By Emmanuel Aziken

Rivers State Government has dismissed as unfounded the allegation that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP-led administration connived with former Governor Peter Odili of the state, to influence the judgment of the Supreme Court in the election petition against Governor Nyesom Wike.

The state government, in a statement, yesterday, described the insinuation by an online news medium as untrue.

The online medium had alleged that Governor Wike interfaced with some Justices of the Supreme Court at a recent burial ceremony of the mother of Supreme Court jurist, in Imo State and that the interface between the governor, his agents and some Justices of the Supreme Court in Dubai and in Nigeria where a deal to allegedly twist the judgment in favour of Governor Wike was made.

Rebuffing the allegations, the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr. Austin Tam-George, said: “No single reference was made to the sound legal grounds upon which the Supreme Court’s judgement was based. We categorically deny and reject the allegation that Wike, or any anyone acting on his behalf, had any contact whatsoever with the Justices of the Supreme Court.

“Were the favourable verdicts by the apex court for Akwa Ibom State, Abia State, Taraba State, etc, also hatched in Mbaise? Or were those plots orchestrated in the neighbouring community of Mbaitoli?

“How come the Odilis were unable to influence the apex court’s earlier decision to relocate the sitting of the Election Petitions Tribunal from Port Harcourt to Abuja, despite the strong arguments canvassed by Governor Wike’s legal team?”

Accusing the APC of making a mockery of the rule of law, the commissioner said: “Its relentless attack on the Supreme Court is an assault on the rule of law and the administration of justice in Nigeria.

“Psychologists may explain the APC’s irrational behaviour as understandable within the clinical context of trauma after defeat. But Nigerians must be more vigilant. A political party that can only accept victory and not defeat is a dangerous extremist group.

“Nigerians must condemn the APC’s assault on our evolving democracy and the judicial institutions that support it.”