Rivers Rerun: Wike, Amaechi Clash At Police Station

 

The tension-soaked legislative rerun election in Rivers State yesterday took a dramatic dimension when the state governor, Chief  Nyesom Wike, and his predecessor and now minister of transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, engaged in an open confrontation at the Mile 1 Police Station in Port Harcourt.

Trouble was said to have begun on Saturday after the collation officer of ward 10, Port Harcourt local government, Ekwi Adebisa, allegedly went missing with the result sheet. She was later arrested by the police and taken to the station.

Party supporters who had been monitoring the situation informed their leaders that Adebisa had been brought to the station.

Shortly after her arrival, Amaechi showed up in the company of the newly appointed director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Safety Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, who had lost the governorship contest to Chief Wike in the last general election; All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman in Rivers state, Davis Ikanya; acting managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Ibim Semenitari, and some APC officials.

LEADERSHIP learned that Wike also stormed the station with some of his party men and both sides engaged in a shouting match.

The police, however, called the two parties to a meeting. Journalists were barred from attending.

Why we are yet to announce results – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is still studying the situation in 15 local government areas of Rivers State, after cancelling the rerun elections in eight local government areas.

INEC public relations officer, Tonia Nwobu, said the commission is yet to receive the results of the election from the various local government areas of the state where the election was not cancelled.

PDP in early lead in collated units

Meanwhile, results collated from some state constituencies and polling units suggest that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is in early lead.

Abua Odual and Ahoada East Federal House of Representatives

PDP 19, 188

APC 6468

Ahoada East

PDP 9, 917

APC 3, 760

Winner Betty Apiafi

Ahoada East constituency I

APC 1429

APGA 18

SP 10

PDP 3, 417

SDP 16

Total valid 4890

Total rejected 230

Total votes cast 5, 120

Ahoada East constituency II

PDP 6, 654

APC 2, 077

Degema state constituency

PDP 7, 219

APC 1573

Final results from Obio Akpor Ward 13, Units 001 – 023 (Rumuadaorlu, Rumuola & Rumuokwuta) Obio/Akpor LGA.

Results For Senate, House of Reps and State Assembly as declared By INEC officials in the polling units.

SENATE

PDP 1173

APC 512

REPS

PDP, 1270

APC, 493

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

PDP 1237

APC 494

Port Harcourt  Ward 12

Collated Result

UNIT 1

REPS

PDP 33,

APC 26

SENATE

PDP 32,

APC 26,

1 void

Unit 2

REPS

PDP 26,

APC 11,

5 void

SENATE

PDP 29,

APC 12,

1 Void

UNIT 3

REPS:

PDP 39,

APC 38,

3 void

SENATE:

PDP 30,

APC 41,

1 void

UNIT 4

REPS:

PDP 48,

APC 31,

5 void

SENATE:

PDP 49,

APC 32,

3 void

UNIT 5

REPS:

PDP 49,

APC 25

SENATE:

PDP 49,

APC 25,

1 void

UNIT 6

REPS:

PDP 49,

APC 21,

3 void

SENATE:

PDP 54,

APC 19

UNIT 7

REPS:

PDP 35,

APC 20

SENATE:

PDP 35

APC 20

UNIT 8

REPS:

PDP 52,

APC 20

SENATE:

PDP 50,

APC 22

UNIT 9

REPS:

PDP 45,

APC 32,

8 void

SENATE:

PDP 46,

APC 35,

LP 1,

3 void

UNIT 10

REPS:

PDP 35

APC 34

SENATE:

PDP 33

APC 42

TOTAL

REPS:

PDP 411,

APC 258

SENATE:

PDP 407

APC 274

OVERALL TOTAL

PDP: 818

APC: 532

Port Harcourt Ward 3

SENATE:

No. of Registered Voters: 18,426

No. of Accredited Voters: 2053

Total Valid Votes: 1924

Rejected Votes: 130

Total Votes Cast 2053

APC 691

ID = 0

LP = 1

NNPP = 0

PDP 1217.

HOUSE OF REPS

APC = 703,

PDP = 1192

INEC Collation Officer (DR EZE WOSU)

INEC cancels exercise in 8 LGAs

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the cancellation of the National and State Assembly rerun elections in Etche and Asari-Toru local government areas of Rivers State, bringing to eight the number of local government areas where INEC cancelled the exercise following attacks on its officials by agents of political parties.

