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Rivers election: Wike, INEC’s conspiracy to rig elections responsible for stalemate – Niger Delta Group

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Nigerian Army Soldiers

 

As confusion continues to trail to trail the outcome of just-concluded elections in Rivers State, the Niger Delta Volunteer Congress has accused the state governor, Nyesom Wike of conspiring with the Independent National Electoral Commission to hold the state to ransom.

The equally hailed the Nigerian Military for its role during the election and for restraints it showed in the face of grievous provocations in the oil rich state.

According to the group, the Nigerian Military stood on the side of deepening democracy in the country by deploying its men for election duty as duly directed by the Commander-in-Chief if the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari.

NDVC rising from an emergency meeting on Wednesday March 20, to review the tense situation that is prevailing over the conduct of Governorship and State House of Assembly Election in the Niger-Delta region faulted the failure of INEC to hold its staff to account after it emerged that many of them, including those in senior positions were compromised and were working for specific candidates and political parties in violation of the neutrality expected of them.

A communiqué jointly signed at the end of the emergency meeting by James Goodluck, President and King- James Egule, Secretary General, called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the INEC staff that took part in the elections in Rivers State, policemen, military personnel and all other actors with a view to identifying the compromised ones among them and to diligently prosecute anyone indicted.

The communiqué reads.

The meeting particularly noted the impasse in Rivers State, where confusion continues to trail the outcome of the elections, such that the prospect of violence remains high. It is obvious that subsequent actions taken by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will have implications for the peace and security outlook of not just Rivers State but the entire Niger-Delta region.

The meeting acknowledged the stabilizing role played by the Nigerian Military during the elections as the deployment of troops was crucial to the fewer incidents of violence that were recorded during the exercise relative to the heightened sense of imminent region-wide violence that had been anticipated.

Attendees however expressed concerns that the deployment of the military was exploited for evil by leading politicians in the region, particularly in Rivers State where thugs and hoodlums in military uniforms impersonated soldiers to cause mayhem at collation centres and other venues of electoral activities. The attendees expressed disappointment that INEC did not properly review the situation before concluding that those that disrupted collation centres and attacked its staff were military simply because of the uniform.

It was noted that the development in Rivers State, owing to its sensitive and volatile nature requires increased security and military presence to deter the violent thugs that are bent on sabotaging the electoral process to favour those that recruited them for such purposes. INEC’s misrepresentation of the vital role played by the military could however jeopardize its ability and that of other security agencies to provide protection to Nigerians during the remaining exercise.

The meeting was of the view that INEC must, within the limitations imposed by ongoing litigations and court pronouncements, immediately conclude the election in River State, and any other place with outstanding elections in the Niger Delta, in order to ease the tension that its poor handling of the process has created.

Niger Delta Volunteer Congress faulted the failure of INEC to hold its staff to account after it emerged that many of them, including those in senior positions were compromised and were working for specific candidates and political parties in violation of the neutrality expected of them.

Attendees observed that the people of the Niger-Delta region owe it a duty to themselves to remain law abiding, eschew violence, and alert law enforcement agencies to any breach as well as provide information that will assist in tracking down perpetrators of violence and those impersonating the military.

Following extensive deliberations and inputs from those in attendance, the meeting recommended that:
The Nigerian Military should be commended for standing on the side of deepening democracy in the country by deploying for election duty as duly directed by the Commander-in-Chief if the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Nigerian Military should be commended for its remarkable handling of the election coverage in states of the Niger-Delta while also being commended for the restraints it showed in the face of grievous provocations in Rivers State.

The Federal Government should order a detailed investigation to identify those that were responsible for mobilizing thugs to impersonate the Nigerian Military with a view to prosecuting anyone indicted as deterrence against the repeat of such dangerous act.
The Federal Government should direct INEC to apologize to the military for wrongly indicting it for the crime committed by hired political thugs in fake military uniform.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should investigate the INEC Staff that took part in the elections in Rivers State, policemen, military personnel and all other actors with a view to identifying the compromised ones among them and to diligently prosecute anyone indicted.

INEC must immediately act in accordance with its own guidelines and extant legislation to bring closure to the situation it has created in Rivers State.

The meeting ended with an agreement to give wide publicity to the recommendations made while appealing to the people of Niger-Delta to remain law abiding.

Portrait of the tiger Ambode rode (4)

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By Yinka Odumakin

Dear Chief Tinubu,

The backpage of your The Nation of Tuesday 12 March where one of your Rottweilers under the FORGED name “Segun Ibirogba” wrote “Odumakin’s anxiety over vanishing feeding-bottles” has un-paused the button on this serial.

