venue to Rivers, adding that the election was duly conducted in line with Section 285 of the Nigerian constitution.

A governorship candidate, Dakuku Peterside, and his party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) had in April dragged Mr. Wike to court over his victory at the recent governorship election in Rivers.

Joined in the suit, filed by the APC, are the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Peoples Democratic Party.

Credit: premiumtimesng

News Alert !! Court Reinstates Elected LG Chairmen In Rivers state

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Reports coming out of Rivers state has it that there has been a new twist to the power tussle in the state, as a National Industrial Court in Yenagoa has ordered the immediate reinstatement of elected Chairmen of 22 Local government areas in Rivers state.

The Court also ordered the Inspector General of Police to enforce the directive with immediate effect.

The 22 Local government Chairmen under the auspices of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON had approached the National Industrial court to obtain an order restraining the Rivers state government “and its agents from dissolving” them.

Recall that a Federal High court in Port Harcourt presided over by Justice Lambo Akanbi had set aside the Local government election that ushered in the 22 Chairmen.

Details soon…

Tension In Rivers As Unknown Gunmen Kill 8

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Unknown gunmen, weekend, shot eight people dead at Agbonchia market area, Eleme Local Government of Rivers State, according to eyewitnesses.

State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Muhammad, however, said five people died, adding that a suspect had been arrested.

According to him, the killers stormed a place around a market where people wash motorcycles and opened fire on those around.

“The assailants came on motorcycles, opened fire at a motorcycles wash point at Agbonchia Eleme and fled. Five persons lost their lives.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the attack was related to cult activities. One suspect is right now undergoing interrogation, while moves to arrest other fleeing miscreants has begun.”

Witnesses said the assailants pretended as if they wanted to wash their bikes. “Suddenly, they started shooting at those around and when they were done, they hopped on their bike and fled,” the eyewitnesses said.

Meanwhile, Rivers State Police Command said it had uncovered plans by two rival political groups to protest, today, the Federal High Court ruling in Port Harcourt that nullified the May 23 elections of 22 local government executives.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Austin Agbonlahor in a statement in Port Harcourt, warned that the police will not allow any act that would cripple peace in the state, urging those aggrieved over the high court judgement to explore legal means to express their feelings. He appealed to the political class to allow peace reign, stressing that the state had seen enough of politically-motivated protests.

“Information at the disposal of Rivers State Police Command indicates plans by unknown individuals to hold a protest today in Port Harcourt metropolis and other locations in the state against the recent Federal High Court judgment nullifying the election of the chairmen of 22 councils and the swearing-in of caretaker committees in their stead.

“Similarly, the command has credible intelligence that the protesters will be countered by another group. This could lead to confrontation with unpleasant consequences.

“We are in a democracy, where the Rule of Law and the right to protest are legitimate rights and aspirations. However, these rights stop where those of the other person begins.

“We acknowledge that anyone can hold a legitimate and peaceful protest; it is also fair to admit that the protest planners would not be able to control the process as pro- and anti-forces, and hoodlums, could hijack it and turn the state into a theatre of violence.

“So we are advising that all aggrieved persons should sheathe their swords and toe the path of honour by resorting to legal means of seeking redress and justice,” Agbonlahor said.

Governor Wike Renames Rivers State Poly After Ken Saro-Wiwa

Posted on July 9, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has renamed the State Polytechnic, Bori, after the late author and environmental rights activist from Ogoniland, Ken Saro-Wiwa.

Wike explained that renaming of the institution, located in Bori, Khana Local Government Area, Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic was in honour of the late activist’s achievements and legacies.

The governor, who disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Thursday, said Saro-Wiwa fought selflessly for the good of the society and humanity.

He explained that the former Ogoni leader and his achievement should not be consigned to oblivion, saying Saro-Wiwa was known and revered beyond the shores of Nigeria.

“In honour of his monumental achievements and legacies, the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has renamed the Rivers State Polytechnic in Bori as Ken Ule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic.

