WIKE BERATES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER LOOTERS’ LIST
WIKE BERATES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER LOOTERS’ LIST
Governor Nyesom Wike
Says publication of
names is irresponsible
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said the Federal Government publication of the list of persons standing trial in courts and calling them looters smacks of irresponsibility in governance.
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said the Federal Government publication of the list of persons standing trial in courts and calling them looters smacks of irresponsibility in governance.
He stressed that
Nigerians are experiencing the height of irresponsibility in governance with
the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government’s refusal to obey
the rule of law.
Wike, who spoke when
civil society organisations in Rivers State visited him at the Government House
in Port Harcourt yesterday, said publishing the list of persons standing trial
in courts and calling them looters is an unfortunate act of irresponsibility by
the Federal Government.
“This is an
irresponsible Federal Government that has no respect for the rule of law. They
have become the judge and also the prosecutor in cases before courts. All they
want to do is tie the hands of judges to ensure all those standing trial are
convicted at all costs,” he said.
Wike argued that the
irresponsible list of looters excluded the name of the immediate past Rivers
State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who was indicted by the court-approved
judicial commission of inquiry over alleged embezzlement of over N90 billion
state funds.
Amaechi had meanwhile
denied this allegation and had instituted a law suit against the Rivers State
government. Though he lost the case at the High Court, the matter is presently
pending in the Supreme Court.
Besides, the
governor, who alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
as presently constituted is setting the stage for the rigging of the 2019
general elections, said Rivers people would reject INEC and APC rigging
machines in Rivers State.
He alleged that
available credible intelligence indicated that strategies had been mapped out
by the commission and security agents to rig the 2019 polls.
He said despite
overwhelming evidence, INEC has refused to respond to the fraudulent release of
two separate original Rivers East Senatorial District result sheets, which led
to use of police for the theft of the people’s mandate.
“Unfortunately for
them, we have so much capacity to resist any attempt to manipulate the
forthcoming elections,” he said.
On the neighbourhood
safety corps, he said that the police and other security agencies would be
involved in the recruitment of operatives.
Meanwhile, the leader
of the civil society organisations of Rivers State, Mr. Sotonye George, who
commended Governor Wike for fulfilling majority of his campaign promises, said
they would always partner with the Rivers State Government for the development
of the state.