I have always wondered why these intellectual almajiris around you always attack me under fake names.It is either they are afraid of me or they don’t believe in you to risk their names doing the dirty job for you .Well,we know many of them hold worst views about you than us but for the free money they have been accustomed to from a Robbin Hood.

The piece referenced was a rehash of same old silly lies and freshly minted ones.In keeping faith with my resolve that for every dart of lie you guys throw in my direction ,I will return 10 bombs of truth I make this response.And for every line I write,I can say like Fela Anikulapo-Kuti “Na true I wan talk again o,if I dey lie o,make Edumare punish me o”.

Since you guys made a failed attempt to impugn my integrity ,I have chosen to use this edition to place your life side-by-side mine on the scale of integrity so we can know if your hen can point at the boil in a hawk’s eye.I intend to show that were it not that Nigeria has become Ceaser’s palace where the leper holds the veil,nobody in your circle should move near that subject.

I am Yinka Odumakin and nobody can say he had known me under any identity in my life .I have led a straight life unlike you that people know under different identities depending on whey they met you in your about 80 years on earth .Yes,80!

Those of us who are knowledgeable about you cant buy your 66 claim for so many reasons .The current governor of Osun is the son of your immediate senior sister from Iragbiji and he is 63 while you are claiming 66. Your first wife died in Lagos recently unannounced at 74 .

When the son he had for you died many moths earlier his age had to de doctored to fit into the lie that you live.And there is a photograph of yours at the palace of Soun Ogbomoso in 1974 when the current monarch was installed with a bottle of beer and packet of cigarette in your front.You mean you were 20 when you were drinking and smoking in a palace ?

There is no school I have attended in my life that my classmates would not come out in droves to say “yeah, we were there together!”. From St Augustine Primary School, Ondo to CAC Grammar School, Edunabon and Oduduwa College Ile -Ife down to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile -Ife and University of Ghana.

At your end St John Primary School Aroloya you claimed may be created by your new governor in Lagos. The old boys of Government College !Ibadan were planning a reception for you when someone asked which set you belonged to .There has been no answer to that till date and the reception was cancelled. The tales by moonlight on Chigago State University and University of Chiicago are all over the place.

My parents are alive in Osun and by God’s grace I will give them a befitting burial. I will not have to send emissaries to bury them since I have not abandoned “moomi” (that’s how we Oyo people in Osun call mummy) to be calling another woman “maami” in Lagos to fit a life of lie and greed. No Mama HID Awolowo would have told me that she knew all the children of “maami ” and that I was not one of them.

My parents are not rich but I am proud of them because it is from their black pot that my white palp has come out. I say proudly among my University mates today that they could not afford more than N60 per month for me throughout my University days .The story of grass to grace is a proud thing among the Yoruba. MKO Abiola was proud of the story that he ate egg for the first time in his life in the home of Simbiat Abiola’s parents.

With the modest means of my parents, they instilled so much values in me that there is no crime attached to my name in all my years on earth. Forging traveling passports had never appealed to me. Neither has my name been linked to a narcotic ring leading to inquiry and forfeiture of assets. All my life, my hands have provided for me. And they have provided for you too.

I recall when you returned from exile in 1998 and running for governor. You were not “Ezeego” then. You had only the Sunday Adigun house and all the four cars you used then belonged to Mr Ganiyu Solomon. There were a lot of printings being done for you by your friends at The News. I saw the price you were being offered and I told you my press could do it at 40%. I delivered and saved you 60%. I recall Mr Babafemi Ojodu complained openly that they could not do the price I offered you !

That should tell you and your attack dogs that I have always separated the cause I believe in from what I would eat unlike you who always mix the two. You pose as a June 12 hero today but Kola Abiola is alive to tell the story of what happened to MKO’s money as Bashorun is no longer alive. In 20 years, there is hardly any boundary between Lagos treasury and your private pockets. Your “O to ge” moment is coming some day and all the dirty deals will be out.

Like a rapist, you can tell your victims to shout “O to pe” for as long as stolen funds and drug money rule Lagos politics.

I have noticed that because you and your followers have no abiding principle and you are driven by only lust for money, you assume it is so for everybody. Your being glued to the lowest of all spirits (money) makes it difficult for you to make the right judgement about people thinking they are all about money. Was it that you didn’t have money when I told you in December 2006 that it was over between us politically? Have I ever looked in your direction ever? There are men who may not be able to give N10,000 to a cause but if they say they want to see me at 8AM I would be there at 7. Can you summon me with all your bullion vans?

I recall how you said to me in 2006 about Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi and I quote you “Adiye ni Tokunbo, yin agbado fun a pada” (Tokunbo is a fowl, throw corns and it is U-turn). Has he not turned his back at you today? You don’t have “corns ” again? This was the man who was your fall guy when you made all the forgeries in 1999. He was among the team that went to bury your biological mother in Iragbiji when you could not show your face, has his exit not shown you there are men who place value on principle than money?

