Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, said on Sunday that he would not have contested a governorship rerun if the Supreme Court had failed to uphold his election.

The governor also alleged that between December 1 and 18 of 2014, the immediate past government in the state led by Mr. Rotimi Amaechi had used $150m to fund the All Progressives Congress’ elections, adding that the state government will recover all stolen funds.



Wike said this at a thanksgiving service at Saint Peter’s Anglican Church in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

But reacting to the allegation, the state Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Chris Finebone, described the claim as a big lie from “the very depth of hell.”


Finebone challenged Wike to take Amaechi to court, adding that the former governor was without blemish.

He said, “That (allegation) is a big lie taken from the very depth of hell. Wike talks big and tough, but behind his tough-talking is a moronic coward. He will not advance that accusation beyond the comfort of his audience.

“His deeds are awaiting him and at the appropriate time, he will be held to account. If he is serious, let him go to court and summon Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. But you can be sure that he (Wike) will not do that because that Amaechi is without blemish.”

The governor said he would have opted out of the rerun in order to prevent loss of lives that could have trailed the poll.

Wike added, “Nothing is impossible with God. Men of God prophesied a few days to the Supreme Court ruling that the judgment will confirm the mandate given to us by the Rivers people.

“We won the election clearly as has been confirmed by the Supreme Court. If there was a rerun, I wouldn’t have contested because there would have been a bloodbath. I resolved not to be part of anything that would bring about bloodbath.”

He pointed out that the failure of the “evil plotters” meant that Rivers people would return all the legislators, whose elections were nullified by the Appeal Court.

Explaining that the Supreme Court judgment that affirmed his election restored the confidence of Nigerians in the judiciary, Wike stated that the ruling of the apex court confirmed the will of the Rivers people.

He assured the people of the state that he would judiciously use the mandate given to him to advance the course of the development of the state.

The governor restated his earlier declaration that he would not allow the rigging of the State and National Assembly rerun elections in the state, saying any INEC staff who attempts to rig will be treated as an armed robbers.

Former Goverrnor of Osun State and former interim national chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande during an interview with reporters was asked what he thought about the continuous defection of politicians from the PDP to APC?
He said:

The situation is like bringing together two pieces of wood to make furniture. If the wood is weak, the furniture will not be strong enough. It is true that we put the party (APC) together in a hurry and we put it together by merging political parties but before it became a political party, and glued into one, election had come and we seemed to be more concerned with election than the making of the party.

Vanguard

The Ondo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress has said it will not participate in the forthcoming local government election scheduled to hold on April 23, 2016 by the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission.



The ODIEC Chairman, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, last Friday announced the date for the conduct of the poll and promised that the commission would conduct a free, fair and credible council election.

The state chairman of the APC, Mr. Isaac Kekemeke, who spoke at the Leaders’ Consultative Forum held at Akure City Hall, Akure, the state capital, on Monday, said his party lacked confidence in the ODIEC leadership, which, he alleged, had been comprised by members of the Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.

According to him, the Central Working Committee of the party, the State Executive Committee and the expanded executives met and decided to boycott the election.

Kekemeke added, “The conclusion reached was that the election is a sham meant to trap our party. It is an illegal election about to be conducted when there is a subsisting case on the matter at the Supreme Court.

“Besides, (Governor Olusegun) Mimiko’s ODIEC is composed of Labour Party/PDP membership card-carrying members. Worse still, this LP/PDP government is highly deficient in character and integrity.

“Therefore, to participate is to help massage Mimiko’s ego, support illegality and to allow ourselves to be distracted from our singular mission to wrest power from the PDP in a few months time.”

On the forthcoming primary of the party ahead the governorship poll in the state, the chairman promised that the APC would not impose any candidate on the party.

He assured the APC members that the party would conduct a free and fair primary to choose the candidate for the governorship election.

Kekemeke stated, “The primary of the party for picking the governorship standard bearer will be open, fair, transparent and credible. The guidelines to be issued by the National Working Committee and the National Executive Committee will be followed strictly and a level-playing ground provided for all.

“There will be no imposition of candidate; any story that I have a preferred candidate is imaginary and delusionary. I have no capacity to impose a candidate on the party and I sincerely do not think that anyone else has.”