“The memories of avatars like the late Saro-Wiwa, who fought selflessly for the betterment of society and humanity should not be consigned to oblivion, more so, when such personalities are revered beyond the shores of the country,” Wike said in the statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Sir, Opunabo Inko-Tariah.

Wike Vs Amaechi: Court Sacks Rivers State Council Chairmen & Councillors

Posted on July 9, 2015 by Staff Reporter

A federal high court in Port Harcourt presided over by Justice Lambo Akambi, this morning nullified the election of the 22 local Government council chairmen and councillors organized by the Professor Augustine Ahiazu led Rivers State Independent Election Commission, RSIEC, during the administration of Chibuike Amaechi.

Justice Akambi averred that the conduct of the election that produced the 22 local government council chairmen is not only illegal but an affront on the court because the matter was pending in court. He noted that RSIEC and the state government was directed not to go ahead with the election but the order of court was fragrantly disobeyed.

With the judgement, the 22 local government council chairmen who are all members of the All
Progressives Congress have been sacked.
It would be recalled that when RSIEC planned to conduct the election at the twilight of the immediate past administration in May, the state PDP challenged the election through a court injunction but RSIEC claimed the order of court did not affect it, so PDP boycotted it.

RSIEC led by Prof Ahiazu had earlier been sacked by Governor Nyesom Wike and reconstituted it.

The Federal High court in its judgement said it had to defend and protect democracy by nullifying the election.

Wike, a lawyer, had vowed to sack the council chairmen and councillors because they were elected illegally but would wait for case to run its full course.
More to follow…

Wike To Use 30Bn Loan To Develop Rivers

Posted on July 2, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Governor of Rivers, Mr Opunabo Inko-Tariah, has said that the state government’s N30 billion loan will be used to develop the state. Inko-Tariah told newsmen in Port Harcourt on Thursday that insinuations by the state chapter of All Progressives Congress that Gov. Nyesom Wike intends to borrow N100 billion were untrue.

He said there were compelling needs to be attended to and government had no option than to take the loan. “The governor’s actions were based on the necessity, the importance of the project to Rivers people and not whether he will take the credit or not for completing the project,’’ he said.

He said that the courts and assembly complexes were shut for close to two years and there was need to renovate them. “There are so many projects that were abandoned because the contractors were not paid by the previous administration and some of the projects are very important to Rivers people.

“Also, the governor has ordered that the April and May salaries of civil servants be paid,’’ he said. The governor’s spokesman said government was also reviving payment of overheads to ministries and parastatals.

According to him, government needs the money to kick start and that is why the governor is seeking the loan. He said the Wike administration did not inherit money from the previous administration and that it had to meet the needs of the people. “The demands are much greater than the resources available,’’ Inko-Tariah said

Rivers APC Backs Buhari To Recover Stolen Funds, Calls For Wike’s Probe

Posted on June 29, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has thrown its weight behind President Muhammadu Buhari in his bid to investigate and recover the billions of naira looted by the immediate past administration of Goodluck Jonathan.

“We received with great joy news of the resolution by President Buhari to go after those who stole Nigeria blind and virtually grounded the country’s economy. For six years we shouted ourselves hoarse that Jonathan’s administration was the most corrupt in the history of this nation and sadly nobody believed us but the recent revelations have proved us right. If not by the grace of God and the resolve of Nigerians to vote out that visionless government, the ship of our nation would have been grounded by now,” Rivers APC Chairman, Dr. Davis Ibiamu Ikanya, said.

Ikanya in a statement issued on Sunday in Port Harcourt described the impending recovery of stolen funds and stoppage of systemic leakages as the beginning of the journey towards building the ideal Nigerian nation.

Rivers APC appealed to President Buhari to pay particular attention to “one of the major pipes of corruption of the past administration, namely, Ministry of Education under the watch of Nyesom Wike as the Supervising Minister.”

It called for the Wike years at the Education Ministry to be thoroughly investigated in the following areas:

The N20 billion voted for the purchase of books for Federal Government institutions which was not duly executed as no book was purchased or distributed.