I have lived my political life on the basis of the fact that an adversary today can be an ally tomorrow and vice versa. I am not beholden to any person outside the core beliefs we share. One of the men I had an open disagreement with was President Obasanjo and when we reconciled it was an open thing. That differentiates me from you who walk both sides of the streets simultaneously. You were with NADECO and also in bed with Abacha through whom you forged friendship with the Chagourys who are your business partners till date.

The political buffoons around you would hold you out as an anti-third term person today but you know what happened between us on May 2, 2006. We had a meeting at Airport Hotel in Lagos where you were dictating the communique against third term unknown to participants you were at a meeting till wee hours of that morning to work third term in another way.

I was reading the communique to the press when you called me. I gave the phone to the late Rev Tunji Adebiyi but you told him you wanted to speak with me. We didn’t get to talk till late in the night. I had with me in the car as you spoke with me from VGC to Ikeja then President of Egbe Omo Yoruba in North America, Mr Odusanya. Let me quote you verbatim :
“I hope you have not released that communique. We need to manage this third term carefully. Obasanjo is a blind cat. If he causes problem now and they kill one Yoruba graduate in Kano and we kill 200 people selling onions in mile 12 it is not equal. I am therefore proposing that we have a win-win situation. Instead of outright third term we can have the confab recommendation of one six-year tenure starting with the incumbent having 2 extra years and so with we the governors. We can use the two years to empower people like you and handover to one of you. I have asked General Alani Akinrinade to come and I am going to meet Prof Soyinka to discuss it. I want you to think about it”

I told you as a matter of fact that the proposition was unreasonable and there was nothing for me to think about as I would prefer outright third term where we would have elections to automatic two years extension. But my eyes were opened to how unreliable you are that night. Here was a man dictating communique against third term in the morning having this conversation with me at night.

I made up my mind on you that night. The conversation I had with you minutes after Funso Williams was killed and the way you handled your your succession made me to severe political links with you within six months .

…More to come.

FG to re-construct all grazing reserves – Ogbeh 4 hours ago

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The Federal Government says it will soon commence the reconstruction of grazing reserves across the country.

Chief Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said this in Abuja when participants of the Executive Intelligence Management Course Twelve (EIMC12) and Institute for Security Studies, Usma Dam, Bwari, visited him.

A statement by Mr Nakorji Mohammed, the Director of Information at the ministry on Friday, quoted Ogbeh as saying that the reconstruction of the grazing reserves had become necessary due to farmers-herders conflicts.

The minister said the reconstruction was also crucial for the Federal Government to reduce the high unemployment rate in the country.

“The grazing reserves will help in solving these problems.

“We are not going to any state that is not interested and we are not going to collect anyone’s land,’’ the minister assured.

He called on individuals who had the interest and ability to build grazing reserve to do so, adding that the government would support such individual.

Ogbeh called on members of the institute to focus toward addressing the security challenges facing the West African region and Africa in general.

The Director of the institute, Alhaji A.S. Adeleke represented by the Deputy Director Studies, Dr. A.M.Wali, said the purpose of the visit was to commend the country’s achievements in the agriculture sector.

Adeleke also applauded the ministry for its efforts toward curtailing the agro-terrorism where people are hoarding farm inputs.

He said the course participants were drawn from 21 agencies in Nigeria.

Other participants according to Adeleke were also from Benin Republic, Liberia, Niger and Sierra-Leone consisting of senior officers from the military intelligence and other Federal Government agencies.

Adeleke said that the theme of this year’s course is `Transhuman and International Migration: Challenges on Governance, Peace and Sustainable Development in sub-Sahara Africa’.

Foursquare Gospel Church salutes Buhari

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PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI

The Foursquare Gospel Church has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his re-election.

The congratulatory message is contained in a letter to the President by the General Overseer of the Church, Rev Felix Meduoye.

According to Mr. Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), Meduoye wrote the letter on behalf of the Board of Directors, leadership and entire worshippers of Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria.

“Your victory at the presidential poll held on Saturday February 23, 2019 is a testimony of God’s divine providence over your life.

“We commend your administration for providing the enabling environment for a generally peaceful and successful election.

“We urge you to see your renewed presidential mandate as a call from all Nigerians to you to marshal the growth, unity and stability of our dear country.

“We therefore pray that God will enable you to utilize this God-given mandate to continue to forge a strong, virile and united Nigeria irrespective of race, religion or region.

