Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has faulted claims that he rigged Rivers State polls to favour his preferred candidates at the Presidential, National Assembly, governorship and House of Assembly elections.
He noted that contrary to claims from several quaters, he does not need security forces including the Army or Police, to rig elections.
According to him, it is only those who have not offered anything to the electorates that depend on security agencies to help them rig elections.
He stated this during a media chat with selected journalists in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Wike said, “In 2019, you saw what the Army did to me. You witnessed when President Muhammadu Buhari gave me an award as the best-performing infrastructure state.
“Why would I need the Police to rig an election? Why would I need the Army? It is only those that have not been able to offer anything that is dependent on security agencies to help them rig elections. I don’t need it. what I need is to be able to perform.
“Promise people, promise local government this is what you are going to do and you do it. Have they done it, I have promised, yes, have I fulfilled yes? Let one local government come out and say I promised and did not fulfil.”
Commenting on the 25 February presidential poll, the governor denied working against Peter Obi of the Labour Party, noting that he never told Rivers people to vote for the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He said Rivers voted for the unity of Nigeria by voting for Tinubu at the presidential poll, stressing that his goal from the outset of the presidential election was that the president must come from the South.
According to him, “I never told Rivers people to vote for Bola Ahmed Tinubu but for the Unity of Nigeria. As far as Rivers State is concerned, it was a power shift to the South. And there are two candidates from the South, Tinubu and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, so If the majority of Rivers People decided to vote for Tinubu and others for Peter Obi, that tells you the decision of the citizens.
“How can you talk about me rigging the election? I don’t work as ad-hoc staff for Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, so I am not in the place to rig elections for anybody. When you have INEC’s materials, you can talk about rigging.
“But I take exemption to Peter Obi’s comment that I came out against him, people are not being sincere and appreciative. In 2019, I was among the people who chose Peter Obi for Atiku Abubakar.
“I was faulted for the choice, people like Ike Ekweremadu and my friend, the Governor of Ebonyi State and Pius Ayim. Every blame was on me; that why would I be the one to choose for the South East?
“Did he come out to say I supported him?
“I told Nigerians I will support a South candidate in the Presidential Election.
“When Peter Obi says I was against him, it is unfortunate because nobody ever told me that I campaigned against him. It is incorrect to say I was against him.
“I told my people to support a southern candidate, which they did; the first position in Rivers State during the poll was a south candidate, same with the second position.”