The Almajiri school scheme, the Universal Basic Education (UBEC) and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).

The N87 billion approved for the Ministry but not utilised.

The whereabouts of the 15 UBEC Toyota Hilux buses that Chief Wike commandeered for his gubernatorial election campaign, which he has refused to return to the Federal Ministry of Education thereby hampering official activities in the Commission.

The over N180 Billion UBEC funds allegedly looted by Chief Wike and Dame Patience Jonathan through fraudulent contracts for the supply of textbooks to higher institutions. (The textbooks were never supplied.)

The recent fire that razed down only the Basic Education Section of the Ministry of Education building in Abuja containing relevant indicting documents about Wike’s activities while he held sway as the Supervising Minister of Education.

“We should unravel why the fire incident took place and why only this section should be burnt. Was it for the sole purpose of covering up the illegal transactions of the immediate past Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike? The burnt documents included the ones for the contracts Wike awarded to himself and his cronies as a conduit to siphon public funds. We want the Buhari Administration to, as a matter of urgency, look into this now that he wants to recover looted funds,” Rivers APC said.

The party declared that there should be no hiding place for people like Wike who as a minister hired private jets and wasted whopping sums running into billions of naira, living an opulent lifestyle far higher than his legitimate income, all at the expense of tax-paying Nigerians.

“Mr. President should investigate if the looted funds were part of the billions of naira used in purchasing arms given to Rivers State youths with which to kill innocent people in his desperation to capture the Rivers State Government House during the March 28 and April 11 general elections.

APC further said”In any case, we have heard that both the Education and Sports Ministries under the former President Jonathan have already submitted their audited reports to the appropriate authorities and the reports are indicting particularly the Tertiary Fund 2013 Tax which was siphoned through the Central Bank to the tune of N246bn,” Rivers APC said.

According to the party, Wike is the true face of corruption in Nigeria and if his issue is not addressed now he will surely run aground the economy of Rivers State as he has ordered cartons of his breakfast favourite drink (Louis XIII) of which a bottle costs N1.5m.
According to APC “Although Wike has been unjustly declared Governor by Rivers INEC, his immunity does not prevent him from being investigated.

The party passionately appeals to President Muhammadu Buhari to take necessary action to bring this man to book so as to serve as a deterrent to his type in government if he loses at election tribunal.

The party commended the governments of USA and Britain for supporting the APC Government in its efforts to recover Nigeria’s looted funds stashed in foreign banks by agents of wickedness. It pleaded with Nigerians to see reason and support the administration of President Buhari in his efforts to clean the rot.

22 LG Chairmen Threaten To Drag Wike To EFCC

Posted on June 25, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The 22 council chairmen in Rivers State have threatened to petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over an alleged plan by the state Governor, Nyesom Wike, to order the diversion of the June 2015 federal allocation meant for local governments.

The council chairmen, who are all members of the All Progressives Congress, accused Wike of instructing the state Accountant General to divert the federal allocation meant for the councils for this month.

The state Public Relations Officer of the All Local Government of Nigeria, Mr. Samuel Eyiba, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said the reason for the alleged directive from the governor remained unknown to them (council chairmen).

Eyiba warned that apart from the EFCC, council chairmen in the state had resolved to take the matter to other relevant bodies.

“We are also aware that the Rivers State Government under Nyesom Wike has given instruction, though not written, to the Accountant-General of the state to divert the FAAC allocation meant for the 23 local government councils for this month.

“The reason for this instruction is yet unknown to us. We have resolved to take this unpopular instruction to the appropriate quarters should they go on with their plans, including petitioning the EFCC and related agencies,” Eyiba said.

Read More: punchng

Court Restrains Wike, Assembly From Sacking Council Chairmen

Posted on June 24, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The National Industrial Court sitting in Yenagoa has granted an interim injunction restraining Rivers State Governor, Chief Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike and the State House of Assembly from dissolving the 23 local government councils in the state.

