Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has alleged that the Nigerian Police Special Joint Investigation Panel on the December 10 re-run poll violence and killings was set up with a pre-determined agenda.
Wike stated this at Government House, Port Harcourt yesterday when members of the panel paid him a courtesy visit.
He expressed regrets that the Nigerian Police was being used to protect the interest of a particular opposition politician in the state.
According to the governor, the panel is biased with an agenda to target Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members, while shielding the APC.
Wike disclosed that the state government has challenged the setting up of the panel in court, with the chairman of the panel, Deputy Commissioner of Police Damian Okoro, being one of the defendants.
Wike said: “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.”
He said the people of the state would boycott the activities of the panel.
The Governor said it was sad that the police boss has continued to disregard the video evidence about the invasion of Rivers East Senatorial District Collation centre by the security personnel allegedly led by Akin Fakorede.
He also wondered why the police had refused to make public how DSP Mohammed Alkali was killed, alleging that the person indicted on the matter was a commissioner under the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, hence the down play.
The governor said: “The same man who was caught on video invading the Rivers East Senatorial is the one arranging witnesses for the panel. Nobody is investigating the case of Rivers APC printing fake result sheets, which the police is trying to sweep under the carpet.”
Wike said since the IG knew those who perpetrated the crime during the rerun legislative elections, as enunciated in his letter to the Rivers State governor, why is he setting up a panel then.
“Already, the IG has 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 elections,” he wondered.
Chairman of the panel, Damian Okoro, said the panel was in the state to interface with the governor on what transpired before, during and after the rerun elections.
Okoro stated that the panel would also examine the role of security personnel during the rerun legislative elections.
