‘Police not security arm of APC,’ Ruling party says

The Rivers APC made the comments via a statement released by its Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone.

The statement reads:

“Despite our determined efforts and resolve to stay clear of Gov. Nyesom Wike and the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] war against Nigerian security agencies, the governor and his party [PDP] appear very determined to drag the All Progressives Congress [APC] into the fray of what seems to be a war they cannot win.”

“The APC notes with shock that Rivers PDP in a statement signed by Jerry Needam on behalf of the PDP State Chairman, Felix Obuah, is accusing the Nigeria Police of becoming the security arm of APC. This is a joke taken too far by every decent standard in politics.

“We recall that in the same press statement PDP accused the Nigeria Police of arresting 21 ad-hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, who took part in the legislative re-run election in the State.

“While the APC will not attempt to speak for the Nigeria Police, we wish to state that the PDP is simply crying wolf and this is typical of them and therefore not surprising to many. We do not see why the PDP should be too worried that ad-hoc staff of INEC or indeed anybody is invited by the Nigeria Police to assist it on any issue.

“How that becomes a source of worry for the PDP is baffling to us. Could it be a confirmation of our long-held suspicion that PDP smuggled their members into the INEC ad-hoc staff list in order to do their bidding? Or could the investigation of the ad-hoc staff possibly lead to the unravelling of possible extent and dimensions of compromise of INEC officials by Gov. Nyesom Wike and the PDP hence the apprehension and false alarm?

“The APC is convinced that the camp of the PDP is presently thrown into confusion because the invited ad-hoc INEC staff are likely to confess and name those who compromised them over the December 10 rerun election and that is the reason behind the panic mode Rivers PDP and Gov. Wike have suddenly found themselves in.

“We wish to remind the governor and his party that clear conscience fears no accusation because the truth will ultimately prevail. The purported arrest and transfer of 21 ad-hoc INEC staff to Abuja by the Police, even if true, should not elicit the sort of animated frenzy that has become evident of the governor and PDP in Rivers State. Or could it be that that INEC and their staff in Rivers State have become the election administrative arm of Rivers PDP? We ask that we may know.

“We call on the Nigeria Police and other security agencies not to be fazed by Gov. Wike’s antics and empty threats for those are his stock-in-trade without which he may never function true to type.”

ALSO READ: I did not sponsor protest against Federal Government – Wike says

The Rivers PDP had earlier accused the APC of using security agencies to rig the December 10 legislative rerun elections in the state.