Former Minister of Transportation and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers state, has said his political party did not contest against the leading Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, but against Independence National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the police.

The former Rivers State Governor, who voted midday, however, declared a total breakdown of governance in Nigeria.

Amaechi after voting in his hometown, Ubima Ward 8 Unit 14 said, “There is a total failure of governance in the country. Complete failure. Police are helping PDP to arrest APC members, arrest SDP members.

“Gongs are being beaten about in the whole communities asking people who will not vote PDP not to come or they would be beaten. People are being beaten, the governor (Wike) has declared people wanted and nobody has spoken.

“The governor has no right to declare anybody wanted. The IG (Inspector General of Police) is doing nothing, nobody doing anything. Complete failure. There is voter apathy in Rivers. Nobody wants to come out because people are scared.

“INEC is complete failure. There are those of us who opposed the reappointment of Yakubu Mahmood. The person who nominated him is a member of Tinubu’s camp. So what are you expecting?

“Here in Rivers state, Mahmood worked under Wike as Executive Secretary of TETFund, so what you are having in Rivers is that APC and other parties are contesting, not against PDP, but against INEC, against Police”

Meanwhile, Governor Nyesom Wike who was accredited at his Obio Akpor Ward 9 Unit 7 and voted 11:16 am said, “I can say they (INEC) have done very well unlike what we had on 25 February. They have improved more than what we had in February.”

On the conspicuous voter apathy, the governor said, “When the first election came and go, if people didn’t get what they want, they’re discouraged. And you can’t force people to vote.” (Saturday Vanguard)

•Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi