IGP Panel on Rivers' Re-run Plot to Help APC – Wike Reveals

Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has faulted the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mr. Ibra­him Idris, on the setting up of the Nigerian Police Special Joint In­vestigation Panel on the Decem­ber 10, 2016 Rivers’ rerun elec­tion.
Wike asserted on Wednesday that the panel was established by the IGP with a predetermined goal of assisting the All Progres­sives Congress (APC) at the elec­tion tribunal.

The governor expressed his displeasure over the manner se­curity issues on the election were being handled, when the IGP panel on the poll visited him at the Government House, Port Harcourt, the state capital.
He said that the state govern­ment had challenged the setting up of the panel in court, with the chairman of the panel, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Damian Okoro, as one of the defendants, hence the people of the state will not participate in its activities.
The governor said that the panel is biased with an agenda targeted at the PDP and its mem­bers, while shielding policemen used by the APC to commit elec­toral fraud.
According to the Governor, he regretted that the Nigerian Po­lice are being used to protect the interest of a particular politician in the state.
Wike said: “I must tell you with all honesty that my peo­ple and I will not participate in the sitting of this panel. We have challenged the setting up of this panel in court.
“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. Even you as the chairman of the panel, you cannot say from your conscience that you not are biased” he said.
The governor regretted that the Police High Command at­tempted to deny the video evi­dence of the invasion of Rivers East Senatorial District Colla­tion Centre by Akin Fakorede and his Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) personnel.
He wondered why the Police had refused to make public how DSP Alkali was killed, simply be­cause the person indicted was a commissioner under the Minis­ter of Transportation.
Wike said: “The same Akin Fakorede who was caught on video after he invaded the Rivers East Senatorial is the one who is arranging witnesses for the pan­el set up by the Inspector-Gener­al of Police.
“Nobody is investigating the case of Rivers APC printing fake result sheets which the police are trying to sweep under the carpet,” he said.
The governor wondered why the IGP set up a panel, when he had already made conclusions as enunciated in his letter to him.
He said since the Inspector-General of Police knew those who perpetrated the crime dur­ing the rerun legislative elections, why did he go ahead to set up a panel.
The panel’s chairman, Mr. Damian Okoro, said that the panel was in the state to inter­face with the governor on what transpired before, during and af­ter the rerun elections.
He added that the panel will also examine the role of securi­ty personnel during the legisla­tive elections.