Wike Chides INEC for Failure to Conduct Rerun Election in Rivers

Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor , Nyesom Wike, has stated that the fact that
the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) could
successfully conduct elections in Sambisa forest, but not in Rivers
State, is an indication of the conspiracy against the state .

Speaking during a state dinner for delegates of the West African
Architects Fair from 13 countries on Friday night, Wike said the
non-conclusion of rerun elections in the state was a fallout of the
grand conspiracy to rig the polls in favour of an unpopular party .

He said : “Because people want to illegally seize power in Rivers
State, that is why you are hearing all this . All this plot is to take
Rivers State. Why do you want to take Rivers State when it is not
your own?

“”Between March 19th and now, they planned to do elections so that
they can get the number of seats to impeach me and put their own man.
Since March , everyday they postpone the elections . From May to
June to July, August then September . They said October ending ,
still no election . Now, they say 10th of December and when we get to
10th of December , they may shift it to next year”.

The governor noted that it was ironic that INEC which conducted
successful elections in the north east and Sambisa forest cannot
conduct election in Rivers State .

“Election took place in Borno , election took place in Yobe, election
took place in Adamawa where you have deadly insurgency . They were
able to conduct elections and votes were counted. They were able to
conduct election in Sambisa forest and votes were counted, but they
cannot conduct election here in Rivers State “, Governor Wike said .

The governor said the action of INEC and her collaborators have
denied Rivers State representation in the Senate, the House of
Representatives and the Rivers State House of Assembly .

He said : “They continue to postpone the elections in Rivers State .
The Senate will be discussing the Petroleum Industry Bill , they
will be having the constitutional amendment and the state that
produces the oil has no senator and cannot be part of the
discussion . Nobody will defend Rivers State in the senate.

“Nigerians are not worried. Why? Rivers is a minority state . ”

The governor maintained that Rivers State is far more peaceful
than other major states in the country, hence it has played host to
series of international and national conferences .

He said that once elections approach, desperate opposition
politicians and their media collaborators induce negative propaganda
on insecurity.

He added that deliberate anti-development programmes have been slated
against Rivers State , pointing out that the state has successfully
overcome these plots.

“We are the only state that applied for bail out , but they did not
give to us. We are the only state where they started deducting our
funds, when a loan facility has not been given to us”, the governor
noted .

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