29th March, 2016
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
For the umpteenth time, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike 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 relevant politically.
Wike claimed that with proof of corruption against Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation resorted to blackmailing the leadership of the All Progressives Congress that he would reveal to the public how much he invested in the party’s campaign if he was not confirmed as a minister.
However, former Governor Amaechi has always denied any proven case of corruption against him by Wike’s administration.
He’s said even the Justice George Omeriji led Judicial Commission of Enquiry set up be the state government did not indict him but that in an attempt to rubbish his image the state Government slanted the White Paper of the Enquiry to rubbish him.
Amaechi had always challenged the state government to take him to court if it establishes proof of corruption against him as alleged by Wike’s administration.
Speaking during a solidarity visit by the PDP Senate Caucus, Wike said the Minister of Transportation lost his local government area and Federal Constituency, hence his desperation to influence the release of the results.
“Any person who loves Mr President won’t be causing unnecessary crisis for him. We have problems in the north east, problems 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 a corps member, Samuel Dumuebi 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.
Earlier, senate minority leader and leader of Senate PDP Caucus, Senator Godswill Akpabio said that the victory recorded by the PDP in Rivers State is: “A clear case of justice being done by God”.
While describing Rivers State as peaceful state, Akpabio regretted the sponsored propaganda by the opposition to destroy the image of the state. He said that there is no other political party in the state outside the PDP.
He called for tolerance in the political space to allow for the sustenance of the state’s multi-party democracy.
Highpoint of the visit was the donation of N1 million by the senate to the family of Late Samuel Dumuebi Okonta through Governor Wike.
Akpabio prayed that Okonta’s death would be the last during elections. He also commiserated with the government and people of the state over the death of PDP members during the rerun elections.