Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has advised the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Tonye Cole, to allow the party lawyers and agents interface with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as it affects the inspection of election materials and collection of certified true copies (CTC) of the election results.
He wondered why Cole and not his lawyers or agents, is the one going to INEC office to collect CTC of electoral materials.
Wike, who spoke yesterday at the inauguration of Government Secondary School in Kpor Community of Gokana local government area of the state, stated that the APC candidate lost the governorship election undoubtably.
The governor described the show of alleged desperation by Cole, by not allowing his lawyers to do their duties, as suggestive of a sinister motive that should not be waved away but queried.
While urging the APC governorship candidate to come out clean so that people would know his intentions, Wike also dismissed as baseless the allegations raised by him against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that they attacked him and prevented him from accessing INEC office in Port Harcourt.
The governor said: “Have you seen where a candidate is going to INEC to collect certified true copies (CTC)? What are your lawyers doing. What are your agents doing? These are duties of lawyers. What CTC do you want to collect.
“Can’t people see the truth of the matter, you’ve lost the election. Even if they cancel the election 25 thousand times in this State, you cannot win us(PDP) in this State. Let the truth be told.”
Wike said already, proactive measures are taken to ensure that APC is not allowed the liberty to repeat what they did in 2015, when it manipulated the Nigeria Police to tender results at the tribunal that truncated the will of the people .
The governor reiterated that APC as a political party is dead in Rivers State, therefore, cannot win any election. According to him, this was manifested in the last election as Tonye Cole could not win any legislative seat for his party.
He boasted that everybody knows who was behind the bulk vote that Bola Tinubu got from Rivers State, and he owes nobody any apology for supporting the emergence of a Southern presidency.
The governor said: “How can people say that they rigged you. You said you made your presidential candidate to win. Your presidential won, but you don’t get one senate (seat). What kind of wining is that?”
Wike explained that because of the popularity of PDP in Rivers State, owing to its excellent performance, the party won all three senatorial seats, 11 House of Representatives seats and all 32 State House of Assembly seats.
The governor wondered why Cole would think that Rivers people will give him their mandate when he is already facing prosecution over diversion of $50M proceeds from sale of State assets to Sahara Energy.
He described as laughable the decision of the governorship candidate of Accord Party, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs and that of the Labour Party, Beatrice Itubo, to approach the election tribunal to contest the election results.
The governor stated that these candidates were not opponents in the election but were only desirous to be on the ballot.
Wike, who commended his counterpart of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, for supporting equity, fairness and justice, said PDP lost the chance of winning the presidential election due to impunity and arrogance.
Inaugurating the project, Governor Ortom commended governor Wike for sustaining his delivery of quality projects, working in synergy with his cabinet, that is impacting positively on Rivers people.
He stated that the magnificent edifice, Government Secondary School, Kpor will be a very conducive learning place for students who will be well moulded to become the kind of future leaders that the country requires.