The commission had on Saturday, March 19, announced the cancellation of the exercise in six local government areas. The affected local government areas include Etche, Akuku-Toru, Bonny, Gokana, Eleme, Khana, and Andoni local government areas.

INEC’s resident electoral commissioner, Mr Aniedi Ikoiwak, who announced the cancellation to newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, also stated that no date had been fixed for the concluding part of the elections.

It was gathered that the PDP has won eight seats in the House of Representatives rerun, while the APC won one seat.

PDP was prepared for Rivers rerun – Wike

Rivers State governor, Chief Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would win National and State Assembly rerun elections because it prepared for it.

Wike, who spoke this during an interactive session with newsmen at Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday, said when the elections of the legislators were annulled in December, the party commenced preparations for rerun.

The governor said the party began campaigns and started working hard to win the elections because it was on ground, adding that the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Kenneth Kobani, and a special assistant, Mr Cyril Wite, were arrested by the Army.

Wike said the government officials wanted to ensure that election materials were moved to polling units when they were arrested.

He asserted that it would be difficult to rig elections in the state because the people would resist the attempt.

“When somebody is not popular and attempts to rig the election, the people will say no to such move,” he said.

The governor noted that most of the military  men deployed  for the elections  were used by APC leaders to hijack  materials, illegally arrest PDP  members and manipulate  the  process, even as he claimed that the people resisted the attempt by the military to subvert the electoral   process.

He said, “Remember I warned that today’s  Nigeria  is not yesterday’s  Nigeria.  Things  that were done wrongly before cannot be done wrongly now. I warned  that  the  people  will resist any attempt  to  rig.”

The governor stated it was unfortunate  that  the  military  has been reduced to this level when they are used against  public  interest, saying the number of military men unleashed to intimidate Rivers people is regrettable as they failed to tackle the security  challenges.

Peterside escapes assassination in Rivers

Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, yesterday escaped assassination following a gun attack on his convoy by unidentified gunmen.

Peterside was the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 general election in the state.

A Department of State Services (DSS) operative, who is the chief detail to the NIMASA director-general, was hit in the knee by the assassins’ bullet and is currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital in Port Harcourt.

Consequently, the chief of staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Hon. Chukwuemeka Woke, has been arrested by operatives of the DSS in connection with the assassination attempt on Peterside.

A source close to Peterside told LEADERSHIP that the assailants trailed them from Ikwerre local government area of the state and opened fire on the convoy of the NIMASA boss near the UTC Junction, along Azikiwe Road, in Port Harcourt, which is close to the state office of the DSS.

The arrest of chief of staff, Government House, by operatives of the DSS, was confirmed by senior special assistant to Governor Nyesom Wike on Social Media, Barrister Oraye St. Franklyn on his Facebook page.

St. Franklyn wrote, “Chief Emeka Woke, Chief of Staff, Government House, has just been attacked by gunmen said to be the security details of APC chieftain Dakuku Peterside. His driver managed to drive the bullet-ridden car into the compound of the Department of State Security, a stone throw from where the incident occurred. His current state is unknown as at this time. God have mercy.”

However, when contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Ahmad Kidaya Muhammad, said he was yet to get reports of any attack like that.

“I have not gotten such report, but I don’t think anything like that happened. Anyway, try to make you findings,” he said.

Wike is after my life -Peterside

The new director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, has accused Rivers State governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, of plotting to kill him.

Peterside, who was the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 general election, made this allegation yesterday following an assassination attempt on him and other chieftains of the party by unknown gunmen.

In a statement signed on his behalf by his media aide, Sylvester Asonye, the NIMASA boss said he was with the APC chairman, Dr. Davies Ikanya, and his former running mate, Hon. Honourable Asita, when they were attacked by gunmen.

According to him, “Two Jeeps belonging to Emeka Woke, Nyesom Wike’s chief of staff, carrying two unknown gunmen, trailed us to UTC Junction and opened fire on my car. Our car, however, did a detour to the DSS office gate where we drove to seek refuge but the unknown gunmen opened fire again at the SSS men on guard.

