…As Report Vindicates Wike, Exposes Police Misdeed

As the parliamentary re-run election holds in Etche Local Government Area tomorrow, Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo has called on security agencies that would be involved in the election to do the needful to avoid a repeat of what happened in the December 10, 2016 re-run election in the State.
Reacting to the Administrative Inquiry by INEC into the re-run election in a statement at Government House, Port Harcourt, Dr. Banigo said the panel report was not only a true reflection of the violence and controversies that characterized the entire electoral process but also vindicated Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike who foresaw the antics of the security agencies ahead of the election and raised alarm but was not taken seriously.
She commended the panel headed by Prof. Okechukwu Ibeanu, a National Commissioner of INEC for summoning the courage to indict security agencies who were actually involved in the willful obstruction of the electoral process, including snatching of electoral materials, intimidation of voters, physical attacks on INEC officials and outright refusal to accompany and protect men and materials for the successful conduct of the election.
Dr. Banigo also commended the panel for identifying the Commander of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, in Rivers State, Mr. Akin Fakorede as the arrow-head of the profound political partisanship and flagrant intervention in the electoral process by security operatives during the poll.
The Deputy Governor noted that the allegation by the Police that the State Government bribed INEC officials with N360 million to subvert the electoral process was a ploy orchestrated to cover-up their misdeeds and spread falsehood.
Dr. Banigo reminded politicians, political parties and their supporters, to play the game by the rules while security agencies and INEC officials should refrain from being partisan and not to engage in any misconduct to ensure the smooth conduct of the re-run election.