From Chris Anucha, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared his government and the people of the state would not be party to what he called a “phony Police probe panel.”
Wike alleged police murdered Rivers people in cold blood and still wants to investigate the alleged crime.
The governor claimed a probe on the rerun legislative elections in the state has “a predetermined goal,” which, according to him, is “to indict members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and commence their politically- motivated prosecution.”
The governor spoke yesterday, during a victory thanksgiving mass at Our Lady Chaplaincy of the Catholic Institute of West Africa, organsied by the PDP for a successful rerun/supplementary elections.
He said: “We are not a party to their so-called panel. We have passed that stage and we cannot fall into the trap of a panel of inquiry.
“After killing our people, you want us to assist you unravel what? It is the police who killed our people.”
The governor asked why the police would want to investigate issues surrounding Rivers rerun elections “when they are one of the interested parties, involved in the attempt to subvert the will of the people.
He said the same police high command refused to prosecute the APC chieftains caught on camera, printing fake result sheets ahead of the electionsand added that petitions to the police on the negative activities of ACP, Steven Hasso and Commander of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Mr. Akin Fakorede were disregarded.
He noted that even when Fakorede was videoed, beating up electoral officers at the Rivers east senatorial district collation centre, the police swept the matter under the carpet.
Meanwhile, Wike has alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) spilled the blood of persons to win the Rivers South-East senatorial seat.
Wike made the allegation hen he spoke with newsmen in Government House, Port Harcourt at the weekend.
“It took blood and lives for them to get one seat. It pains me that we lost those lives because, somebody was just ambitious to win an election at all costs.
“So, it means that you came to take life, just to get one senatorial seat. God will never forgive them.
“Those who shed that blood, watch what will happen to them. You know, sometimes, when people die, I don’t cry again.
“That is, because, I don’t know what must have happened that killed them. Because of what they did in the past, tomorrow, you see people dying in their families like rat and you want me to go and cry. They shed innocent people’s blood and you think there is no God?
“Whatever you are doing, it is not for you to take life; as if it means nothing to you. Over 350 Hilux pick-ups in the state, I distributed them to the police and other security agencies, yet, no appreciation from them.
“Look at the heads of INEC staff that were broken, yet, INEC has not issued any statement.
“They won’t talk because, God has sewed their mouths and they cannot talk again. But, if it were otherwise, they would have shouted, ‘oh, we told you those people are very violent.’ Did you hear them say this time, that we killed anybody? They have seen the video clips that is so smelly.
“There is no way they can concoct anything to smear the governor that will cover up their crime.
“It is medicine after death. The world has caught them red-handed.
“I used to say that what can cause violence is, when you come with power and might to rig.
“When people resist, it will turn to violence. They wanted to change the results of some local government areas.
“In Ikwerre, they (security agents) arrested the INEC agents in a bus with the results, without any PDP agents. Where have you ever seen that? I know they want Rivers by all means possible.
“It is not about me. It is their lives they will take before they take Rivers State. Watch it. As they are plotting to take Rivers State, that is how they will plot to take their lives.
“That time, they will know there is God. We have handed over this state to God. You thought you will come here and take Senate seats, House of Representatives and the House of Assembly, so that you can plot a state of emergency. Look at the money they spent. The money they spent on security; if they had used that to train our people, it would have been better. They even wanted to hijack ballot boxes close to Government House. It was that time that I had to go out. I am a David. the Federal Government is Goliath.”
Insisting that the December 10 legislative rerun election was rigged in favour of APC, the governor challenged INEC to show the server of the uploaded elections.
“Let them show you, so that you can see if APC got up to 10 percent in that election. Maybe, they are just coming out to start to offload now. What kind of system is that! And you think we should fold our hands and watch you come here to kill us. In 2019, you will come and kill us again. Haba! It does not work out that way,” he said.
When reminded that his threat to stop funding security agencies in the state, could worsen the security situation, he said: “Is it my duty to fund them? Are they not the federal government agency? They brought money from Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to fund them every month. Let me use that money and do projects for Rivers State.
It will serve me that purpose. Can you fund your enemies?
“You buy sophisticated weapons for them, to come and kill you, is that what you want? As it is today, tell me what the police are protecting now in Rivers State! They did not support the amnesty programme. They tried to frustrate it. It was only the army that gave us the necessary support. State Security Service (SSS) also gave us support.
We were not doing that for any political reason. If we did not disarm those boys, what would have happened? Forget about those, who go to television to abuse me. They cannot have control on the Assembly. They cannot produce House of Representatives members. What kind of politician are you then?”