FAKE INEC SHEETS: Wike accuses Police of moving case to Calabar to bury it

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, has accused the Nigeria Police Force of trying to bury the case of those arrested for allegedly printing fake election result sheets for the rerun election in the state.

It would be recalled that the police in Port Harcourt had arrested some suspects for printing fake election result sheets at a printing press in the state capital.

According to the governor, who queried the rationale behind the transfer of the case to the zonal command of the police in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, the police is trying to ignite crisis with the refusal to arrest the people involved in the printing of fake election result sheets in the state.

Wike also counseled the Nigerian Police and the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, to listen to the directives of President Muhammadu Buhari on the conduct of free and fair elections.

It would be recalled that President Buhari had INEC and the security agencies to ensure that the governorship election in Ondo State and the Rivers rerun elections are free and fair.

Wondering why the case was transferred to Zone 6, Calabar by the police, Governor Wike called on the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Abubakar Marafa, to allow the Rivers State Police command handle the case, insisting that his government would resist any attempt to sweep the case under the carpet.

Read also: NJC absolves Justice Abang of any wrongdoing in PDP, Abia judgements, says petitions lack merit

Wike said: “Police is causing crisis in the state. They should listen to what President Buhari said. The President said that there should be a violence-free election in Ondo and Rivers states. The AIG should leave Rivers State alone and allow the Rivers State Police Command to handle the matter. The incident that happened is not one that cannot be investigated. We will resist any move to kill this matter with all we have.

“First of all, there is no security problem in the state. What we have are people who went to print fake result sheets with the collusion of INEC. All you hear is that there is pressure from Abuja. What we are saying is that we will not allow this to happen.

“What we are trying to avoid is violence so that people don’t capitalise on that. As per the election, you and I know that we have a party that will win. It is not a question of accepting any result. What they are trying to do is to use security to smuggle in fake result and we are saying we will resist that.

“Is it not baffling that INEC has not released the units where elections will hold, but some people are printing result sheets for the same units,” the governor queried.
By Timothy Enietan-Matthews….

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