Army Says Wike Attempted to Bribe GOC With Millions of Dollars to Compromise Election

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Sunday, February 24th, 2019

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Nigerian army has accused the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike of making attempt to bribe a military chief to compromise the ongoing polls.

The state government has denied the accusation, saying the military was rather trying to divert attention from the “atrocities they are committing in Rivers because of the elections”.

The army in a statement issued Saturday by its acting Spokesperson, Sagir Musa alleged, “It is indeed no secret to the military authorities that Governor Wike has on various occasions made attempts to compromise the integrity of the GOC 6 Division, Maj Gen Jamil Sarham.

“Having failed, despite series of overtures and monetary pledges of millions of dollars, both in person and from cronies, it is no surprise that the frustrated Governor has resorted to this appalling campaign of calumny.”

Musa’s statement was in response to an allegation by Governor Thursday that the army attempted to assassinate him.

“The Nigerian Army does not train assassins, as such the institution or her personnel cannot be involved in sending assassins to murder a state governor as alleged by Gov Nyesom Wike,” the statement added.

The army which insisted that it was neutral in the nation’s elections, challenged the Governor to prove his allegations against it within seven days or “he could as well, save face and keep his peace”.

In his reaction, the State Commissioner for Information, Emma Okah, said on Sunday that the army’s allegation was “mere blackmail to cover the evil perpetrated by soldiers in the state.”

“Different groups in the PDP have been crying about what the army is planning to do in Rivers, particularly a week before now’’ Okah alleged.

The Commissioner also alleged that soldiers were holding INEC official and others hostage in Isiokpo, in Ikwerre Local Government Area, since Saturday night.

Okah who claimed that the military was plotting with the Minister of Transport to manipulate the outcome of the results also claimed that the “PDP won at all the units in Ikwerre.