APC can’t steal my mandate – Wike

RIVERS State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has said the people of the state will resist any attempt to steal the mandate they gave to him.
Wike, who was reacting to the verdict of the Supreme Court on the jurisdiction of the State Election Petitions Tribunal, maintained that the court’s decision was part of the gang-up against the people of the state.
Speaking on Tuesday through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Opunabo Inko-Tariah, the governor declared that his adversaries were making moves to steal the mandate given to him by the people of the state.
According to him, “The judges should be careful; the courts should be careful because the mandate was given to Governor Wike, which his adversaries are trying to steal through the backdoor by going to the court.

“Rivers people will definitely want to protect that mandate and will resist any attempt to steal it from Governor Nyesom Wike. I have watched with disdain the insidious judicial gang-up against Governor Nyesom Wike, CON. It is surprising that in this modern times, the tempest of justice will be allowed to blow fitfully across our courts.
“Rivers people will not resign themselves to fate and allow their mandate freely given to Governor Wike stolen away. I enjoin all the political and judicial coup plotters to give this a penetrating thought. We shall defend our mandate. The voice of the people is the voice of God and the people have spoken; it is Wike or no one.
“I am further dazed that the same Rotimi Amaechi who displayed so much hatred and disgust for the courts and rule of law by closing the high  courts in Rivers state for close to two years without a twinge of conscience is today the lovely bride of the courts. This explains the reason for impunity in our country.
“What is going on right now can best be described as judicial gang-up against Governor Wike, nay, the people of Rivers State. It is an affront on democracy and a blight disregard for the will of the people as evinced in the April 11 general elections. The courts are setting pernicious precedents by hinging their verdicts on inane points.”
The governor said that despite the Supreme Court verdict, the All Progressive Congress should not be under any illusion that it was about occupying the Government House in Port Harcourt.
On the issue of insecurity cited by the court, Wike recalled that both the Federal High Court and the Appeal Court were sitting as of the time of setting up the state election petitions tribunal, maintaining that the relocating of the tribunal to Abuja was not a good decision.
He added, “As of when the Tribunals were set up, the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court were sitting. The state was also peaceful. Why move the juridical seat to Abuja then? The answer is simple; to subvert the will of the people. The issue of security was ostensibly used; it is only a veneer for the compromising bias of our adversaries.
“But it will be mere illusion and day-dreaming for them (APC) to think that they can take power from Governor Wike through the backdoor. This is because the people of the state are with Governor Nyesom Wike.”
Reacting, the State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Chris Finebone, said it was wrong for Wike to say that the people’s mandate belonged to him (Wike).
Finebone argued that the party and its governorship candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside would not have gone to court if the mandate actually belonged to Wike.
He said, “It is our (APC) mandate and not Wike or PDP’s mandate, otherwise we would not have gone to court. We were not allowed to choose our representatives. Believe me, if we have a free and fair, election, the APC will win. All we asked for was a free and fair election, which we did not get.”
Calling on the state PDP and Wike to accept the ruling of the courts and stop criticising the judiciary, Finebone said the APC would continue to abide by the decisions of the court.
He maintained that the APC was not stealing anybody’s mandate through the backdoor, adding that going to court to seek redress was the best the APC did rather than resorting to self-help.
“For us in the APC, we don’t know what will warrant anybody to talk about the judiciary in such a manner. If the court rules, it should be obeyed. Our concern is that we will continue to abide by the rule of law.
“Going to court is not stealing. So, I do not know where stealing comes in. We went to court and that means that we are mindful of the law and not ready to resort to self-help,” the state APC publicity secretary stressed.