“As a Church, we will continue in our duty of offering prayers for the success of your administration, for your sound health and for divine wisdom to guide you in lifting the country to the desired level of growth, development and progress.”

Court stops INEC from conducting supplementary election in Adamawa

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A Yola High Court on Thursday restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from conducting a supplementary Governorship Election in Adamawa, fixed for March 23.

The ruling by Justice Abdul-Aziz Waziri, followed a request to that effect filed by counsel to the Adamawa Chapter of Movement for the Restoration and Defence of Democracy (MRDD), Mr Mustafa Shaba, over absence of the party logo on the ballot paper of the inconclusive election.

Delivering the ruling after going through the two affidavits in support of the motion including that of extreme urgency, Justice Waziri, held that the request has merit and therefore was granted.

“After careful perusal of the annexure of the MRDD 1 to 5 alongside written address of counsel urging me to grant the application, I am of the view that the application is pregnant with merit and must be granted.

“I hereby grant the following order.

“The defendant here in, the INEC is restrained whether by themselves, their executives, servants, privies, representative nominees or any other person or persons from proceeding with the supplementary election in respect of Adamawa State Governorship pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.”

The Judge ruled that all the processes relating to the suit be served to Adamawa INEC in Yola in compliance with Order 6 of the Court.

The case was adjourned till March 21 for hearing of motion for the interlocutory injunction.

Speaking to newsmen on the development, counsel to MRDD, Mr Mustafa Shaba said the plaintiff, MRDD represented by the state chairman of the party, Ibrahim Umar, rushed to the court to complain against what he described as “serious infraction”.

“The party has come to court and fortunately the election has not been concluded to stop INEC from further breaching of the party’s candidate (Rev. Eric Theman) right.

“We want the logo to be place and the election to start afresh.

“What we apply for today is for Interim injunction restraining INEC as it is for now from proceeding until the needful is done,” Shaba said.

Osinbajo rallies APC supporters for polls in Kano, others

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Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has urged All Progressives Congress (APC) members not to relax or take anything for granted ahead of the March 23 governorship election rerun in some states.

Osinbajo communicated this while addressing party faithful at the PMB/PYO Volunteers Appreciation Dinner at the State House Banquet Hall on Thursday in Abuja.

INEC has fixed March 23 for supplementary elections in Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Kano, Plateau and Sokoto states where governorship elections were declared inconclusive.

He thanked the volunteers for their commitment and trust, saying that with the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria was on course for greatness.

“I believe that with your support our country will continue to move forward; everything we want for our country will be done, and by the grace of God, every one of  the President’s projects will be done.

`Our economy will turn around and we will see prosperity in this great nation.

“Let me just say that we are still not done with elections.

“On March 23, we still have some outstanding states; as you know, there are rerun elections in about six states.

“ And we still need to put efforts in those six states. We cannot afford to slack up and say the job is done; we still have some things to be done,’’ he said.

Osinbajo expressed APC’s condolences to the families of those who lost their lives during the process, and asked for a minute silence in their honour.

He said that the campaign was about the Nigerian people whom he said were very trusting and supportive of their leaders without asking for much.

The vice president said  that the Buhari-led government had achieved much in four years in spite of earning less—a feat  which was achieved because of Mr President’s honesty and integrity.

Mr Ade Ipaye, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, said that Nigerians had demonstrated their confidence in the ability of Buhari and Osinbajo to pilot the nation.

He said that Nigerians not only voted but made sure that their votes counted.

Ipaye commended the President and vice president over their energetic campaign that saw them going round the country.

The deputy chief of staff also thanked God for securing the President,  vice president and the campaign team throughout the campaign.

Retired Brig-Gen.  Buba Marwa, Director,  Women and Youths, APC Campaign Team,  expressed appreciation to Osinbajo for arranging a platform to thank the volunteers.

He thanked God for protecting the vice president in the helicopter crash as he and the crew all came out unscathed.

Marwa said that Osinbajo exhibited uncommon commitment and courage by proceeding with his schedule shortly after the crash.

“Something told me we will be victorious after the vice president survived the crash.

“Why else should the vice president survive if not that God has prepared him for another four years.

“He continued with his campaign immediately after the crash; he deserves applause.

“We thank God for the president who was able to visit all the states; he went to each and every state.

“This is the first time we are seeing a vice president mingling with the downtrodden in the markets and everywhere.”

There were also goodwill messages from some other party functionaries.

The gathering was thrilled by a cultural troupe and comedians.

Election violence: Wike plans forceful overthrow of government, group raises alarm

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Election A coalition has raised alarm over an alleged plot by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State to overthrow the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

It would be recalled that after Governor Wike’s failed attempts to compromise the military, he resorted to arming thugs and even bribing some foreign observers to propagate propaganda and fake news about the general elections and Nigerian Army.

