Wike to Army: You staged coup against Rivers during polls
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State said on Monday that the Nigerian Army staged a coup against the state during the 2019 elections.
Wike also described the actions of the Army as the worst in the nation’s democratic history.
The governor said this while addressing the Joint House of Representatives’ committees on Army, Police, Human Rights and Justice at the Government House in Port Harcourt.
Wike said the troops of the Nigerian Army acted illegally because they were working to impose a pre-determined leadership on the state.
He said, “It is really unfortunate. All of us know that there was a coup in this state, organised by the Nigerian Army. In the history of this country, it has never happened; whereby during an ordinary election, the Army will begin to kill people for no just cause.
“Because they believe a particular person or a particular party must win, it doesn’t matter how many people die. It was shown on national television. We watched how the Army invaded the entire electoral commission.”
He expressed regret that the Federal Government had never worked to assist the Rivers State Government to fight insecurity.
“This is the only state the Federal Government has never assisted to fight insecurity. Instead of us to team up and fight insecurity, you politicise it.
“Even if you make recommendations, nothing will happen. I don’t know whether we are in a military regime or civil administration,” he said.
The governor noted that aside the Army, the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad had been a major anti-democratic force in the state, since the 2016 rerun elections.
He pointed out that the F-SARs murdered a PhD holder and a chartered accountant just because they wanted to subvert the will of the people.
Wike wondered why the General Officer Commanding 6 Division of the Nigerian Army had not been punished despite the negative roles he played during the elections.
“The GOC here is a politician. Nothing has happened to him because he was sent. If it was when the country was a country, you cannot be keeping that GOC. He is sabotaging the security network,” he said. Punch
