The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has dismissed ongoing probe by the Police High Command, of an audio clip that circulated after the Rivers State legislative rerun elections on December 10.
It would be recalled that the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, had set up an investigative panel to probe the audio as well as some 70 alleged infractions in the elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In a reaction to the police probe, the Rivers State governor, accused security agencies of working for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Wike said it was unfortunate that despite being the chief security officer, some heads of security agencies in the state took orders from powers at the federal level.
The state chief executive officer slammed the probe, saying: “Tell INEC, tell the Nigerian police, tell the Nigerian security, that I want free and fair elections.
“What causes violence? I was here and they wanted to stop the results of my senatorial district from being declared. If in the course of resisting rigging, they shoot somebody, will there not be violence?
“Why will you carry materials and give to the one party to the detriment of the other party? We said, allow everybody to vote. Now, you use security agencies to hijack the materials, to beat up our agents.
“Why can’t they tell you the simple truth? If they conduct free and fair elections in this state today, who will win? Who is going to lose, if there’s violence?
“We want elections. Let’s see who is more popular. You (APC) don’t want election. You want to bring collation officers that will do your own bidding.
“You want to bring INEC officers to do your own bidding. We have no problem, bring whoever you want to bring, but let there be elections. When you win, you won’t blame the person that collated. What kind of system is this?
“The only condition for peace in Rivers State is free and fair elections, like it’s done all over the world”, Wike insisted.
On the ongoing probe of the audio clip, which first appeared on Sahara Reporters, Wike replied: “You look at me, and I’ll talk to INEC’s ad-hoc staff? And they said, I asked where the man is from…the person I gave money, and I don’t know where he comes from?
“Okay, it resembles my voice? I can plant your voice now. Even as I am now, you can take my voice, and plant somewhere. Let them bring their own video evidence. We have shown ours where you can see what policemen were doing during the elections. I hear they said it was through somebody’s phone that I spoke.
“The only person I can even talk to as far as INEC is concerned is the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) or the national chairman or commissioner of INEC.
“Why will I even descend (so low) to talk to an ad-hoc staff? We have over 2,000 INEC ad-hoc staff. Which one did I talk to? Which one did I not talk to? So, please discard some of these stories”, Wike retorted.
“Investigate who? Embark on an inquiry on who? We have video evidence of police helping to rig the elections for them (APC), but they are denying that they are not policemen.
“Police is denying something everyone saw, the SARS (Special Anti-Robbery Squad) man that came. You are saying they are not policemen”.
Wike, who insisted that the election was rigged for the APC, added, “let them show us the server where they offloaded the results. Let them show us.
“Let me tell you why nobody can come after me. Nobody can take my life. Only God can. He gives, he takes. You, who is planning to take, who told you you’ll be there tomorrow?”
“They took my orderly, they took my chief security officer, and they took my escort commander. You don’t know God’s plans. People should take it easy. Anything can happen tomorrow. You never can tell”, Wike added.