Rivers East district has no senator, says Wike

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said Rivers East has no senator.

He spoke yesterday at a Thanksgiving Service for Senator George Thompson Sekibo, at the St Thomas Anglican Church in Diobu.

Sekibo was sacked from the National Assembly by the Court of Appeal last week.

He accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of destroying key national institutions.

Wike said following APC’s negative governance style, the police and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have metamorphosed into rigging machines threatening the peace of the country.

According to him, the Appeal Court judgment, which led to the loss of Rivers East mandate is a fallout of the “unfortunate illegal alliance between the police and INEC”.

He explained the APC tendered results certified by the Police to the tribunal, which the tribunal relied on, rather than results declared by INEC on election day. He said incidentally, both results had the same serial numbers, which showed the fraud by the two institutions.

He said: “Instead of bringing change as they promised, things are getting worse. They have introduced extreme fraud in the country, especially denying the people their mandate.”

The governor said nobody should be afraid of the Police and Army in defence of his mandate in 2019.

“Nobody should be afraid of the Police or Army, because liberty comes with a price. They have nothing to campaign with outside the use of security. I am ready to place myself on the line. Nobody will take Rivers State, ” he said.

Wike explained he was at the airport to receive Buhari because the President is for all Nigerians, irrespective of political parties.

He, however, said he would continue to disagree with policies of the Federal Government, especially the alleged faulty fight against corruption.

Sekibo said he received unflinching support from Wike and Ikwerre all through his political struggle.

He said there was no Ikwerre agenda in his ouster from the Senate.

Sekibo said: “If it was an Ikwerre Agenda, it would have been displayed at the point of voting. At the tribunal, those who took away the mandate were not Ikwerre people”.

Venerable Richard Okpara urged judicial officers to use their constitutional powers for the good of the country.

He also called on the Federal Government to learn to accommodate all political interests, saying the political space should not be overheated .

“We must learn to blend for the good of the nation. We must be careful not to heat the polity. Variety is the spice of life, monotony kills interest.”

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