The DEFENDER CONFERENCE ROOM: Nigerians back Army over Rivers, sense something sinister with Governor Wike, INEC

*As Yoruba Renaissance, Nigerians in Diaspora, others want action

By KEMI KASUMU, General Editor

Nigerians, who took part in The DEFENDER Conference Room discourse, converged on its Editor’s Facebook wall on Thursday 21 March 2019, agreed that there is something sinister with Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike, leading to his persistent compromise of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

They said it was this that had been responsible for why election could not hold successfully in the state without violence leading to loss of lives.

The Nigerian Army, in a report published by The DEFENDER on Wednesday, had ventilated its anger with the INEC and Police for covering the atrocities perpetrated by Governor Wike both at the presidential and governorship elections in the state.

The Army’s anger came on the ills of his revelation that INEC deliberately hid from public knowledge its submissions on how Governor Wike stormed governorship election results collation centre in a convoy of 50 cars, at 10.30 hours night of 9 March 2019 that the election was held.

Worst, it said, was the shooting at close range by a police attaché to Wike of an Army Captain and injuries caused its troops on outer perimeter duties while they stormed the area of the results collation, beefing that despite making all these known to the INEC’s Fact-Finding Committee on Situation in Rivers Governorship Election leading to the suspension of the process, INEC failed to make its input form part of the findings it presented in a statement on Friday 15 March 2019 by its National Commissioner and Chairman Education and Voter Education Committee.

Tabling this daunting development before selected stakeholders at The DEFENDER Conference Room, the editor, Prince Bashir Adefaka, said: “But why is INEC appearing to be taking side on Rivers State governorship election? So, the worse things happened to the Army but the INEC went all out to give us the reports we published blaming the Army for playing a role within its duty post. Why do they demand security for free, fair and credible elections in the first place, especially in Rivers. I think we need to talk,” he said.

Among interlocutors invited to the discourse were: Director, International Institute Journalism, Abuja, Dr. Emman Shehu, FeBuhari Ozi Buhari, Mr. Akinwale Ojutalayo, an education administrator in Lagos, Mrs Moyosore Oyetunji, Pioneer Vice Chancellor, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State Nigeria, Prof. Fola Lasisi, Coordinator, the Yoruba Renaissance Movement (YRM), Mr. Deji Bakare, a Nigerian in Diaspora America, Mr. Abass Adetunji, another Nigerian in Diaspora Britain, Dr. AbdulHakeem Ilemobola Yusuf, yet another Nigerian in Diapora America, Mr. Abdulhakeem Abdullateef.

Others include a Nigeria-based Real Estate Expert, Mr. Isaac Adewale Fabiyi,  Lateefah Queen Aya Alabi, Hammed Ogunyemi, a politician from Oyo State, Hon. Hammed A. B Eleyele, Wole Kukoyi, Ibrahim Mohammed and Ibrahim Baba Muhammed.

The first interlocutor to speak was Isaac Adewale Fabiyi who said: “Prince, I still don’t understand the game INEC is playing in Rivers. But let’s watch and see as events unfold.”

Fabiyi was however interjected by Coordinator of Yoruba Renaissance Movement, Mr. Deji Bakare, who gave the contribution that broke the camel’s back.

Bakare said:  “Dear Brother and an Apostle of truth I make bold to tell you that the River’s state electoral brouhaha is a fall OUT of the PDP’S Wike’s Despiration to hang unto power in River’s state at all cost.

“He, Wike has both in the public and in the private vowed to do everything to ensure that the state remains in the grip of the PDP.

“He has virtually bought every STAKE holders conscience with billions of naira. The Press,INEC officials and even some police officers were evidently settled by Wike to play game and they vowed to do same without any regards to electoral laws.

“Information in some quarters has in evidence of Wike’s leaked telephone conversations with INEC STAFFS and how GOV Wike was DISHING out millions of dollars with Instructions on how to perpetuate electoral riggings in the elections.

“Wike’s àction to have snatched result sheet was in desperation to cause chaos in the state.”

Deji Bakare was beefed the more to note that the Nigerian media chose not to look into the obvious atrocities perpetrated by Governor Wike to the extent that they had to even hype the INEC’s taking side with wike and against the Army over the same issues.

He said:“The governor has a team of Hit men that does the obvious to intimidate opposing views on his determined criminality .Killing a soldier was one of Wike’s promises even before the elections. Therefore it’s no surprising to know why the PRESS IS LOOKING ELSEWHERE AGAINST the truth of the matter.”

In securing assurances that submissions at the conference could go public, the editor asked Bakare: “I am sure you realize we are holding this discussion for onward publication. Are we good to go with your damning revelation although also in public?”

In responding to the editor, Bakare said: “Let me make available to you an  information prior the elections via your Watsaap for your discretion.”  This will be made available in subsequent reports. Pls come over.You could also check the National interest watsaap platform for same.”  This will be made available for our public readers in subsequent reports.

Commenting on Isaac Adewale Fabiyi’s contribution, the editor said: “According to a face-to-face encounter between Wike’s Commissioner for Information Emma Okah and APC’s Chidi Lloyd, some 48 hours ago, while Lloyd presented all facts, Okah was just busy telling us to wait for the collation to continue and Wike declared winner. Why? Okah had day before on AIT admitted in his countenance that Wike was actually a goner.

“But, because of the alleged INEC change of units results in cahoot with Wike in Government House, Okah, the spokesman of the government can now boast of continuation of collation after he had lost faith.

“Again, all the collation officers appointed by INEC to handle elections in those local governments are PDP members who even have their posters pasted outside in Rivers contesting for one post or another on PDP platform. The question I am now asking all of us to consider, is, while we are not judges yet we are not dunce and so we can decipher right from wrong, what exactly is the problem with Rivers?

Responding,  Isaac Adewale Fabiyi said: “I’m as worried as you are. Something is definitely wrong with Rivers. Very disturbing. During collation someone was leading, all of a sudden, without any major issue, collation and announcement of results suspended. We are all watching.”

An educationist based in Lagos Nigeria, Justina Nkoli Aliku said: “There must be something sinister between some INEC top shots and PDP/Atiku/Wike.”

Another Nigeria-based interloculour, Yussuf Omoyemi, said: “Their relationship and illegal marriage had been cemented for long now, including the international communities.
“Though the international communities involvement is not in anyway a surprise to me.  Their interest is to take over the NNPC and other juicy Nigeria’s assets spread all over our country.

To bring the conference to a close, the editor declared: “So, by these submissions, do we all agree that INEC trust is under question over Rivers? Let one person move a motion to so agree if, and let another person to second the motion.”

Abass so moved and Yussuf Omoyemi seconded the motion supporting that INEC’s trust is now under question and that the government must do something fast about it with a view, not only to stopping continuous flow of blood and violence in Rivers State but also, to ensuring those involved in perpetrating those evils no matter their statuses be arrested and brought to book.