Former director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside, has called out Governor Nyesom Wike, over his comment on alleged plans to rig the 2023 general election.
Wike on Sunday had expressed concerns over the non-adoption of the electronic transmission of election results, which he alleged as plans to rig the 2023 general election
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Peterside, said Wike has no right to speak of credible electoral processes.
The former Rivers governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) described Wike as a hypocrite, who he said caused the death of hundreds of Rivers people through his mindless rigging of the 2015 governorship election.
“Here is Wike that the Appeal Court agreed that he mindlessly rigged 2015 governorship election, with the death of hundreds of Rivers people and usage of underhand tactics to ride into power,” Peterside said.
The ex-DG accused Wike of bribing officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with over N300m to rig elections in Rivers State, as well as judges to influence decisions in his favour.
“Rivers people lost their loved ones in no less than six LGAs all because of the desperation of one man who sadistically chose to grab power by all means possible.
“This is the same governor who is on record to have given INEC officials over N300m to rig election in Rivers State, the same man who is alleged to have bribed judges to sway decisions in his favour.
“How can such notorious person pontificate over how to conduct free, fair and credible election? He has absolutely no moral right to speak on credible electoral processes.”
He said the governor has borrowed tons of money without corresponding evidence of what it has been used for.
“As of today, Rivers State government is owing over N300bn from different sources. This is an administration that has received N110bn from Paris Club refund, N78bn for roads constructed by his predecessor, over N2.5trn from federal allocation without commensurate works to show for it.
“Only yesterday, the state executive council approved further borrowing of N25bn without stating where the money would be borrowed from and how much is allocated to each of the items that necessitated the borrowing; things are just shrouded in secrecy and lack of open bidding or following due process.
“Under Wike’s administration, Rivers people have not been opportune to see the state’s budget in the last six years, hence do not even know what is contained in it and be able to benchmark his claims.”
