TheCable

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, says if the police are able to prevent political thugs from playing a role in the Edo governorship election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) will be “beaten silly.”

Speaking during a live interview on African Independent Television (AIT) on Thursday, Wike, chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign council on Edo governorship election, said the only hope APC has on winning the election is to “manipulate the process.”

The governor said despite the assurances of Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police (IGP), the electorate in Edo should be vigilant of any malpractice.

He urged the Edo people to be peaceful and protect the electoral process.

“The IG has said they will not give room to any thugs, to any miscreants, and it is our prayer that is done. If that is done, APC will be beaten silly in this election. If what IG said is carried out, you will see that APC will not near – the only hope they have is to manipulate the security agencies,” Wike said.

“Remember what happened in my case and if you take the case of Rivers state, it was very clear, and the way I see APC going, the desperation is so much and the only hope APC has today is to use security agents, is to manipulate the process.

“Our own business is to let our people know, if you know the police are [compromised], we will not allow it. We want to believe in them but however, don’t slip, don’t slip, make sure you follow them bumper to bumper.

“Make sure you monitor what is happening. Let one policeman tell you that after they have declared results in this unit, that you cannot as an agent, follow that result to the collation centre. That is not correct.

“In some cases, you see security agents coming to even beat the agents of the opposition party. It is not something that anyone will come and tell me that you have assured me that nothing will happen.”

The Rivers governor said Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo, has performed well in delivering good governance.

“Everybody knows, go to Edo, they don’t do publicity. They do their thing quietly. It may be different from ours,” he said.

“Last time I went to Ogbemudia stadium, it was nothing to write home about, but go and see Ogbemudia stadium today. He has built all the high courts, he showed me.”

Obaseki, PDP candidate, will be up against Osagie Ize-Iyamu, candidate of the APC, in the governorship election fixed for Saturday.