The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, has threatened to resist any attempt by the opposition All Progressives Congress-controlled Federal Government to use soldiers and policemen to rig the re-run National Assembly elections in the state.
Recall that the Court of Appeal had last week sacked the three PDP Senators representing Rivers State in the 8th Senate, and ordered re-run elections within 90days.
Wike, who had the annulment of his own election confirmed by the Appeal Court earlier in the week, said the APC must not try to replicate what it did in Bayelsa (where gubernatorial election was declared ‘inconclusive’) in his state.
While calling on his supporters and PDP members in the state to be law-abiding, he warned the opposition not to misconstrue his silence as weakness.
He said: “I want to warn, let nobody attempt to do what happened in Bayelsa State here. Since they said they have annulled the election, let them come and conduct fresh election. Let nobody think that they can use soldiers and policemen to intimidate us. We will resist any such attempt. We have maintained our cool for a long time. Our calmness should not be mistaken for weakness.
“We shall return all our National Assembly members as a way of disgracing those who think they will snatch the mandate of the people,” he said.
The governor charged the party members to start campaigns for the National Assembly re-run polls in the unit and ward levels.