For supporting Buhari, read what Wike wants from APC
– APC reacts to inciting statements from Governor Wike
– Wike charges APC to extol him
– Wike believes he’s following in the footsteps of President Buhari
The Rivers state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the inciting directive by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state to members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Wike was alleged to have asked members of his party to resist illegal arrests before and during the forthcoming rerun legislative elections in the state.
According to him, the APC is plotting to use security officers to subvert and rig the upcoming election.
However, the APC in a statement signed by Senibo Chris Finebone, the state publicity secretary advised Rivers people to ignore such inciting directive by the governor as it is capable of pitching law enforcement agents against innocent citizens of Rivers state.
Wike says APC should praise him for maintaining Buhari’s stance on free and fair election
READ ALSO: Rivers: PDP raises the alarm over APC’s alleged plot
He said: “Indeed, it raises several questions. Did Gov. Nyesom Wike properly explain to his party members how to differentiate between legal and illegal arrests? As a lawyer, does the governor know that reasonable and lawful response to arrest [whether legal or illegal] is not to resist it which is in itself unlawful? Did Gov. Wike explain to his supporters the different dimensions and scenarios that resistance to arrest can result to?”
“The APC continues to be concerned at the desperation of Governor Nyesom Wike for political power even when his methods portend danger to lives and property of the innocent and hapless. As a political party, the interest of the APC remains the safety and wellbeing of the citizenry irrespective of party affiliations. We believe that a state governor should sometimes drop the partisan toga and assume the more honourable task of safeguarding the lives and property of the generality of the people.
“Having been said to have climbed on dead bodies to become governor [apologies to Prof. Itsay Sagay], Chief Nyesom Wike should now realise that the killing and maiming of innocent Rivers people, whether members of PDP or APC, must stop immediately. Even as the leader of the PDP in Rivers State, he has no right to put the lives of PDP members in harm’s way through manipulations and grandstanding. It is enough that he has vowed to gatecrash into INEC and no ‘Boko Haram’ Army will stop him on Election Day; the APC wishes him well. But he must not take others along on his suicide mission.
“Quite frankly, the APC notes that the governor now acting like a bull in a china shop must realise that many have acted and even exceeded him in lawlessness, recklessness and false bravado in the past but history has its sad tales of them. If the governor is in doubt, when next he attends a burial at the cemetery, he should take a closer look at the writings on the tombstones. But like they say, ‘you may borrow trouble but do not lend it to your neighbour.”
READ ALSO: Deputy speaker Osanebi fingered in Delta LGA crisis
But in a swift response, Governor Wike who spoke while inaugurating the first phase of the Nkpogu Road in Port Harcourt on Thursday, March 10, explained that his call was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s stance on credible election, The Punch reports.
He said: “Some people say that I am making inciting statements. I have never made any inciting statement. But I have always said the truth. President Buhari has also said that one of the ways Nigeria will be respected is for the country to always conduct a free and fair election. For us in this administration, we are supporting a free and fair election.
“Instead of them to praise me that I am supporting what the President said, they said I am making inciting statements. We will not allow anybody to rig; we must protect our votes. It is for us to reclaim our mandate and protect what we have and this is the opportunity to tell Nigerians that we never made a mistake last time. We will repeat the victory on March 19.”
Meanwhile, Wike has dismissed allegations that recent killings in Rivers state have been politically motivated and targeted at members of the APC.
According to Wike, the recent killings are clashes of rival cult groups fighting for supremacy. He assured people of the state that the clashes have nothing to do with politics ahead of the rerun election scheduled for March 19.
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