…Arrest, parading of our members diversionary —PDP

By Egufe Yafugborhi & Davies Iheamnachor

PORT HARCOURT—No fewer than 13 persons have been detained by the Nigerian Army over alleged illegal possession of ballot papers and bribe taking during Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.

Army

Among those arrested are Rivers Commissioner for Urban Development, Dr Reason Williams and Mr Opokri Wanaka, a serving member in the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Others are an army major and three police officers accused of collecting bribes to compromise election materials kept inside the premises of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

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The army alleging it has proof that the Rivers State governor, Mr Nyesom Wike tried to bribe an army officer over Saturday’s Presidential election.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state,  has described as diversionary the arrests and parading of some of its members by men of the 6 Division of Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt.

Spokesman of the party, Mr. Darlington Orji, said that the Army used arrest of its members, lawmaker, commissioner and security operatives, to divert attention from the genocide it committed in parts of the state during the Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.

The army  said its proof include a recorded phone conversation Wike allegedly had with an army officer following arrest of the member representing Ahoada West in Rivers State House of Assembly, Opokri Wanaka and the state Commissioner for Urban Development, Dr Reason Onya Williams for alleged electoral fraud.

Also arrested and paraded at the 6 Division, Port Harcourt, were DSP Oyoku Ifelle (Camp Command, Rivers State Government House), Sgt Akanu Garba, Inspector Hycent Oboi and Sgt Nketan Chucks, all reported Government House security details and an Army Majar, A P Ubah, for allegedly trying to bride military guards at the Central Bank of Nigeria, Port Harcourt branch where electoral materials were kept for distribution ahead of the elections.

All the suspects however, denied any wrong doing, describing their arrest as a drama being orchestrated by the army to smear the person of Governor Wike over its lost confidence in the conduct of security operatives in Rivers.

Col Aminu Iliyasu, Deputy Director Public Relations, 6 Division, who paraded the suspects among several other persons said, “Saturday, February 23, 2019 about 8:45a.m., following a tip off on attempt by Wike’s aids to induce and compromise troops deployed at the CBN Port Harcourt premises, our personnel, Maj AP Ubah and three other Police personnel were arrested by a 6 Div Team.

“Preliminary investigations exposed N2.250m in a Range Rover belonging to the DSP. Other items recovered are four INEC 2019 electoral tags, customised Rivers State Government House brown envelopes, while N500,000 was found in the Toyota vehicle belonging to Maj AP Ubah which he confessed was given to him by the governor’s aids in addition to offer of a well-furnished accommodation for the period of his tour of duty.

“Same day about 7a.m., a member of Rivers Assembly, Opokri Wanaka in company of Dr Reason Onya Williams, State Commissioner for Urban Development visited own troops Camp at Akinima and requested to be acquainted with the Commander. Opokri offered the officer some money he removed from his pocket but the officer not only rejected the offer but sent the duo away.

“Incidentally, while the officer and his men were manning a check point at Mbiama Bridge, a white Hilux vehicle with Rivers State Government Reg No.L02-03RV RIVERS and eight occupants was stopped for routine search and clearance. A carton and two bundles of INEC 2019 Presidential Election ballot papers were discovered in the vehicle. Preliminary investigation reveals that none of the occupants of the vehicle is an INEC staff, INEC Ad-hoc staff or security agent.

“During on the spot interrogations, Wanaka and Dr Reason earlier mentioned above appeared at the spot and tried to convince the suspecting troops that the vehicle is part of INEC convoy that was left behind and that the vehicle should be allowed to go because the electorate were waiting.

“When the vigilant officer refused to be convinced, Dr Reason immediately placed a call to Governor Wike and His Excellency requested to speak with the officer who declined and requested the governor to please call the GOC. After much resistance, the officer gave Dr Reason his number to pass to Wike which he did via Whatsapp message. Within 10 minutes Governor Wike placed a call to the officer.

“In the said audio played to the media, the alleged governor called the said army officer and assured that a lady would see him later.”

We did no wrong —Lawmaker, Commissioner

Drama started at the Python Dance Officers Mess in 6 Division as Dr. Reason and  Wanaka snapped at the point of being paraded, just as the Army Major and the Government House Police details also faulted the army on their arrests.

The lawmaker said, “We did no wrong. I was at Ahoada West, my constituency when I was arrested. If something happens to my constituent, I reserve the right to find out. We did no wrong. Our arrest and those of many persons including said INEC officials is sheer drama to blackmail Governor Wike.”

In his response, the  arrested Commandant of the Rivers State Government House said, “How can they be parading official guns allocated to us as exhibit. We are not suspects. This is just blackmail. In my line of duty, I tend to welfare of security personnel drafter to work in Government House. Nothing criminal in money found with me. I didn’t bribe anybody.”

The resistance by the key suspects forced the 6 Division authorities to abort the parade of several other persons also in their custody for various offences bordering on the ongoing elections.

Arrest, parading of our members diversionary —PDP

PDP’s spokesperson, Orji,  reacting  said: “What the military did is diversionary and laughable. They had left their duties and had taken up those of police. PDP does not need rigging to win election in Rivers State, so we are shocked at their allegation.

“Why is Army so keen in the matter of election? They want to divert attention on what they did at Abonnema, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area. It is unfortunate for them to come up with such big lies.

“I informed the Chief of Army Staff, and the Inspector General of Police that Rivers State was under military siege. They should allow due process to be followed in the matter they are claiming.

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“Military should stop being used by politicians. We need their attention at the Sambisa forest to combat Boko Haram.”

He said he was not surprised at what the army was doing, recalling that the state governor had earlier raised the alarm of a plot to rope the state government into what it knew nothing about by arresting suspects and parading them as election thugs working for the state government, which is what the army had tried to do.

APC reacts

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State said the development had vindicated the party when it said Wike pays bribe to officials to have his way.

Spokesman of the party, Chris Finebone, commended the military for resisting Wike’s bribe.

Finebone said: “We have consistently said that Wike attempted to bribe everyone under the sun. In 2015 he bribed INEC personnel and was caught.

“Those individuals are presently on trial. He bribes judges routinely. Now he has turned his attention to compromising security agencies. Thank God the army resisted them.”