APC, police, INEC are threats to democracy, says Wike

•Kwara governor promises to complete all projects
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State yesterday raised the alarm that the country’s democracy is under threat.

He spoke when the Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Paul Lehmann visited him at the Government House, Port Harcourt.

Wike alleged that the police, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were planning to rig the upcoming general elections.

While asking the international community to intervene, he stressed that their actions portend grave danger for the country’s democracy.

The governor explained that ‎the latest rigging system wherein the APC used the police to forge electoral results, in collusion with the INEC would no longer be allowed in the state.

“We are happy that we have been vindicated by the fact that INEC printed their own result sheets with their serial numbers, which other people also printed with the same serial numbers. The question is, how did they know the serial numbers?” he queried.

He recalled that George Thompson Sekibo was removed as the duly elected Senator from Rivers East Senatorial District on the grounds of the certified results tendered by the police at the tribunal.

Wike urged Australian investors to take advantage of the right business climate to invest in the state’s agricultural sector, promising to give them tax holidays.

Meanwhile, the Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed has pledged to complete all ongoing projects in the state before his tenure expires.

He made the promise in Ilorin at a meeting with members of the APC.

The governor explained that he established the Kwara Infrastructure Development Fund (IF-K) through internally generated revenue to fund capital projects.

He said the state would utilise the second tranche of the Paris Club loan refunds to build infrastructure in the health and education sectors, especially primary and secondary schools.

On the upcoming local council elections, Ahmed urged prospective chairmen to develop capacity to improve revenues, rather than relying on dwindling federal allocations.

The state Chairman of the party, Ishola Balogun-Fulani disclosed that 87 aspirants were jostling for the chairmanship position across the 16 council areas.