Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has raised the alarm over alleged plot by security agencies and the All Progressives Congress (APC ) to kidnap the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the state to create an excuse for the postponement of the governorship and state Assembly elections.
Governor Wike further said the state government has intercepted credible intelligence that the APC also plans to use the security agencies to generate mass violence to disrupt the distribution of electoral materials on Saturday, to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reschedule the governorship and state Assembly elections.
He spoke yesterday, during a town hall meeting for Rivers West Senatorial District, in Ahoada.
Wike said: “They are struggling to ensure the governorship and state Assembly elections do not hold in Rivers State. The APC is planning with security agencies to kidnap the Rivers State INEC’s REC.
“They plan to send people in army uniforms to kidnap the REC, so that INEC will be forced to postpone the elections. That is their latest strategy, so, I have to let the world hear that if anything happens, they should hold the APC and security services responsible.
“These people are not kidnappers, they are security agents organised by security agencies working for APC to see that the governorship and state Assembly elections don’t hold in Rivers State.
“The security agents have been organised to ensure the elections are postponed. This ugly plan has failed. I’m calling on Nigerians to take note of this undemocratic plot.
“We’ve also gathered that the APC and security agents plan to disrupt the distribution of electoral materials and compel INEC to postpone the governorship and state Assembly elections,” Wike alleged.
He wondered why some politicians are keen on unleashing violence on innocent Rivers people.
“Since we’ve known the plot, it will fail. Just because you want power, you go to the extreme. Why should armed youths kill people, so that elections will not hold?” the governor asked.
The governor urged the people of Rivers West senatorial district to be vigilant all through the governorship and state assembly elections for the purpose of ensuring that the elections hold, in line with the extant laws .
He said rather than plot the disruption of elections, APC leaders should test their popularity by supporting another political party during the March 9 elections. The governor said the presence of his administration is felt across the eight local government areas of Rivers West senatorial district.
“We believe, if we are given the opportunity of a second term, we will complete all ongoing projects and initiate new projects for the benefit of the people.
“In this party, if we make a promise, we fulfil the promise,” he said.
Governor Wike urged Rivers people not to be discouraged by the loss of the presidential election by the PDP. He assured the national leadership of the party is following the legal route to retrieve the people’s mandate.
The governor reiterated his call on Rivers people to be peaceful during the governorship and state Assembly elections, and appealed to them to defend their votes.
Chairman of the state PDP Campaign Council, Ferdinand Alabraba, said the district will support the re-election of governor Wike because of his outstanding projects delivery in the area.
He said evil plans against the state by the APC and their collaborators will fail because the people love governor Wike and the PDP.
Spokesman for Asari-Toru Local Government Area, Samuel Horsefall, said the people will vote overwhelmingly for governor Wike and PDP candidates during Saturday’s elections.
Speaking, Promise Jacob of Ahoada West Local Government Area, said the new vision is a distinct state and nationhood agenda, which the people of the local government area will support.
Also, Raymond Oyil, on behalf of Abua/Odual council, said the area has every reason to support the re-election of governor Wike, adding that they are committed to the victory of PDP candidates.
Also speaking, Prof. Jason Osai of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, said the people of the area are solidly behind governor Wike for Saturday’s elections.
Meanwhile, when Daily Sun contacted the Director General of the APC, Tonye Cole Campaign Organisation, Chidi Lloyd, he declined comment. Instead, he simply said “ask Wike.”