The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has accused the state Governor, Nyesom Wike, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of using thugs to stage what the party described as ‘bursting of a fake result sheet printing syndicate in Port Harcourt said to be operated by a purported APC chieftain. This comes A few days after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that the Rivers re-run elections have been fixed for December 10.

APC Publicity Secretary in the state, Warisenibo Chris Finebone, said in a statement issued in Port Harcourt that the Rivers State chapter of APC, “wishes to state that no APC person, chieftain or ordinary member, was involved in any of the purported actions as alleged by Gov. Wike and the PDP assuming without conceding that any such development took place.

“We make bold to state that, at the time of writing this press release, the Rivers State Police Command has not confirmed any such arrest made by its officers and men as alleged. What the governor and PDP are doing this time around is to use their thugs to stage a drama and arrest some innocent persons and detain them in the Port Harcourt Government House without the knowledge of the Nigeria police.

“Sadly, the information we hear is that the present melodrama is being carried out by Gov. Wike and the PDP using one Mr. Igbani of the SOS who is a well-known PDP sympathiser who former Police Commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu used to perpetrate his evil machinations in Rivers State in the past.

“Again, information at our disposal indicates that PDP and Gov. Wike’s thugs are going to individual APC members’ homes to plant incriminating materials then turn around to harass and illegally arrest and detain them with the help of the likes of Mr. Igbani. The activities of this police officer and his associates will be properly unveiled to the public in due course.

“Indeed, it is worrisome when we see the replay of a well-known script of political mischief by the governor and the PDP in Rivers State any time elections have been scheduled. Recall that as the last election was approaching, Gov. Nyesom Wike and the PDP in Rivers State contrived a story with which they used to arrest and incarcerate an APC chieftain, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree. We believe that the same scenario is playing out again and this time another prominent APC chieftain, Hon. Emma Chinda is being targeted for arrest on trumped up charges purporting a false confessional statement by an alleged suspect.

“The APC would like to unequivocally state that the party has a zero-tolerance for electoral malpractices and does not directly or indirectly engage in any form of electoral malfeasance. We advise Rivers people and indeed Nigerians not to fall for Gov. Wike’s antics deliberately contrived to tarnish the image of the APC and its members in Rivers State.”

•Photo shows Governor Wike.

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