Wike berates Federal Government over looters’ list
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.
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.
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