This latest plot by the embattled governor, who appears to be running short of schemes, was again uncovered by the Coalition for Good Governance and Change Initiative in an emergency press conference on Thursday in Abuja.

According to the National Coordinator, Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi, an utterly frustrated and desperate Wike has strategised with foreign-trained mercenaries to shut down Abuja, stretching to other parts of Nigeria – in the guise protests.

The statement further revealed that this violent exercise would be portrayed as a backlash against the outcome of the election in Rivers.

However, the group advised Mr Wike to be brave and accept rejection by his own people rather than embark on a self-destructive mission.

“What we uncovered is a plan by the Rivers state governor, Mr Nyesom Wike to overwhelm and shut down Abuja with violent protests. The protestors would reportedly claim their actions are in response to the outcome of the election in Rivers state. The protests in Abuja will be used as a cover to infiltrate the nation’s capital with militants, some of who have trained as terrorists abroad.

“ The intention is for these militants to blend with the population in Abuja and start planting bombs and attacking residents in terror attacks. There are a series of threats from the online units of these militants that prove this aspect of the plan. Should the Abuja leg of the protest succeed, other cities will become victims of the violence, bombings, arson and looting that are the agreed modus operandi of the protests, which is meant to anger other citizens and provoke law enforcement agencies to deploy corresponding force in restoring normalcy.

“ This will then be flagged as repressive by Wike’s foreign partners. This campaign of calumny, planned by Wike, would be branded and promoted as popular protests against President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Armed Forces. Wike’s Adviser on Media, Simeon Nwakudu has been mobilized with an estimated N200 Million to execute this evil plot. Nwakudu has been in touch with point person for election losers across the country. He has instructed them to be on standby to mobilize protests against their losses, even when the candidates that did not win are well aware that they lost for other reasons.

“ These disgruntled elements have also procured the services of foreign news channels that will report their paid protests as representative of the aggregate view of Nigerians and thereby undermine the credibility of the elections and the legitimacy of those declared winners. These paid protestors will be accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of deploying the military to intimidate voters during the elections.

“ What Wike, Nwakudu and their co-travellers are trying to divert attention from is the treasonable crimes of the Rivers State governor, who created and used a fake military against the people of his own state. Had he stopped at just sewing fake Army and Nigerian Air Force uniforms for the militants he assembled to impersonate the military his crime would have been considered minor, but he went to the dangerous extent of putting weapons in their hands.

“ The resort to arming and sewing military uniform for hoodlums was after he failed to bribe military officers to disobey lawful orders. The information we have is that Wike would have paid foreign currency to any military officer that proves unprofessional for the purpose of overthrowing the federal government. His inability to bribe soldiers to manipulate the elections for him, failure to rig the same election with fake military and the refusal of conscientious officers to overthrow the government for him has now made him to consider using a rabble of protesters to achieve the same purpose.

“Apparently because of the indifference with which his acts of treason have been treated, Wike has now taken his attack on the Nigerian state further by trying to overthrow a legitimately elected government using the so called “Venezuelan Option” by flooding the streets with violent protests. The objective of mobilizing people into the streets in this instance is not to express grievances but to shut the country down, induce security and military personnel to join their rebellion and get endorsement from greedy foreign countries.

“ We challenge Wike to be bold enough and come out into the open to challenge President Buhari since he is not brave enough to state his intentions. He should stop beating around the bush. We further challenge him to be man enough to face and accept his rejection by the people of Rivers State. If he were as popular among the people of his state as he claims they he should have garnered votes that give him outright win at the polls with the kind of percentage difference President Buhari won over his closest rival.”

Fake military uniforms: Arrest Wike for treason now,  group charges security agencies

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The Coalition for Nigeria Movement has called on security agencies to apprehend Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State over various cases of propaganda attacks against the Nigerian military and treason on the entire nation.

Mr Wike was reportedly at the centre of a desperate attempt to rig the just concluded general elections, going as far as arming thugs in military uniforms .

In a bid to enjoy a smooth sail, the governor requested for the withdrawal of military personnel in the state which apparently fell on deaf ears.

The Coaltion for Nigeria Movement, in a press conference, Wednesday, in Abuja, believes Mr Wike formally declared war on Nigeria by setting up his own military and launching physical and propaganda attacks on the Nigerian military.

According to its president, Sabo Odeh, by setting up a parallel military, Wike has committed treason for which he must be immediately arrested and put on trial, irrespective of his immunity.

“The first inkling that Wike has a hand in the instability bedevilling the state was his sponsored resistance to the deployment of the military to provide cover for the elections. This opposition to military deployment was made to appear like a popular demand but we now have evidence that the state governor sponsored the resistance because he was aware that he has his own horde of fake military men on the prowl all over the state such that he did not want the Nigerian Military to discover that they were being impersonated.

