Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has criticised the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Yakubu Maikyau; and human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, over their calls for the release of All Progressives Congress (APC) lawyers arrested in the state.
The three APC lawyers reportedly arrested on Saturday, April 1 at a hotel in the state were said to have been working on a petition for Rivers APC in the March 18 governorship election.
While Maikyau condemned the arrest, Falana urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, to order the lawyers’ release.
The Rivers State Police Command explained that the lawyers were arrested on suspicion of forgery, but released them hours after their apprehension.
In a live media chat broadcast in Port Harcourt, yesterday, Wike argued that the police should have been encouraged to investigate the lawyers.
“There is nothing wrong if you have intelligence that people are producing INEC documents in a hotel and in the police arresting them,” the governor said.
“What we expected is for the police to investigate: Were they really printing INEC documents or not? And not for people to say, ‘They went and arrested lawyers that were preparing for election petitions”, he said.
Wike said, when there is intelligence that something suspicious is going on, one must be proactive to ensure the issue is nipped in the bud.
According to him, “Does it mean because you say lawyers perpetrated it, therefore they cannot be arrested? Of course, I don’t take Femi Falana seriously. NBA president issued a statement that the lawyers must be released. It was so surprising.
“Why not say, ‘Police, if you say you arrested lawyers believing that you have intelligence on this, we’re giving you within 24 hours to make sure they are charged to court or you come out with a report’?”
The governor said one must not interfere in a police investigation.
“You can’t use us to be popular among lawyers because the NBA president knows that his own administration is not doing well.
“And so, the only way they can show that they’re doing well is by coming out to say, ‘Release the lawyers”, he said.
Wike also, during the media chat, dismissed Senator Dino Melaye’s governorship ambition in Kogi State, saying the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain does not have what it takes to vie for such a position.
He said, “When you give Dino that ticket, you know he won’t win in Kogi State,” Wike said during the parley.
“Why would Kogi people say they would vote for a candidate like Dino? Are we joking?”
He said the mere fact that someone is from a place does not equate to electoral success if such a person contests an election.
“Dino does not have what it takes [to be a governor] for crying out loud,” Wike maintained. “He knows me very well. He does not have what it takes to be a governor”, Wike asserted.
According to him, if the PDP gives the ticket to the former Kogi West lawmaker, the party is doomed to lose the exercise.
“Does it mean now that if the PDP wants to win the election, it would give the ticket to Dino and you say tomorrow that you were rigged when you have already killed yourself?” he wondered.
“Are we saying that we want to win an election or just have a candidate?” the governor asked.
He added that he won’t campaign for the PDP, if the party gives its governorship ticket to Dino.
“Do you need to ask me that kind of question? Are you not aware that I would not do that?” Wike said when asked if he would campaign for the main opposition party if Dino wins the ticket.
He accused the party’s leadership of trying to “manipulate” the process in favour of Dino.
“Why are you trying to manipulate this in favour of one aspirant?” he queried