- PDP Kicks, Says Rivers Gov Is Being Harassed
- PANDEF, Rivers PDP Stalwarts, PDP BoT Chairman Condemn Action
By Cosmas Enahoro (Edo State Correspondent)
Following an alleged directive on the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, by the Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, to quickly find his way out of Edo State ahead of the voting process, the governor insists that he was going no where, claiming that other APC Governors like those of Kano and Imo States (Ganduje and Uzodinma) were also in Edo state to monitor the same election.
Wike who spoke to Channels TV last night, expressed shock that the Inspector General of Police would single him out to "leave Edo State" among all the governors of the APC and PDP who were in the state to monitor the polls. He wondered why similar action was not taken against other APC Governors.
The Rivers Governor said that the Police boss had asked him on phone what he was doing in Edo. He said that he replied him that he was in the state to monitor the election as head of his party’s team in the Edo election.
“The IG then said I must leave immediately. I asked why? Governor of Kano is here and Governor of Imo State is here. Why should I be the only one to leave. I have never seen a thing like that. Shortly after policemen laid siege to my hotel in Benin. This is terrible,” Wike said, adding that he would remain in Benin city to monitor the election until the entire process is over.
Shortly before Wike’s alarm, the national chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, told the press that the police were intimidating and harassing PDP governors in Edo while their APC counterparts were freely moving about in the state.
The Rivers State Government in a statement by Paulinus Nsirim, Commissioner for Information and Communications, said its attention has been drawn “to a worrisome report that the Hotel where Governor, Nyesom Wike is staying in Benin City is presently under siege by over 300 policemen.”
The statement further alleged that, “What is more disturbing is that the policemen led by the Police Deputy Inspector General, Leye Oyebanji, have also been very audible with threats that Wike should leave Edo State.
“We place on record that the Rivers State Governor was appointed the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP National Campaign Council Chairman for the September 19th 2020 Edo State Governorship election.
This is a legitimate, constitutionally recognized appointment in the electoral rules, guidelines and processes of our country that confers on him, the democratic authority to be in Edo to spearhead campaign and lend support to the Governorship candidate of his party. “Governor Wike has not committed any crime to warrant this intimidation and we want to state categorically that the siege on his hotel is totally unlawful, illegitimate and provocative.
“This is more so, placed against the backdrop that Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, who equally occupies same position in the All Progressives Congress, APC and indeed his counterpart, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, are all in Benin, Edo State, carrying out same assignment for the APC.
“They are moving about freely, without any siege on their locations or molestation, threats, harassments and intimidation. We hereby put the Nigerian Government and International Community on notice that the life of Governor Wike is in danger and under serious threat.
“Rivers People will hold the Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu personally responsible if any thing happens to the life of our Governor. We also appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari, to uphold the tenets of democracy by making good his pledge of ensuring a free, fair, credible and transparent.
In its own reaction, the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, has condemned the siege by police officers to the hotel Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, lodged in Benin City, the Edo State capital, describing the action as a serious threat to democracy.
PANDEF youth leader, Chief Vincent Oyibode, reacting to the siege, called on the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu to, “as a matter of urgency, order the withdrawal of the over 300 policemen.”
PANDEF said: “We are worried about the danger this undemocratic action of the police will cause to democracy in Nigeria. The police laid siege to the hotel of the Chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council for the Edo Governorship election, Gov Wike, who is on an official assignment while his counterpart, Gov Umar Ganduje of Kano State, who occupies the same position for his party the APC and Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State are all in Benin, Edo State carrying out their assignment for the APC without any molestation or intimidation. “The action of the police is unacceptable.
Also, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Walid Jibrin, at the weekend condemned the alleged take over of Westend Hotel, Benin City, where Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state is staying to monitor the Edo
Following quickly on the heels of Prince Uche Secondus in the condemnation, Senator Jibrin said Wike as chairman of the PDP governorship campaign council has every right to remain in Benin as his All Progressives Congress, APC, counterpart, Abdullahi Ganduje has been in the past few days.
In a statement he personally signed on Saturday, the BoT chair said “It is very unfortunate that the hotel accommodating PDP Edo national campaign chairman and other PDP governors including national campaign committee members was condoned off by some security agencies.
“The rule must be one and not selective leaving only APC governors to be moving very freely. Wike being the PDP national campaign chairman and all his committee members must be left alone and free to remain in Benin until the end of the election. I enjoin all voters to be peaceful and abide by the rules and regulations of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
“The PDP will like to see a free, fair, and transparent election conducted In Edo state, not fighting, killings, and destruction of properties. As the BoT chairman, I wish all Edo people peaceful and successful election, and please, allow the winner to emerge peacefully.” NNL.
