ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – The All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the 2015 election and the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has described Governor Nyesom Wike’s strategy of intimidation and blackmail as crude, uncultured and unbecoming of a person occupying the high office of governor. Peterside said that this is not only unacceptable to Rivers people, but the good people of Nigeria. He described such acts as irresponsible.
In a statement he sent to Sundiata Post in reaction against the backdrop of Governor Wike’s outburst against the Nigerian Police Force, said that it is unbecoming of the governor to arrogate to himself the powers to determine and decide which officer should be posted to Rivers State or any other state for that matter.
He stressed that it is not in doubt and therefore not debatable as to the fact that it is only the Inspector-General of Police that has the powers, as a matter of administrative and operational procedure, to identify and deploy competent officers to take charge of any state based on intelligence exigencies.
Dr. Peterside emphasised that it is not in doubt that Wike’s fear about which police officer is posted to Rivers State is based on the erroneous belief that it would be business as usual without recognising the principled position of the current administration.
The APC former governorship candidate advised Wike to toe the line of decency and stop blatant lies and unwholesome blackmail of security officers just to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it, stressing that Rivers State is a peace-loving state and Gov Wike’s style, antics and desperation to be in power is gradually eroding the jealously-guarded characteristics of the good people of Rivers State.
In a related development, Peterside lambasted Wike following the governor’s vituperation against the Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC] on Thursday at a public event.
“Nyesom Wike must grow up in etiquette, public conduct and utterances. This is definitely not a fitting portrayal of who we are as decent Rivers people. We have a history of decency in our utterances, public conduct and inter-relationships. Rivers State is indeed on a downward spin and only God can salvage our once respectable and peaceful state,” Dr. Peterside bemoaned.