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Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike called on the international community to continue to press the federal government of APC and INEC to hold credible and peaceful elections across the country, including Rivers State.
In a statement issued personally by Governor Wike about the postponed elections on Saturday night, Governor Wike said the federal government's initial plan for the APC was to isolate the state of Rivers and of truncate the elections in that state.
"We are very grateful to the international community and the various missions in the countries, who have been outraged by their outrageous outrage and truncating their initial plan to isolate and prevent Rivers State from participating in general elections with all other states. from the country.
"In these circumstances, I would like to call on the international community and especially our partners in the free democratic world, including the United States, the European Union, France and the United Kingdom, not to abandon the Nigerian people and to continue to press the federal government for the rescheduled parliamentary elections to be held peacefully in Rivers State on the new dates they have set. "
Governor Wike said that the federal PCA government has been pressuring INEC so that elections are staggered across the country, targeting specific states for postponement.
"Contrary to what the public apology claims, we learned authoritatively that the INEC president had been unduly urged by the PCA-led federal government to postpone the general election.
"Rightly sensing that he was going to lose the general election when he was standing on February 16, 2019, the federal government led by the APC ordered the INEC to set in motion the staggering process of general elections by suspending elections in Rivers and other strategic states, such as Akwa Ibom, Lagos and Kwara on other dates, "he said.
Governor Wike added, "The resistance of the INEC President and international observers to this perverse directive and the resulting confusion have indeed hindered INEC's preparations, particularly with respect to the timely distribution of election materials to local governments in the country.
"For example, here in Rivers State, the APC-led federal government has deliberately refused to allow election materials already in the custody of the Central Bank to be distributed to any of the 23 local government areas. the twisted pretense that some stray party members were demonstrating in front of the INEC office.
"It is relevant to mention that there was no rational connection between APC's rogue demonstrations and the general national interest in deploying election materials in local government areas ahead of Saturday's election."
Governor Wike said that despite the arrival of sensitive election documents in the state, some security agencies had prevented distribution before the postponement.
He said: "Yet, members of the security personnel, including serving officers, were sent to the premises of the Central Bank by the federal government led by APC to prevent the INEC from distributing election materials to 23 areas of local government of the state.
"Moreover, even when the elections were still to be held, security agencies, especially the police, made indiscriminate arrests of supporters of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Khana, Gokana and other areas. of state government, the Inspector General of the Acting Police has ensured his neutrality on several occasions. "
While declaring that his administration had acted credibly in all areas, he lamented that non-patriotic people in Rivers collaborate with undemocratic forces to thwart the will of its inhabitants.
In the same vein, I wish to thank the people of Rivers State for the suffering they suffered for the rational and just cause of ending the APC-led federal government and ushering in a new era of peace, peace and hope and peace. and progress for our country.
"I urge you to remain calm and unwavering in your belief that, by the dark night, it may seem long, the wait is almost over because the day is coming, and will surely manifest in our state and the nation in a few days ".
The governor added: "At this critical moment of the struggle, no sacrifice would be too much to ask each of us in our collective quest to liberate our country from the destructive path; otherwise, we risk suffering the unpleasant consequences of our inability to make the change we all need in our country for another horrible four years.
"Let's not be discouraged by the postponement, but rather by our energy to participate actively and enthusiastically in the general elections by leaving in millions to vote for candidates and parties of our choice on Saturday, February 23, and Saturday, March 9, 2019 respectively ".
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