IGP’s refusal to compromise, reason for Wike’s blackmail – Rivers APC

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as a show of shame and disgrace the series of assassination plots levelled against the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Idris Ibrahim, by the Governor of Rivers State, Barrister Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike.
The party has also expressed dismay at the governor’s claim that the controversial $43 million recovered from an apartment on Osborne Road, Ikoyi-Lagos belonged to his state, saying that the utterances of the governor had brought embarrassment to the people of the state.
The party in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Sunday by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Chris Finebone, alleged that “Credible pieces of evidence at the disposal of Nigerians today confirm that Gov. Nyesom Wike had a stranglehold on the electoral umpire (INEC), the judiciary and security agencies until recently under the present Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim. Several INEC personnel are presently facing trial in court over alleged bribery by the governor involving N360m. Whereas his hold on INEC and the judiciary is as firm as ever, Gov. Wike has failed to compromise the IGP, the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State or the SARS Commander.
“We make bold to ask: why is it only under the present IGP that the Police is attempting to assassinate the governor as he claims? Why did the previous IGP not plan to assassinate Gov. Wike? Why was the State Police Commissioners under the previous IGP so helpless and often overruled by their boss in favour of Gov. Wike’s interest?
“The APC believes that the bitter war being unleashed on the present IGP by Gov. Wike is a desperate attempt to blackmail, coerce and subdue the IGP, the Commissioner of Police and other key officers to do the bidding of the governor in exchange for the tempting bait he always dangles which they have so far shunned. The APC commends the IGP, the State Commissioner of Police and other officers of the Force in Rivers State who have refused to go near Gov. Wike’s poisoned chalice,” the APC alleged.
The APC, therefore, called on the National Security Adviser, Minister of Interior and the IGP to view the actions and utterances of the governor beyond mere politics, but as grave threat to national security and do the needful to safeguard the security of the nation, adding that Governor Wike’s immunity only covered prosecution and not investigation.
On the claim on the recovered money, the APC said: “As soon as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, announced the discovery of $43m and other currencies at Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, Gov. Wike immediately addressed the media laying claim to the money.
“In doing so, he issued a 7-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to return the money to him or he would go to court. Two weeks after his bogus claim it has turned out that the governor made an empty threat as he is not in any position to carry it out for the reason that what appears like credible ownership of the said money is unravelling and it has nothing to do with the Rivers State Government.
“More so, despite the opportunity given by a federal high court sitting in Lagos for the owner of the money to come forward and claim it, Gov. Wike has made no move whatsoever in that direction. It is clear that the governor was merely amusing himself in one of his cheap circus shows,” the statement read in part,” the party read in part.
The APC said that before the Osborne Road money saga, Governor Wike had raised accusations that the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim planned to assassinate him, an allegation the governor repeated last Saturday.
“For us in APC, Gov. Wike’s behaviour has not come to us as a surprise and the reasons are many. Gov. Wike has a well-established philosophy that directs his politics. He believes that the most secure means of dominating the political environment in Nigeria is to effectively compromise the electoral umpire, the judiciary and security agencies. His position is anchored on his belief that every Nigerian, irrespective of tribe and religion, has a price,” the Rivers APC alleged.