Rerun: Wike Accuses INEC Of Hobnobbing With APC

AHEAD of the July 30, 2016 rerun election, the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has accused the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, of hobnobbing with the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Davies Ikanya.
Wike also alleged that Yakubu met with Rivers South-East senatorial candidate for the APC, Senator Magnus Abe in company with the state APC chairman on July 19, 2016.
The governor, who addressed thousands of the Peoples Democratic Party supporters at the Rivers East PDP Senatorial Campaign Rally in Okehi, Etche Local Government Area on Thursday, explained that such an action was inimical to a credible legislative rerun election in the state.
Wike expressed regret over the posting of compromised policemen to Rivers State with the aim of damaging the security network ahead of the rerun elections.
He further accused the INEC national chairman of planning to postpone the July 30, 2016 rerun elections in deference to the fear of defeat allegedly expressed by the leadership of the state APC.
Wike wondered why anyone would be happy to destroy the state just because “they wanted to satisfy the politician who funded the APC national elections efforts using Rivers State resources.
“They are frustrating elections in Rivers State because of one man who sponsored elections for APC. They have posted electoral officers from the APC states to rig elections and they want to accede to the request of the Rivers State APC to post out the Resident Electoral Commissioner.
“But the truth is that nobody can rig elections in Rivers State. The INEC national chairman only has the power to postpone elections, but he has no power to rig elections here.
“As I speak to you, on 19th of July, 2016, the APC chairman, Davies Ikanya, Senator Magnus Abe and others; 7.30 to 8pm were with the INEC national chairman in his office.
“Rivers State is key to the development of this country. Will they continue to deny us representation at the Senate and majority of the constituencies of the House of Representatives?”
He, however, called on the people of Rivers State to continue to resist every attempt by INEC to rig elections in the state because power resides with the people.
Reacting, the state Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Chris Finebone, said, “Let it be on record that neither Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya nor the Rivers State South-East Senatorial Candidate of the APC, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, separately or as a group, met with the chairman of INEC or any INEC personnel at the commission’s headquarters or anywhere else as contrived by Governor Wike.

Source:- Punchng