Rivers Rerun: IGP Orders Investigations On Wike’s Leaked Rigging Plot; Killings, Other Misconducts

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Sunday, December 18th, 2016

ABUJA, NIGERIA (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Nigeria Police NPF has launched an indept investigation into various misconducts, including the leaked audio which implicated Governor Nyesom Wike in the last Saturday Rivers State and National Assembly rerun poll.

Wike in a story published by an online news website – Saharareporters was caught in recorded tape while speaking with some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on how to manipulate the election to favour his party.

He was heard on the tape, discussing about mobilization fee, for the INEC officials, who involved in the rigging; sending warning and issuing death threat, to the officials who have allegedly collected money, but not cooperative to execute the rigging plot.

As a follow-up to the allegations, the NPF Spokesperson Don Awunah in a statement issued in Abuja Saturday, confirmed that the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris has responded to the statement credited to the INEC Chairman Prof. Yakubu Mahmud, with regards to 70 incidents which marred the rerun exercise.

The statement announced that the IGP “has set up a team of detectives and experts to conduct a thorough investigation into the incidents mentioned by the INEC chairman with a view to unravelling those who directly or indirectly are responsible for such incidences and bring them to justice”.

“The investigative team is also mandated to conduct forensic analysis on the audio report released by Sahara Reporters purportedly to be the voice of the Executive Governor of Rivers State…’’

The Police urged the Rivers State Government and INEC to make available to the investigation team, facts at their disposal as well as give it the desired cooperation and support for a serious job.

In the same vein, the Police has called the election observers, civil society groups, Human Rights watchers and other stakeholders to assist the team with valuable information on the allegation.

The Police statement also announced that investigative team is headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, while he and his members have 30 days to carry out the their investigation and submit report, which would also be made public.