The court, presided over by Justice James Justice Agbadu-Fishim, also restrained the state Attorney-General of the state and agents of the state government from dissolving, suspending, sacking terminating or in any manner whatsoever interfering with the tenure of office of the councils.

The interim order, in Suit No: NICN/YEN/26/2015, which was granted on Monday, June 22, 2015, followed a motion ex-parte and affidavit of extreme urgency filed by chairmen of the 23 local government councils on behalf of themselves, and the 23 local government councils of the state.

Read More: leadership

Amaechi Rubbishes Probe By Wike

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi, has denounced the so-called probe of his administration by his successor, Nyesom Wike.

Amaechi described the probe as a sham and a fraudulent witch-hunt meant to deceive the public.

“This so called Wike’s probe of Amaechi is dead on arrival,” the former governor’s media office stated.

“All the noise Wike is making is to grab media headlines with his lies of monumental corruption against Amaechi. It’s all drama made for the media.
What is playing out is a script written and directed by Nyesom Wike. Wike should move to Nollywood where his devious skills would probably be useful.”

The organisation alleged an agenda against Amaechi.

“Even while inaugurating his yeoman commission of Inquiry, Wike could not conceal his vendetta agenda. He was clear to the panel members that their job is to indict Amaechi,” Amaechi’s office stated.

“While it’s no longer in doubt what would be the report of Wike’s sham probe commission. What may shock Nigerians is the extent Wike has gone and is ready to go to manufacture stories of corrupt practices, and the kind of bogus tales of corruption against Amaechi that he would soon be feeding the nation.”

Wike’s administration has alleged the former governor looted state resources ahead of the former’s inauguration in May.

Amaechi’s office denied the accusation. “Truly, since May 29, that is all Wike has been doing; cooking spurious reports of corruption against Amaechi.”

The office added, “Wike has been intimidating, threatening, coercing and blackmailing officials of the past administration, especially civil servants into making false, phony and bogus statements that would make legitimate government transactions appear as corrupt practices.”

The former governor also slammed his former deputy, Tele Ikuru, over claims that the Amaechi administration, under which Ikuru served, was the most corrupt in the state.

“We won’t dignify him with a response. He’s such a worthless piece of trash that we won’t waste our energy on. This is a man with no dignity, no shame. No self-respecting man would talk the way Ikuru is talking right now,” the office said.

“If the government was as corrupt as he claims, what was he doing there for almost eight years?”

Credit: CAJ News

Wike Seeks Buhari’s Support To Probe Amaechi

Posted on June 20, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Governor Nyesom Wike yesterday commenced probe of the administration of his predecessor, Chibuike Amaechi as he constituted a seven man Judicial Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice George Omereji to investigate alleged sale of some state assets as well as the projects for which funds were allegedly released but not executed.

The Judicial Commission of Inquiry which has 23 terms of reference has one month to turn in its report.

Wike’s action was coming against the backdrop of claims by Amaechi’s former Deputy, Tele Ikuru that the former administration under which he served was the most corrupt in the state.

Ikuru alleged that his former boss allegedly spent N812 million to furnish his private residence.

The former deputy governor spoke at Government House, Port Harcourt yesterday while handing over the final report of the transition committee he chaired adding that the former government also spent N4.96 billion on the proposed Justice Adolphus Karibi Whyte Hospital with no structures on the ground.

Read More: vanguardngr

Bullet Proof SUV: Ibim Semenitari Replies Governor WIke, “You Made Away With Everything You Had When You Were The COS”

Posted on June 19, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The former Information Commissioner of Rivers State, Mrs Ibim Semenitari whom State security officials forcefully took away her Lexus bullet proof SUV has released a press statement concerning today’s invasion of her home. Below is what she said. Also read what Governor Wike had earlier sent out immediately after her release. So much drama.

“On Thursday June 18, 2015, over 10 policemen armed with machine guns and in two trucks – one Ford Transit and one Hilux arrived my residence, No 12 A Ernest Ikoli Street, Old G.R.A Port Harcourt. Without either a search warrant, letter or precious information, they forced their way into my premises.

