Forget about rerun, Wike tells Peterside

Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike

Chukwudi Akasike

RIVERS State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has told the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2015 governorship election, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, not to delude himself on the possibility of a rerun of the poll in the state.

Wike, who said Peterside embarked on an illegal campaign on Saturday, explained that the APC leader’s action could heat up the polity.

The governor, who spoke on Tuesday through his Media Assistant, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu, disclosed that his lawyers were concluding the appeal process to challenge the ruling of the Justice Suleiman Ambrosa-led Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.

He noted that the ruling, which was premised on card reader accreditation and hearsay testimonies, had already been expunged from the tribunal’s records by the Court of Appeal.

“The defeated Rivers State APC governorship candidate, Mr. Dakuku Peterside, should desist from self-deceit and unnecessary political campaigns as there will be no re-run of the governorship election in Rivers State.

“We understand the desperation of Mr. Peterside as he is merely dancing to the tunes being played by external forces who want their filthy hands on the resources of Rivers State like they did under the failed administration of Rotimi Amaechi.

“The people of Rivers State voted overwhelmingly for Governor Wike on April 11 and 12. The earlier Mr. Peterside comes to terms with this fact, the better for him and his political party.

“The use of falsehood and propaganda will not take Peterside anywhere near the Government House, Port Harcourt. Governor Wike has the mandate of the people of Rivers State and this will be reaffirmed in the appeal process.”

Reacting, the state Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Chris Finebone, said Wike should stop playing God, adding that the governor should allow the Appeal Court to do its work.

Finebone explained that Wike had been boasting that he (Wike) would win the governorship election even if it was held a hundred times, adding that the governor appears to be afraid of a rerun.

“If he (Wike) says that Dr. Peterside is deluding himself on the possibility of any rerun, it shows that Wike is unstable because it is Wike that said that he would win the governorship election even if it were conducted 100 times.”

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