The reaction of the Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to the wild and unconscionable assertions of Gov. Nyesom Wike at Okehi today is that this must be the classical case of an evil workman quarrelling with his tools, his neighbours and passers-by.
Let it be on record that neither Chief [Dr] Davies Ibiamu Ikanya JP nor the Rivers State South-East Senatorial Candidate of the APC, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, separately or as a group, met with the Chairman of INEC or any INEC personnel at the Commission’s Headquarters or anywhere else as contrived by Gov. Wike. If the governor claims to have any information suggesting that any such meeting took place, he should feel free to make the details public for the benefit of all.
The APC in Rivers State is indeed ready to participate in the forthcoming rerun election as scheduled by INEC. The PDP should not bother themselves as to the modus of campaign of the APC. We are at liberty to reach the electorate the best way we can. If our style is devoid of the typical razzmatazz, so be it.
While the APC would not serve as an advocate or mouthpiece for federal institutions and personalities, it is important for us to state that this callous and mindless mudslinging by Gov. Wike on INEC and security agencies is true-to-type especially when he wants to stir the water muddy in order to create a smokescreen to perpetrate his evil machinations. The potpourri of blackmail, threats and empty bravado are all part of his curious style of politics.
We are very sure that establishments like the Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC], its Chairman and those in charge of the nation’s security services are eminently placed and able to respond to the ragtag and thuggish blackmail by Gov. Nyesom Wike.
The APC wishes to call on security agencies to take notice that Gov. Nyesom Wike has once again started issuing the kind of death threats that resulted into the killing of over 100 persons before, during and after the 2015 general elections and the subsequent rerun elections. We call on the Inspector-General of Police and heads of other security agencies to firmly hold Gov. Nyesom Wike responsible for any loss of life on the part of the people, residents, electoral and security personnel in Rivers State especially during the forthcoming rerun elections. Immunity should not be a license for Gov. Nyesom Wike to carry on lawlessly. Rivers State is not and will never be turned into a jungle by a single individual because of his inordinate and obscene desires and cravings.
Chris Finebone
State Publicity Secretary
Thur, July 21, 2016
