Wike accused of intimidating APC leaders in his community

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike has been accused by Tasie Wike, Chairman of All Progressive Congress, (APC) in Rumuepricom, of trying to intimidate his party leaders in their community. Members of the minister’s community has raised alarm that dozens of APC members in the community are being hounded by the state police at the prodding of the Minister.

The APC leader told journalists in Port Harcourt that he and other youths, of the community, mainly APC members, have been invited by Police on trumped up charges “constituting a breach of the peace in the community”.

He said members of the Rumuepricom community, especially APC members, are in shock that the police is planning to arrest them based on a letter of invitation from the police command that they should report to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, on Monday September 29, on issues bothering on breach of the peace in community.

Tasie Wike said: “We have been living in peace in the community until this recent happenings. Most of us invited are APC members who refused to join him are making efforts to ensure that our Paramount ruler, EZE Anthony Owabie, who is in police custody is set free”.

He accused Wike of intimidating them with police since they refused to join him to fight Governor Chibuike Amaechi and expressed the fear that they may detained on trumped up charges.

Meanwhile, the Minister who is expected to resign his ministerial position soon to pursue his governorship ambition is facing stiff opposition from the Ijaw ethnic nationality in state who argue that the Minister as an Ikwerre cannot succeed Governor Amaechi also Ikwerre.

Ijaw National Congress, INC, an umbrella body of Ijaw, spoke through its National Publicity Secretary, Victor Burubo, at a stakeholders meeting for traditional rulers, elders, chiefs and opinion leaders to emphasise the need for all parties in the eastern zone to give regards to the principle of zoning and rotation in choosing a candidate that will represent the party at the 2015 gubernatorial election.

“There is need for the parties in Rivers state to respect the principle of zoning and rotation in picking candidates that will represent them at the 2015 gubernatorial election. The INC will not work with a political party that will not present an Ijaw as its flag bearer.

The Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers state announced at the end of its state executive meeting, on Tuesday 12 September, announced that the party will not zone the governorship of the party to any group, insisting that “any candidate that is qualified within the party should present himself for the primaries. The party will field the best candidate at the 2015 gubernatorial election”.