“ During the conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly Elections, Rivers State was the only state where gunmen attacked troops that were on election mission and killed one officer in the process. That confrontation led to troops gunning down six attackers. This failure on the part of the armed militants did nothing to discourage Wike to relent. Instead, he amped his evil strategy.

“By the time the state elections were holding, Wike has activated another layer of his evil plot. His militants, operating under the innocuous appellation of ‘Neighborhood Security Watch’, had failed to deliver the level of violence and voter intimidation he desired. Wike thus decided to arm these same militants and kitted them in Military uniform. They were unleashed to destabilize the elections in Rivers State while violence was directed against citizens on an epic proportion.

“ The essence of this strategy was soon made known as the United Kingdom latched on the manufactured videos to accuse the military of attacking staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). We have however been able to establish that the military the United Kingdom was referring to were the militants kitted and armed by Wike. He used this strategy to rig the election and at the same time make Nigeria appear bad to the international community.

“ The aforementioned are however mild compared to the long term security risk that Wike has created for the country. It is apparent that he has no record of the militants he gave uniforms and weapons to so it is impossible to track, apprehend, demobilize and rehabilitate them for re-integration into the society. These youths that have been armed will soon form new militant and terrorists groups that will engage in kidnap for ransom and attacking economic interests in the Niger Delta.From the viewpoint of the Constitution, what Wike has done is to create a parallel Military Service since the people he gave weapons to were once Neighborhood Security Watch members. Taken against the background of his utterances, Governor Nyesom Wike has formally declared war on Nigeria by setting up his own military and launching physical and propaganda attacks on the Nigerian military. We have seen how this unfolded in states like Benue and Taraba where the governors empowered militias to embark on genocide so it is important that steps are taken to urgently arrest the situation.

“ The Coalition for Nigeria Movement has concluded that Wike’s action, in setting up a parallel military, amounted to treason for which he must be immediately arrested and put on trial, irrespective of his immunity. Where the Federal Government fails to arrest Wike, it must direct, on the strength of evidence on ground that INEC does not conclude elections in Rivers state so that the governor’s tenure can end and his immunity lifted.

“ Only when Wike has been arrested can Rivers state have the peaceful environment that will make it possible for credible elections to hold.We call on the military to go beyond alerting the public to the kitting and arming of militants to pose as its personnel in Rivers state. The military should step in with the necessary and permissible force to arrest all those impersonating it in Rivers state as this is a critical step to preventing the resurgence of terrorist groups in the Niger Delta. “

Wike paid UK Consulate officers $1 million to lie against military – Coalition alleges

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The Coalition for Change and Transparency (CCT) has accused Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State of sponsoring propaganda and fake news against the Nigerian Army during the just concluded Governorship and State Assembly elections.

In a bid to undermine the military’s exceptional and harmless conduct at the polls, Mr Wike and his wailing cohorts in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) resorted to cheap blackmails, going as far as bribing the UK Consulate to the tune of $1 million.

In a press conference in Abuja, Monday, CCT’s President Danesi Momoh revealed that the embattled governor’s latest plot isn’t particularly strange, especially after his failed attempt to induce military personnel to rig the elections in favour of the PDP.

The Coalition, therefore, concluded that the motive of Mr Wike was purely to manipulate the outcome of the elections and when that wasn’t possible, he resorted to propaganda.

“During the state elections, fake news was deployed as a propaganda weapon against the military by those who felt they were unable to rig or manipulate the elections because of the critical role the military was playing. Interestingly, such fake news was targeted at areas where the military had successfully prevented violence from spiraling out of control.
Considering that fake news is now recognized globally as a weapon, and knowing the damages that could result from its deployment, the Coalition for Change and Transparency (CCT) reviewed instances of the use of fake news against the Nigerian Military with a view to identifying those that deployed it, those that exploited it, those that benefit from it and possibly understand the intents of those in the fake news chain.

“We have identified that cyber operatives of the opposition, notably the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), are behind the production, distribution and promotion of misleading content using new media and social media as vehicles of delivery. In some instances, such contents get into the mainstream media, whose credibility and traditional status and believability are exploited to confer credibility on the lies being told by the propagandists. It is most unfortunate that even these cyber operatives and the opposition are being used in the fake news chain as the real culprit are foreign operatives that exploit such content. A specific culprit is the United Kingdom, which based its assessment of the election on fake news about the military beating staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), effectively exploiting the fake news that it had trained the cyber operatives of the opposition to produce.

