Wike to General Officer Commanding GOC: PDP defeated you and your party

THERE is no let-up in the disagreement over the last general elections between the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Jamil Sarham.

They have been trading words over each other’s role during and after the polls.

The governor took on the GOC yesterday and said that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defeated Gen. Sarham and his “political party” during the elections.

He described the bribery allegation by the GOC as false and a mere face-saving measure.

Wike spoke a day after the GOC alleged that the governor declared won on him because he rebuffed financial inducements from him to compromise the elections.

The governor spoke after announcing the dissolution of the Rivers State Executive Council at a valedictory session held for members.

According to the governor, the GOC never made any such allegation when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Army because nothing like that took place.

He restated his allegation that the GOC was running an oil bunkering ring, which according to him, cannot be swept away by flimsy allegations.

Wike said: “I thank you for the political support you gave me when there was no hope. At a time when the GOC (allegedly) came to kill Rivers people, but you stood firm to say, you will not agree. Yes, he may have killed our people, but we will continue to protect our votes.”

The GOC has said that he was deployed in Rivers State for the safety of all.

Wike went on: “They say they will remove me through the tribunal, but we defeated them during the elections.  If it is to conduct elections, they will never win.

“Someone who says he never met me before and has never been to Government House would say I am fighting him because I tried to bribe him with billions of naira. The GOC has been fully involved in oil bunkering.  He should explain his involvement instead of the false allegation.

“The House of Representatives Committee on Army was here; he could not say he was bribed; he is saying this because he is involved in oil bunkering.  They know it is correct. Elections in which we defeated you and your party, why would I have to pay bribe. We defeated you in that election. The man you have not met, how could he have offered to bribe you?”

The goovernor promised to promote Rivers first at all times, adding that the interest of the state is ahead of all other considerations.

The governor also berated the Director-General of  the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside, for negative comments against the government and people of Rivers State, accusing him of fueling unrest.

He thanked members of the executive council for their contributions to the development of the state.

Wike said: “It has been a rewarding experience and I am quite impressed that one worked with these persons of capacity. All the achievements we recorded were made possible because you worked.”