The Rivers State government yesterday took exception to the
military’s reaction to its indictment by the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) over its alleged interference in the
general election.
In a statement by its Commissioner for Information &
Communications Emma Okah, the government accused the military of
shifting blames
The statement reads: “This allegation by the Nigeria Army once
again, is a bare-faced lie and I feel saddened by the unfortunate
turn of events that the Army has entangled itself.
“Having been caught red-handed in unprofessional act of election
malpractices, the Army are now ashamed of what they did and are
looking for who to blame.
“What were soldiers doing inside collation centres? Did the
Chief of Army Staff not warn soldiers to stay away from polling
units and Collation Centres and only offer peripheral assistance
where they are invited?
“Has the Army not said that the people wearing military uniforms
and disrupting elections and attacking collation centres in Rivers
State were not real soldiers?
“They are now lying against Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike because
their plot to rig election and overthrow the will of Rivers people
failed.
“The INEC has come out clear to indict the Army and these
accusations against the governor are to divert attention and save
their face.
“Was the governor going to smuggle result at the INEC
headquarters in Port Harcourt where the Army invaded the INEC
Office until police resisted them?
“Was it Governor Wike that went to the Khana Collation Centre
where the security shot and killed Dr Ferry Gberegbe?
“Which result sheet was Governor Wike trying to smuggle in as
the Army is alleging? Is it the unit results that had been declared
at the polling units or the Ward results that have been collated at
the wards before going to the State Constituency collation centre?
These allegations cannot stand.
“The Army should look for another story to tell. This one is too
cheap and dead on arrival,” the government said.
Read more rivers-accuses-army-of-shifting-blames/