“The Coalition for Change and Transparency (CCT) therefore condemns in the strongest terms possible the United Kingdom’s unwarranted deployment of fake news to cause disaffection among Nigerians and against the Nigerian military. We see it as a deliberate and calculated attempt to cause violence against the military such that the situation will quickly degenerate to a point where violent anti-military protests will bring down the government and cause constitutional crisis for the country.
CCT hereby by asks the United Kingdom High Commission in Nigeria to retract the offensive tweet and apologize for willfully attempting to incite violence in Nigeria through the promotion of fake news. We in the same vein demand that @UKinnigeria including the UK High Commission in Nigeria cease further comments about the election in Nigeria or be faced with deterrent actions from citizens. Nigeria does not interfere in UK elections so there is no justification for the attempts by the United Kingdom to manipulate the conduct and the outcome of the elections in Nigeria.”

The CCT, however, urged the Federal Government to ” explore all available diplomatic channels and options to drive home the message to the United Kingdom that the British Empire expired long ago and Nigeria is not the place to revive the antiquated concept. The Federal Government owes it a duty to Nigerians, who were unnecessarily terrorized by the fake news, to ensure that the consular staff that were behind the offensive tweet are recalled by their country. This will also show that Nigeria will not tolerate undue interference by foreigners in the country’s affairs.
In the light of the fact-checking conducted by TheCable, the Nigerian Military should assemble fact, present same to the UK High Commission in Nigeria, and demand an apology and deletion of the lie from the timeline of @UKinnigeria.”

2019: Election observers exonerate military of wrongdoing in Rivers, Akwa-Ibom States

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A coalition of election observers, under the aegis of Coalition of Civil Rights Movement (CCRM), has hailed the military’s exceptional conduct during the recently concluded Gubernatorial and State Houses of Assembly Elections in Nigeria.

There were calls from certain disgruntled quarters for President Muhammadu Buhari to withdraw the military following the completion of the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

Despite the pressure, however, the president remained resolute and held firm.

In a preliminary report released by CCRM at Abuja, the Executive Director, Evelyn Agu disclosed that after thorough analysis of the polls, the various groups under the Coalition absolved the Nigerian military of any wrongdoing, especially in Rivers and Akwa Ibom states.

See full report below:

Introduction:

On March 8, 2019, Nigerians in the various states in the country went to the polls to elect their leaders at the Gubernatorial and state houses of assemblies for the next four years. As expected, there were apprehensions as regards the safety of lives and properties and the role of the relevant security agencies in ensuring that the electoral process was devoid of violence.

The Coalition of Civil Rights Movement in line with its mandate set in motion machinery to monitor the polls in the various states by deploying grassroots observers across the different local government areas in the country. Consequently, attention was given to the preparedness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the major political parties, the actions and inactions candidates of the various political parties as well as the intervention of security agencies, before, during and after the elections.

Report:

The Independent National Electoral Commission:

The Gubernatorial and state houses of assemblies’ elections held simultaneously across states in Nigeria. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) smarting from the just concluded presidential and National Assemblies elections, recorded remarkable improvements in terms of logistical arrangements across the states.

Cases of the late arrival of sensitive electoral materials were minimal and a significant improvement from the previous elections. Our observers at the various polling stations across the country recorded a time lag of between 15 to 20 mins between the arrival of INEC officials and the commencement of accreditation and voting. This time lag accounted for about 85% in the various polling units across the states. In states with difficult terrains and hard to reach areas, there was a time lag of between 30 to 45 minutes. And this accounted for 25% of the states.

INEC officials at the various polling units were less apprehensive due to the presence of security personnel’s that were in strategic places to ensure the safety of lives and properties during the polls, and consequently the general conduct of the elections by INEC was commendable and displayed a commitment to ensuring a credible, free and fair elections.

The mode of distribution of sensitive materials by INEC was commendable and left room for manipulation by the various political parties. But for a few instances especially in the hard to reach areas with difficult terrains that strains of sensitive election materials in transit were tampered with by political thugs.

There was also a large turnout of observer groups who were duly accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission, at the various collation centres across the states. In some states, it was observed that some groups brandishing identity cards as observers were denied access because INEC did not accredit them and therefore access could not be granted to them. Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Zamfara states recorded led with scores of unaccredited observer under various nomenclatures.

Some of these groups identified with some political parties during the voting process and therefore their credibility was called to question by security agencies for the fact they could produce their accreditation tags which were a requirement for access to the collation centres.

The Political Parties:

The Gubernatorial and state house of assemblies’ elections were mainly contested by two parties (The All Progressive Congress and the People’s Democratic Party). Lots of political horse-trading were recorded in most of the states, especially in states that recorded political upsets. States like Akwa-Ibom, Zamfara, Rivers, and Gombe, accounted for activities that almost marred the electoral process but for the quick intervention of security operatives.

