The senator-elect for Rivers East, Andrew Uchendu, has said he groomed Governor Nyesom Wike for 12 years when he chaired the Ikwerre political think-tank, Ikwerre National Forum (INF),

He asked Wike, ex-minister of state for Education to stop grieving over last week’s judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which sacked his ally, George Sekibo.

Uchendu said he was disappointed at the “despicable” manner in which Wike had been disparaging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Police for legitimately participating in the December 10 legislative rerun in Rivers.

The senator-elect, a three-time member of the House of Representatives, representing Ikwerre/Emohua, spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt through his media aide, Solomon Okocha.

Wike, last Sunday, at a thanksgiving by Sekibo at St. Thomas Anglican Church, Diobu, accused INEC officials and the police of conniving with unnamed leaders of All Progressives party(APC) to rig elections.

The governor had declared that he preferred death to APC winning Rivers governorship in 2019.

Uchendu, a chieftain of the APC, said: “It is even more troubling that Wike could have the temerity to discredit the decision of a court of competent jurisdiction, simply because it did not favour his friend (Sekibo) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“How can Wike, a lawyer, accuse INEC and the police of partnering political actors to rig elections in Rivers State, without adducing credible facts to support his bogus claims? Is the media the right place to seek redress for perceived wrong?

“It is unfortunate that a man who controls governance can descend to such abysmal level of crass irresponsibility in the public space.”

The senator-elect added that since Rivers governor is still grieving over the court’s decision, he should, perhaps, tell us if the judiciary was involved in excluding results of Ward 6 in Okrika Local Government Area and if it also directed that the result of Emohua Local Government Area should not be collated at Emohua.

He asked: “Did the judiciary direct INEC to withhold the Senate’s result of Ikwerre council and declare results of the House of Representatives and Rivers State House of Assembly from the area, in elections that held on the same day?

“Maybe Wike does not know that all the tribunal did was to direct that all validly-conducted election results be collated and whoever had the majority of validly-cast votes be declared winner.

“It is regrettable to note that Wike, whose victory was affirmed by the judiciary at the Supreme Court, is now the same person condemning the affirmation of my victory at the Court of Appeal. How can Wike approbate and reprobate at the same time?”

Uchendu expressed surprise at the Rivers governor’s “fallacious” comparison between his (senator-elect’s ) political strength with Sekibo’s.

He said: “True to his character, Wike is again showing the world how unstable he is. We are all aware of the heinous roles he (Rivers governor) played to ensure Sekibo, his new ally, did not emerge as senator in 2011, during the administration of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (now Transportation minister).

“It is nothing but fallacy taken too far, for Wike to say if elections are held 20 times, that Sekibo will win. Is Wike not aware that the voting strength of Emohua, where I hail from, is far bigger than the voting strength of Okrika and Ogu-Bolo (where Sekibo hails from), put together?

“Has Wike forgotten that I am the chairman of Ikwerre National Forum (INF), the Ikwerre political think-tank that threw so many Ikwerre people, including himself (Rivers governor), to political limelight? Or is it a case of selective amnesia?

“How then can Sekibo ever beat me in any free and fair contest in Rivers East, with four Ikwerre-speaking councils?

“It is disrespectful of Wike, a man whom I groomed for 12 years in my capacity as chair of INF, to go about making unfounded utterances, in a bid to stain my hard-earned reputation.”

The senator-elect also stated that it was worrisome the Rivers governor decided to incite the people against security agencies, simply because Sekibo was legitimately removed from the Senate.

Uchendu, who represents the district hosting the Government House, and Wike’s Rumueprikom hometown in Obio/Akpor, said: “Rivers people should not allow themselves to be destroyed on Wike’s altar of political brigandage by disrespecting security personnel constitutionally mandated to protect them.

“My victory at the Appeal Court is dedicated to reconciliation, peace and development. I expect Wike to also toe the same line and allow the state to make progress.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/groomed-wike-12-years-chair-inf-says-senator-elect/

Its too early to dey yearn opata

Unfortunately, he groomed a failure.

Unfortunately Wike don't a damn about what you are saying he has tennis ball to play

You obviously groomed him well