My security guard on duty requested to know their mission and who sent them. They refused to disclose either, but went round taking photographs and videoing my premises.2

The security guard got in touch with my assistant who spoke with the men, explaining to them that I was out of town and again requested to know their mission and purpose.

Again they declined insisting on seeing me first. She then got in touch with me by phone as we were uncertain as to the identity of the policemen in question.

Upon further investigation and after about 3 hours of them laying siege on my premise, I was told that they were from Rivers State Government House and had been sent to recover vehicles in my possession.

They attempted to break into a Range Rover Jeep belonging to my Husband and bought long before I was made Commissioner in Rivers State Government, damaging the front door. The vehicle in question contrary to the lies being paraded is not an armoured vehicle and has never at any point belonged to the Rivers State Government nor its agents including myself as Commissioner of Information.

By the time I finally made contact with them and expressed my displeasure, they insisted that they would take away a Lexus jeep duly allocated to me as Commissioner of Information and which by law I am entitled to leave with upon leaving office.

The monetization policy of the government allows public officers to leave government with their official vehicles as this is in lieu of vehicle, allowance, transport and other allowances, which they cannot draw because of the monetization policy of 2002.

Mr. Nyesom Wike served as Chief of Staff, and upon departure left with all the vehicles he used as Chief of Staff. This has been the practice since this democratic dispensation when President Olusegun Obassanjo instituted the monetisation policy.

Having served as Commissioner for two tenures, I amentitled to my status cars and have proof of allocation.

While I understand that Mr. Wike feels a dire need to destroy the reputation of Governor Amaechi and all those worked with him, it is unacceptable that he will engage in brigandage, thuggery and underhand tactics to do so.1

A simple letter from any government official requesting me to make a submission or tender documentation would have been the appropriate way to go and I would have willingly tendered all the relevant documents to them.

Breaking into my home, invading my privacy, damaging my property and removing property from my premises is inappropriate and illegal.

I have chosen however to put out these details in the public space as it is apparent that for some persons only a destruction of my hard earned reputation would do and this I would not accept. My records in the Ministry of Information are crystal clear I hope that Mr. Nyesom Wike is able to say same about his tenure in every office he has held.

Forcing their home into my home unlawfully isn’t the appropriate way for any government that claims legitimacy to behave.

Ibim Semenitari

June 18, 2015”

Below is the earlier press statement released by Governor Wike;

“In furtherance of efforts by the Rivers State Government to recover government property from officials of the immediate past administration in the state, security agents and government house officials on Thursday took possession of government vehicle from the home of the former spokesperson for the Amaechi administration, Mrs Ibim Semenitari.

The security operatives carried out the operation at the home of Mrs Semenitari located at Ernest Ikoli Street, Old GRA Port Harcourt. The operatives recovered a Lexus Armoured Vehicle from the residence. Another Range Rover vehicle is said to have been in the possession of the former Information Commissioner.

It will be recalled that top officials of the outgone Rotimi Amaechi administration carted away several government property and vehicles prior to May 29. Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has since assured the people of Rivers State that all government property illegally carted away before his inauguration will be recovered and those found to be involved in the illegal act will be brought to justice.

Simeon Nwakaudu,

June 18, 2015.

Government House, Port Harcourt.

Governor Wike Set To Sack Over 13,000 Workers Employed By Amaechi

Posted on June 17, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Governor Nyesom Wike is set to sack 13,000 workers employed by his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi. This comes as Rivers House of Assembly passed a resolution empowering the Governor to sack the board of the State Civil Service Commission accusing them of breaching the rules and illegally employing workers into the state Service.

The Rivers lawmakers passed the resolution on Tuesday after grilling the Chairman of the Service Commission, Mr Ngo Martins Yellowe on the floor of the House based on petitions accusing the Commission of not passing through due process before employing workers in past three years.