“The exchange of fire between the DSS men and the assailants lasted for more than 30 minutes. This is a very ugly experience but I thank God that my colleagues and I escaped unhurt

“Today’s experience is not only terrifying but also shows the parlous state of security in Rivers State. If I can be engaged openly by gunmen for nearly an hour in the heart of Port Harcourt, only God knows the fate that will befall members of our party and those sympathetic to our predicament. What is happening today in our dear state is not only horrible but also constitutes serious national security risk.

“I was Wike’s opponent in last year’s governorship election in Rivers State and it is now evident that the governor wants to kill me and he is prepared to do everything possible to eliminate me.”

Why we arrested Rivers SSG – Army

The Nigerian Army has declared that it arrested the secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), Chief Kenneth Kobani, for allegedly disrupting last Saturday’s National and State Assembly rerun election in the state.

Also, the Nigerian Police, Zone 6 Command, said a total of 24 persons were arrested from different parts of the state for various allegations of criminal and electoral offenses during the rerun election.

The Commander, 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Brigadier-General Stephenson Olabanji, who spoke to newsmen at the police headquarters in Port Harcourt yesterday, who announced Chief Kobani’s arrest, said the law of the country respects nobody, no matter the person’s position in the society.

Olabanji said, “Many people were arrested yesterday for disrupting the electoral process and the law is not meant for just the lower cadre alone. No matter who you are, if you go again the law, you will definitely face the music.

“So, there is nothing like being secretary to the state government; many people were arrested as you have been told. A lot of people were arrested.”

The Army Commander denied claims by the Rivers State government that some of its commissioners and other top officials were manhandled by men of the Nigerian Army during the rerun election in the state.

He said, “If you say arrest, we can say yes, but there was nothing like manhandling. We are meant to protect civilians, not to manhandle them.”

Also speaking, the assistant inspector-general of police in charge of Zone 6, Mr. Baba Adisa Bolanta, said those arrested during the rerun election, including two females, were at the moment undergoing interrogation at the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID), Port Harcourt.

Bolanta said, “It is pertinent I let you know that we have 24 suspects, comprising 22 males and 2 females, in police custody, who were arrested from different parts of the state. They are presently undergoing interrogation on allegations of criminal or electoral offences, or both.”

The AIG insisted that only four deaths were recorded in the state during the rerun election – two persons killed at Buguma, in Asari-Toru local government area, and two other killed at Nonwa-Tai and Omuanwa communities, in Tai and Ikwerre local government areas.

He said, “I am startled this morning after seeing outrageous figure of deaths associated with the elections as dished out by the media. To put the records straight, four deaths were recorded, with two in Buguma, while Nonwa-Tai and Omuanwa each recorded one.”

Rivers Rerun: We are not behind arrest of SSG, Wike’s aide – APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied the allegation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that it masterminded the arrests of the secretary to the Rivers State government, Chief Kenneth Kobani, and the special adviser to Governor Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike on Special Projects, Cyril Sum Wite.

Kobani was arrested by soldiers on Saturday, March 19, at Akpor, headquarters of Gokana local government area of the state for allegedly attempting to disrupt the distribution of electoral materials, while Wite was arrested for allegedly being in possession of military uniforms.

Chairman of APC in Rivers State, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday by his media aide, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, said Kobani was arrested by soldiers for being breaking the law.

The statement reads, “Why should we mastermind the arrest of Kobani? What is his political relevance? Does his position as SSG place him above the law? Are we the one that asked him to be lawless that warranted his arrest?

“We, as a political party, are an orderly and decent group that want the best for Rivers State.

“Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who is a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, was directed by the DIG of Police to vote and leave to his residence and he complied; then who is Kobani to be moving around, intimidating voters in polling units that he does not belong to? Is it because he belongs to PDP that makes him to be above the law? He contravened the law and must face the music, not minding the rattling of PDP.

“Maybe very soon they will accuse us of planting the N40million, arms, police and army uniforms in the car of Mr Cyril Dum Wite, S.A. to Governor Nyesom Wike on Special Projects that led to his arrest.”

The APC statement further lamented the “embarrassment and national shame” that Wike and PDP had brought to the state in the little time they had governed the state, adding, “Today we are looked upon as barbarians that behead and burn fellow human beings as if they are goats.”