Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has said the Federal Government, through the Office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, had directed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to work with internet service providers to shutdown internet access during the elections.
Wike said shutting down internet access by NSA and INEC was aimed at facilitating rigging. He spoke, yesterday, during a courtesy visit by Savannah Centre Council on Peaceful and Violence Free in Nigeria at the Government House, Port Harcourt. He said: “NSA has met with INEC to ensure that internet service provider’s shutdown the internet, so that foreign bodies won’t see what’s happening in the country during the elections.
“They will jam all the frequencies and internet services to stop real time communication during the elections. This plot to rig the forthcoming election is a recipe for violence. They will not succeed in whatever they are planning. The world will be informed about their criminal activities.”
The governor said the negative actions of the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration indicate that they will not accept defeat when they lose the forthcoming election.
He advised Buhari to emulate former President Goodluck Jonathan; he said who placed Nigeria above personal consideration.
According to Wike, “I don’t think this administration will willingly accept defeat. They should emulate former President Jonathan, who lost elections and accepted the outcome. There was no litigation. He went back home and did not generate crisis.” Wike said Rivers people will not fold their hands and allow the APC Federal Government unleash violence and rig the elections.
He “regretted that the Federal Government has caged the judiciary, making it difficult to determine electoral disputes in court,” arguing that the conduct of credible elections rest with security agencies and INEC, adding that once the two agencies act within the law, the polls will be credible. Responding, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Founder of Savannah Centre Council on Peaceful and Violence Free in Nigeria, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, urged stake-holders to work towards peaceful and credible polls.
