Wike cries out again, claims Amaechi, Army arresting PDP members to ensure poll shift in Rivers

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has again cried out over alleged arrest of members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to ensure Saturday’s governorship and state House of Assembly elections in the state don’t hold as scheduled.

He accused former governor of the state and current minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and the GOC of 6 Division, Nigeria Army, of being behind the mass arrest.

Wike had earlier accused the police in the state of plotting with All Progressives Congress (APC) to kidnap the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC’s) Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) and to cause commotion in the state so as to have the elections postponed.

Police had however denied the claim and accused the governor of making unfounded claims.

Wike levelled a similar accusation against the police through a statement by the Rivers Commissioner for Information and Communications, Emma Okah, following the alleged arrest of the State Commissioner for Education Dr. Tamunosisi Gogo Jaja and his family by soldiers in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

The statement read in part, “Rivers State Government has accused the Minister of Transportation Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and the GOC of 6 Division, Nigeria Army of masterminding the mass arrest of innocent Nigerians and prominent PDP members in the State.

“The essence of the arrests is to precipitate a crisis and cause the INEC to postpone the elections in Rivers State. Failing this, the Minister will use the vacuum created by the absence of arrested leaders and rig the governorship election and force a candidate of his choice against the will of the people.

“We have been saying it repeatedly that the Minister of Transportation has been commanding the army in Port Harcourt to do unprofessional things and the crisis are spreading. He has been boasting that he has brought soldiers from Sokoto and other states to carry out his political agenda of disrupting or rigging elections on Saturday.”

According to the statement, any arrested person would be kept behind bars till after the governorship elections in the state.

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It listed prominent persons already penciled down for arrest to include “His Excellency Sir Celestine Omehia, former Gov of Rivers State; Rt Hon Austin Opara, former Dep Speaker of House of Reps; State PDP Chairman Bro Felix Obuah; Elder statesman Chief Ferdinand Alabraba, former Chairman of UBA; Sen Okaka Nwogu; Chief Sergeant Awuse; Sen Lee Maeba; Dr Tammy Danagogo, former Sports Minister; Dr Abiye Sekibo, former Transport Minister; Amb Desmond Akawor, former Nig Ambassador to South Korea; Prince Emma Anyanwu; Sir Kenneth Kobani, SSG; Ejor N Ejor, Prof Blessing Didia, members of Rivers State House of Assembly; PDP candidates and National Assembly members elect; Alabo David Briggs, all commissioners and special advisers; Local Government Council Chairmen, Senator Thompson Sekibo, Chief Adokiye Amiesimaka, etc.”

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