The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has welcomed the Inspector-General of Police panel investigation report which reportedly uncovered the bribing of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials by the governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike to the tune of N360m of which the sum of N110m has been physically recovered from the INEC officials by the Police.

A statement issued on Wednesday in Port Harcourt and signed by Rivers APC Spokesman Chris Finebone said: “We feel a sense of vindication over repeated alarm we sounded before, during after the general and rerun elections of 2015 and 2016 that Gov. Nyesom Wike bribes electoral officials before and during every election in Rivers State. Indeed, the IGP Panel report goes further to confirm that the audio bribery clips published by Saharareporters in which the voice of Gov. Wike was directing the deployment of bribe money to INEC officials is real and authentic despite the barefaced denials by the governor.”

The APC believed that the spins and reverse spins the PDP is trying to put to a clear case of criminal act they committed with overwhelming evidence is the usual antics of roadside pickpockets when they are caught in the act.

“Even more laughable is the attempt to disown the exhibit claiming that it belongs to the APC. Where on earth could the APC in Rivers State have found that kind of money if not the governor who withdrew N2bn belonging to River’s taxpayers just before the rerun election from which N260m was paid out to electoral officials as bribe money?”

The APC stressed that it is obvious that the old-fashioned antics of the governor and the PDP are simply not flying; noting that a thousand press conferences cannot help because lies are known to have expiry date, adding that Gov Wike and the PDP must show uncommon bravery by accepting the fate which awaits anyone who dares in the wrong direction of the law.

The APC enjoined Governor Nyesom Wike and the PDP to tell the world whether they did not bribe INEC officials as alleged and discovered by the IGP Panel. They should also tell the people whether INEC officials who are alleged to have collected the bribe money did not actually confess to the crime.

“Does the proof of bribery provided by the police as evidence that Gov. Wike gave bribe to electoral officials not authenticate the act to the extent that those who made the refunds are alive?” the APC asked.

“Whereas the APC is wary of wasting ample time in meaningless exchanges with a morally deficient PDP on the matter, we call on the Inspector-General of Police to effect immediate action on the report by prosecuting those found culpable. We know that Gov. Wike’s immunity protects him from prosecution for now but it does not protect him from investigation as have been done. Let others that have been indicted be prosecuted according to law without any delay. When Gov. Wike’s immunity expires in 2019, he must be made to face the full consequences of his action in line with the laws of the land” the statement finally declared.

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