From Tony John, Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has alleged that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, has plans to kill or silence him politically.
He further alleged that the IGP had concluded plans to plant guns and other incriminating items at his Asokoro Extension Residence in Abuja.  The Governor noted: “I want to reiterate, the Inspector-General of Police is after my life.”
Wike made the allegations yesterday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, saying the police chief has approved the raid of his Abuja residence.
According to the Governor, the police would be in court to get a search warrant next Tuesday, disclosing that information available to him indicated that but for the May Day public holiday, the police would have obtained the search warrant on Monday.
He said: “All attempt is being made so that they will go and plant either AK47 or  $1 million in the governor’s house. They can even plant costly wrist watches as a propaganda tool. I said I have to let Nigerians know that this is not the way to go about in democracy. Rather, this is an attempt to truncate democracy.  That someone differs on issues does not mean you have to go after the person’s life.”
Wike claimed that this was the latest in the series of planned propaganda by the police to spread negative information against him.
“Nigerians should be aware that should they raid my house in Abuja and claim they found anything, it is incorrect.  I have not been going to Abuja, but I will be in Abuja to wait for them to see how they plan to plant guns in my house,” Wike said.
While alleging that the IGP was after his life, the governor stated that the plot was aimed at silencing him because the Rivers State Government claimed ownership of the N13 billion recently recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in Ikoyi, Lagos State.
He, however, noted that the state’s lawyers were working on the matter, maintaining that the money belongs to the State Government.   “Our democracy cannot survive if we continue with this line of action.  If the Inspector-General of Police wants to play partisan politics, let him remove his uniform and join us in the arena. He should not continue to wear uniform and do the bidding of politicians like a stooge,” he said.