The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers has explained why the governor, Nyesom Wike is silent on the killing of two policemen, violence and destruction of valuable property in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers by suspected members of the Nnamdi Kanu-led Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

At a news conference Thursday at the state secretariat of the party on Forces Avenue, old Government Reservation Area (GRA), Port Harcourt by its Publicity Secretary, Chief Chris Finebone, who was accompanied by the party’s state Secretary, Chief Emeka Beke, and other leaders of the party, stated that Wike was benefiting from the IPOB’s violence in Rivers.

The party also accused the state governor of raising false alarm against security agencies, in order to divert attention from what he was planning to do, having earlier sewed police uniform for thugs that were used by his People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to rig the 2015 elections and rerun in Rivers, with some of the criminals caught in Bori-Ogoni.

Rivers APC noted that the failure of Wike’s government to engage in productive ventures, the cultists, kidnappers and other criminals, who recently surrendered their arms, ammunition and other dangerous weapons in the state government’s amnesty offer, was responsible for increase in the crime rate in Rivers, with the hungry and angry youth now returning to criminal activities with full force.

[Read Also: Kidnappings, robberies in Rivers perpetrated by SARS – Wike]

The main opposition party said, “Ordinarily, the APC has no business involving in any matter between the Rivers governor and any other entity, but in the instant case and even in previous related cases, Wike has either alluded to or expressly stated that the APC benefited from whatever allegations he raised against the police or particularly the SARS. The APC has also been at the receiving end of the false alarms Wike had previously raised against the police, which in all cases turned out to be mere smokescreen by the governor to mask his real intentions.

“From all indications, the Rivers governor’s accusation on Wednesday that members of SARS abducted some persons and forced them to withdraw N500, 000, is manifestly cooked up to directly smear members of the SARS and the Commander, Akin Fakorede, who is known to have resisted all the advances made by Wike to compromise the officer.

“Wike has never hidden his disdain for the SARS commander, due to the officer’s principled and professional stance in rejecting the governor’s baits in the past two years. Wike seems to have sworn to have Akin Fakorede compromised or transferred out of Rivers State, to pave way for a replacement that may play ball with him.

“Just before the killings in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA (ONELGA) of Rivers State assumed a frightening dimension, Wike had raised the alarm, accusing the military and police of invading ONELGA. Just after his blackmail of the army and police, his private army, led by Don Wannie, launched his massive killings and beheadings in ONELGA. Same was the case when Wike sponsored a campaign of calumny against the military personnel that tried to normalise security in Ogoniland. He made all manner of accusations against the army that had gone in search of Solomon Ndigbara, Wike’s private army general in Ogoni. Shortly after the sponsored campaign against the army in Ogoni , Ndigbara launched his killings in Ogoniland.

“Part of the concerns of the APC is that whenever Wike is about committing some security infractions, he diverts attention from himself, by raising false alarm against the security agencies, especially the police. In the instant case, Rivers governor is raising these alarms to distract the police and pave way for his killers to undertake further killings in Rivers State. Without doubt, we believe the security information in our kitty to that effect.”

Rivers APC also called on Rivers people and Nigerians not to fall for the antics of Wike, stressing that they must remain vigilant.

It admonished the various security agencies to refuse to be dismayed, demoralised or distracted by the antics of the Rivers governor, but must continue to work to secure the state from the grip of Wike’s killers, who it said were on rampage across Rivers 23 LGAs.

The party said: “Rivers State APC considers the yesterday’s (Wednesday’s) accusation against the police, particularly against the SARS, as patently malevolent, mischievous and intended to mask the next phase of killings by Wike’s killers.

“The police and other security agencies must remain focussed and have their eyes on the ball, to forestall worsening security situation in the state, a situation that is already getting out of hand.”

Rivers APC also urged the peace-loving people of the state to continue to endure Wike’s bad governance till 2019, when they would have the opportunity of effecting the much-needed change through their votes, asking them to prepare to vote wisely for all the candidates of the main opposition party, in order to move forward.

Omoleye Omoruyi

Omoleye Omoruyi… an apprentice web/game developer, novelist, sensitive to happenings in the world. Meet him @Lord_rickie on Twitter/Instagram