The governor of Rivers State, Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, yesterday told the Nigerian Police Special Joint Investigation Panel on the December 10, 2016,
Rivers legislative rerun that the panel was established by the Inspector-General of Police with a predetermined goal, aimed at assisting the All Progressives Congress, APC, at the election tribunal. Reiterating his earlier position, the governor told the panel that Rivers people would have nothing to do with it.
Speaking at the Government House, Port Harcourt, when the Nigerian Police Special Joint Investigation Panel on Rivers Rerun paid him a courtesy visit on Wednesday, Governor Wike regretted that the Nigerian Police was allegedly being used to protect the interest of a particular politician in the state.
Governor Wike used the opportunity to announce that the State government had challenged the setting up of the panel in court, with the chairman of the panel, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Damian Okoro, as one of the defendants, and reiterated his position that the people of the state would not participate in the activities of the panel.
He alleged that the panel was biased with an agenda targeted at the PDP and her members, while shielding policemen used by the APC to commit electoral fraud.He said: “I must tell you with all honesty that my people and I will not participate in the sitting of this panel.
We have challenged the setting up ofthis panel in court. Let there be a judicial pronouncement on this matter.
It will enrich our jurisprudence. This panel has not shown us that it will not be biased.“All these activities are orchestrated so that APC will use the materials there from at the Tribunal.
Even you as the chairman of the panel cannot say from your conscience that you are biased,” he said.Governor Wike regretted that the Police High Command allegedly attempted to deny video evidence of the invasion of Rivers East SenatorialDistrict Collation by Akin Fakorede and his SARS personnel.
The governor wondered why the Police have allegedly refused to make public how DSP Alkali was killed, simply “because the person indicted was a commissioner under the Minister of Transportation.”
He said: “The same Akin Fakorede who was caught on video after he invaded the Rivers East Senatorial is the one who is arranging witnesses for the panel set up by the Inspector-General of Police.
Nobody is investigating the case of Rivers APC printing fake result sheets which the police is trying to sweep under the carpet.”
He wondered why the Inspector General of Police set up a panel, when he had allegedly made conclusions as enunciated in his letter to the Rivers State Governor.
He said since the Inspector-General of Police knew those who perpetrated the crime during the rerun legislative elections, “why did he go ahead to set up a panel. “We believe that the Panel has already taken a decision.
We are convinced that the essence of the panel is to witch-hunt our people andwe have evidence to show.
We cannot because of one man’s interest, destroy the state. Already, you have dismissed policemen attached to me without even hearing from me.
This is the same panel that claims it is investigating the conduct of all policemen during the rerun legislative elections,” he said.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Nigerian Police Special Joint Investigation Panel on Rivers Rerun, Mr. Damian Okoro, said that the panel was in the state to interface with the governor on what transpired before, during, and after the rerun elections, adding that the panel would also examine the role of security personnel during the rerun legislative elections in the state.
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