The All Progressive Congress in most of the states deployed party agents at the various polling units, likewise the People’s Democratic Party. It was observed that other parties made few representations at the different polling units for inexplicable reasons.

There was noticeable tension between agents of the APC and the PDP in the majority of the polling units and some instances some of the political party agents refused to append their signatures to the citing foul play, which in our opinion were not based on facts but for mischief purposes.

This trend was also transferred to the collation centres where final results were being collated. This caused a bit of tension that forced the collation officers to suspend collation to address the grey areas.

Some of the Local Government Areas that witnessed such scenarios are listed below:

Ukanafun Local Government Area of Akwa-Ibom State:

In this LGA, agents of political parties in cahoots with unknown observers tried to disrupt the process by citing complicity on the part of INEC officials. The tensed atmosphere was almost degenerating before the military was called in to restore law and order. The military demanded accreditation tags entry is granted to the collation centres. Those that were duly accredited were allowed access, and those without accreditation were denied access.

Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area:

The same scenario played out in this local government area. Party agents of a particular political party were unruly and attempted to disrupt the whole process. They tried to take hostage INEC officials, and this was met with stiff resistance by the military and the police.

Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State:

Eleme LGA witnessed a very tensed exchange between agents of the PDP and the AAC. This almost degenerated into a brawl forcing the suspension of the collation by INEC and the drafting of additional security personnel to the collation centre. The uproar the ensured mandated the security operatives to form a barricade around the collation centre and party agents and observers dispersed for normalcy to return.

Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State:

Oyigbo LGA witnessed an exchange of gunfire between agents of a political party and the military. The agents of the political party attempted to set the collation centre ablaze. This prompted the military to be drafted in to protect the results that were already being collated.

Access was consequently denied to political party agents, as well as observers. This, however, did not go down well with the observers who insisted on gaining access to the collation centre. The plea by the military for normalcy to return fell on deaf ears.

Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State:

In Gokana LGA, the case was outright harassment of INEC officials by political thugs of a particular political party. The thugs brandished dangerous weapons and shot sporadically in the air at the collation centre. The military was also drafted in to protect the INEC officials who were already terrified by the activities of the political thugs.

Collation was subsequently suspended and the collation centre barricaded by the military.

Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State:

In Tsafe LGA, collation was disrupted by armed men who stormed the collation centre chanting slogans of a political party and threatening to abduct INEC officials should the result not favour their party. INEC officials were harassed and intimidated by these group of party supporters forcing collation activities to be suspended. Security operatives that consisted of the army, police and civil defence to restore order.

This resulted in the suspension of collation activities in the Tsafe LGA collation centre.

The Role of Political Actors:

It was observed that in most of the states that witnessed disruption in the electoral processes is partly because of the actions and inactions of some candidates who displayed a high sense of desperation and in instances where electoral victory is not guaranteed, their party agents were mandated to disrupt the process for it to lose credibility. This scenario was rampant in Rivers State where a particular candidate threatened to kill should the election not go in his favour.

Some other candidates tried to influence INEC officials with money to turn the results in their favour. Security agents were also induced with money. In the case of Rivers and Akwa-Ibom states, it was rampant, but there were no recorded cases of the security operatives taking sides in return for monetary gains.

The Role of the Military:

The role of the military in the electoral processes across the various states can be described as a timely intervention. In the states as mentioned earlier, (Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Gombe, and Zamfara) the police were overwhelmed with the activities of political thugs that mandated the drafting in of military personnel to maintain the integrity of the process.

In all the collation centres monitored by our observers, the military performed the role of back-up to the police and civil defence operatives. They were mostly drafted in times of extreme escalation of hostilities. In places were the collation of results went smoothly, there was a presence of military operatives that stood guard to ensure that there were no cases of harassment and intimidation.

It is therefore instructive to state that the role of the military in the gubernatorial and state houses of assemblies’ elections was invaluable and also commendable. They displayed an apolitical stance throughout the process, but for instances where there was an exchange of gunfire between the military and some armed political thugs in Rivers state. They indeed professionally conducted themselves.

Conclusion:

It can be thus said that the gubernatorial and state houses of assemblies’ elections were generally peaceful and orderly but for some states that witnessed skirmishes that required the drafting of the military to maintain law and order.

The posture of President Muhammadu Buhari throughout the elections indicates a non-interference and a level playing ground for all candidates regardless of party affiliations. This is quite commendable and an indication that democracy would thrive under the present administration.

The military is also commended for the role it played in ensuring the success of the success of the gubernatorial and state houses of assemblies’ elections.

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