Wike accuses Amaechi, soldiers of stopping collation of results
*Allegations are aimed at tarnishing image of the army, GOC
The Rivers State governor has accused the Minister of Transport and former governor of the state, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, of using soldiers to rig the controversial Saturday rerun election by stopping the collation of results in areas where the outcome were favouring the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The latest accusation was contained in a press statement released in Port Harcourt on Sunday from the office of Governor Nyesom Wike, signed by his Special Aide on Electronic Media, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu.
The statement alleged that the Minister stormed the INEC Collation Centres with over 200 soldiers and Armoured Personnel as well as led soldiers to beat up Ikwerre Caretaker Chairman, Mr. Samuel Nwanosike.
“The soldiers and the Commissioner of Police forcefully gained entrance where they drove away the live crew of the African Independent Telecision(AIT) Live crew, other print and broadcast journalists, agents of political parties and observers,” the statement alleged.
It said that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, had in an earlier interview on Saturday raised alarm that the Police authorities “were withdrawing official policemen detailed to provide security for the election, before they would be replaced by soldiers and policemen with instructions to assist APC and Rotimi Amaechi write results,” the statement continued.
In a follow-up statement, the government alleged that soldiers arrested and brutalized Emohua Local Government Caretaker Chairman in a bid to rig. It also stated that “the military invaders of Emohua arrested John Wokoma CTC Chairman, Emohua LGA Secretariat, whisked him away to unknown destination. Operation led by Col. Ali of the Army claiming instructions from Brig Commander.”
Continuing, the statement said that the Nigerian Army on Saturday stopped the announcement of Emohua results already collated with the intention to forcefully concoct results in order to deliver the APC contestant in the Senatorial District, Senator Andrew Uchendu.
However the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, on Sunday debunked Wike’s allegations, saying that the Governor Nyesom Wike and other politicians, accusing the military of involvement in the Saturday legislative re-run elections in the state was aimed at tarnishing the image of the army.
The General Officer Commanding the Division, Kasimu Abdulkarim, said in a statement released in Abuja on Sunday and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, that soldiers were not involved any mass killing and arrest at Tai and Gokhana Local Government Areas of Rivers, neither were they involved in ballot box-snatching.
The GOC stated: “It is true that soldiers of 6 Division Nigerian Army provided security during the Rivers legislative re-run election. These people allegedly accused soldiers of ballot box snatching, illegal escorts of some politicians, arrest and detention of voters during the general conduct of the elections. The weighty nature of these allegations could cause members of the public to view soldiers negatively, hence the need to adequately inform the general public on the true perspective.
“The public thus need to consider them as mere farce to garner public sympathy,” he said.
According to Mr. Abdulkarim, the 6 Division, Nigerian Army remained apolitical in the conduct of the election. Its soldiers provided perimeter defence to ward off hoodlums and miscreants.
“They acted swiftly in response to security breaches in order to enforce the law, provide aid to the police and other security agencies especially in areas like Abonema, Etche, Gokhana, Ikwere, Eleme, Tai, Khana and Omoku amongst others.
“Susceptibility of mentioned areas warranted providing security for the electoral officials, voters, international and local observers, in conjunction with other security agencies by soldiers for a peaceful election to thrive in the environment,” he said.
He also gave details of how the soldiers prevented a total breach of security and rescued corps members kidnapped during the rerun elections in Rivers.
“In Gokhana, armed hoodlums engaged the soldiers providing outer perimeter defence for the electorates. In Abonema there were three explosions that created bedlam. Subsequently, 11 NYSC members were abducted along with electoral materials. However, 10 of them were rescued two hours later by the soldiers while one was rescued about eight hours later. At Emouh five NYSC members were abducted with election materials in a Siena bus. The corps members were rescued while the suspect was handed over to the police. Several shooting were recorded in some communities such as Bodo, the home town of the Secretary to the State Government, and Mogho in Gokhana Local Government Area, including snatching of ballot boxes.
“The most brutal incidence occurred at Ujju Community near Omoku in Onelga where police patrol team was ambushed. In the ambush, 10 policemen scampered into the bush.
“These attacks are reasonable evidence of violations of breach of law and order which portray the area as a flash point.
“In spite these barbarism, soldiers acted with civility and professionalism in guaranteeing peaceful election,” he said, describing the accusations of soldiers partisanship as “sham and phoney.”
