Says APC would change trend
Respect your age, Wike replies

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

Ahead of next week Saturday’s parliamentary polls rerun in Rivers State, the All Progressives Congress, APC, has said it has adopted many strategies to resist rigging and violence.

Ganduje

Apparently taunting the State Governor, Nyesom Wike, the party’s national campaign machinery said that south south geopolitical was synonymous with rigging and violence.

It however said that sufficient measures had been put in place to forestall any unfortunate circumstances, saying they would change the trend of electoral frauds and malpractices.

Chairman, APC Rivers Rerun Campaign Committee and Governor of Kano State, Abdulahi Ganduje made the vow on Friday after a private meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential Villa, Abuja.

But in quick succession, governor Wike fired back, saying he was ready for APC in the rerun.

It will be recalled that the 2015 National Assembly elections together with some constituencies in the State House of Assembly were nullified by the courts, prompting a rerun slated for December 10, 2016 by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Speaking with State House Correspondents, the governor who was obviously basking in the euphoria of APC’s victory in the just concluded gubernatorial election in Ondo State said that they were prepared.

He said: “We are prepared. We just came out of the Ondo elections. We have fresh ideas even though both environments are different but we have our own strategies. Like in Ondo state, we must ensure we have a free and fair elections.

“You know in that part of the country having a free and fair elections is not normal and we have to make it normal this time. We must ensure that there is security so that people will come out and vote. That’s our main preoccupation at the moment. We are making wider consultations with stakeholders and we believe we will succeed.”

When contacted, Rivers State Governor, Wike derided the comment, describing it as “unfortunate”.

Taking into cognizance the age of his Kano State counter-part, the governor became taciturn and cautious.

“It is unfortunate if he said so. As far as I am concerned, elections have been normal in my part of the country. All we are asking for is free and fair election.

“Is Governor Ganduje speaking on behalf of INEC? Is he the one conducting the elections now?

“I have a respect for him as an elderly person but his statement is unfortunate.

“When his friend won the governorship election in Rivers State, the election was normal. The election was also normal in Edo State where his party won.

“We are waiting for him to come and perform the magic he did in Kano State”, he said.

Meanwhile, speaking on his mission to the presidential Villa, Ganduje said that he needed to brief president Buhari on the security situation of his State where he raised alarm of a possible invasion of the North West by fleeing Boko Haram members in the North eastern part of the country.