Yellowe, however, told lawmakers that the Commission under his leadership obeyed the constitution and laws guiding employment into the service.

Observers of Rivers politics however see the invitation and quizzing of Ngo Martins Yellowe by the lawmakers as a prelude to the sacking of the Commission appointed by the immediate past administration of Governor Chibuike Amaechi and also the sacking the civil servants employed three years to date, especially over 13,200 teachers and others engaged by the immediate past administration of Governor Chibuike Amaechi.

The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, Chairman Prof Augustine Ahiazu was invited to answer questions about how local government election was conducted. Thereafter a resolution was passed mandating Governor Wike to sack the Commission.Wike sacked RSIEC the next day.
Similarly, the Rivers State Judiciary Service Commission suffered same fate after its members were invited to the floor of the House.
The fears of over 13,200 teachers in the state, over 400 doctors and nurses employed by the former Governor Amaechi is palpable if they fall into the category of workers adjudged to have been wrongly employed into the state civil service.

Culled from PMNews

Rivers State Assembly Approves Wike’s N10bn Loan After Amaechi Allegedly Left Empty Treasury

Posted on June 12, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Rivers State House of Assembly on Thursday approved a loan of N10 billion requested by the State Governor, Nyesom Wike. The state governor had sent a letter to the House of Assembly asking that he should be granted approval to secure the loan that would be used to fund some major projects in the state.

28 lawmakers voted in favour of the approval.

Speaker of the House, Mr. Ikuinyi Ibani, in his remark, explained that it would be difficult for any government to survive without funds to operate.

Ibani, who pointed that the House would not be involved in frivolous approvals, added that the state legislature would endorse transparent and sincere requests that would benefit the people of the state.

Explaining that the immediate past administration left an empty treasury, the Speaker disclosed that the loan would be taken from Zenith Bank and repaid through Valued Added Tax.

Punch

Governor Wike Recovers Stolen Vehicles From Immediate Past Government Officials In Rivers State

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Newly sworn-in Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike through the State Police has recovered 10 vehicles allegedly stolen by some officials of the immediate past administration. Vehicles recovered are one Coaster bus, two Nissan Urvan buses, two Higer vehicles, one Land Cruiser, one Toyota Hilux Pick-up, one Peugeot 607 Saloon car and two Peugeot 406 cars.

The Governor, who had earlier taken leading Rivers stakeholders around the Government house to see the points where facilities in Government House were either looted or vandalised, said recovering of State properties will be a continuous exercise.

The police also said they acted on information that some suspected vehicles belonging to the Rivers State Government were seen parked in unauthorised yards.

Rivers Assembly Declares Local Govt Poll, Conducted By Former Governor Amaechi, Illegal

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Rivers state House of Assembly has paved the way for the state Governor, Nyesom Wike, to dissolve the local government councils reconstituted by the former Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, six days to the end of his tenure.

The assembly, in its sitting on Monday, declared the May 23 council elections in the state illegal and passed a resolution directing the state governor to dissolve the state Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).

The assembly also directed the governor to sack the state Judicial Service Commission (RSJSC) for its role in the protracted crisis in the state judiciary.

The resolutions came after principal officers of the RSIEC and RSJSC appeared before the
lawmakers following their summons.

Twenty-nine out of the 32 members of the 8th Assembly took the resolution after grilling the officers for hours, about their activities in the commissions.

Speaker of the House, Ikuinyi Ibani, who stated that the assembly would remain “thorough, fair and clear in its proceedings”, divided the House after the submissions of the Leader, Martins Amaewhule, and his deputy, Lolo Denabari, that the officers violated their oaths of office.

Ibani cautioned: “There are certain things you don’t have to let to occur while you hold a position of trust. It is my belief that any decision we take on the floor of this chamber is true and in the best interest of the state. It is not witch-hunting. The documents we have showed a different thing. We must deepen democratic values as lawmakers.

“Going by the resolution of this House, we do resolve that the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, is hereby given the power to remove the members of the Rivers State Judicial Service Commission (RSJSC) from office.”