Rivers Elders, Group Slam Police Over Report

The  Rivers State Elders Consultative Council has described the police report on the allegation of bribery leveled against Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike  as an abuse of power, barbaric, primitive, callous, unfounded, and a calculated to stop the moving train of the people of Rivers State and vowed to stop it by all legal means.
The elders, in a statement signed by its executive secretary Chief (Dr.) Granville Abiye Georgewill, and made available to The Tide said it is becoming more clearer that the Federal Government was determined to frustrate the present administration and the people of the state.
“The statement wondered where the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and his panel got bundles of N1000 denomination they displayed. “It even casts more doubt when the IG claimed that all the money are from a particular generation bank which gives the impression that all 23 INEC staff (Electoral Officers ) operate one bank”.
According to the statement, “Rivers Elders  and the good people of Rivers State will no longer tolerate a situation where some persons or group of persons would be masquerading federal might to avenge what they consider a defeat of their political ambition.
“It is not in doubt that Rivers State is PDP. It is also not in doubt that Governor Wike has earned the respect, loyalty and support of the people of Rivers State following his unprecedented landmark infrastructural development in the state, in spite of lean resources and distractions.
“This should not attract enmity to him nor to the state, rather he should be commended and appreciated by all, borrowing a leaf from both The Sun newspaper and Daily Independent who found him worthy of being conferred with the title of the Best Performing Governor of the Year 2016”, Rivers Elders contended’’.
Meanwhile, A civil society organization, Network for Transparency, Equity and Fairness has joined other groups to condemn the police panel  report.
A statement signed by its president, Dr. Kemakolam Steve Nwofor, described the conclusions in the report against the  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and  Rivers State Government  as not only hasty but mischievous, malicious and politically motivated.
According to the statement, “It is unfortunate, embarrassing and disgraceful that the police authority will want Nigerians and  indeed the world to believe them, that in an election day in this country the government of Rivers State gave bribe to INEC or other officials connected  with the  election.‘’