BREAKING: Wike Bribed 23 Electoral Officers With N360 Million – Police

The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idris Abubakar, has alleged that Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State bribed 23 electoral officers in the rerun election for National and State Assemblies with N360million.

Speaking at a press briefing when he formally received the report of the investigative panel on the rerun poll in Abuja on Tuesday, from Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Damian Okoro, the IGP said 20 of the electoral officers received N15 million each, while three other “top Eos” received N20 million each after negotiating with the governor.

During the briefing, the table was heaped with money put at N111,300 million allegedly recovered from the Eos, while three of those accused to have been involved in the bribery scandal were in the room.

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Efforts by journalists to interview the “Eos’” were rebuffed by the police, as they were shepherded out of the briefing room.

The Whistler correspondent reports that a close look at the paper wrappers on the notes show that the money was withdrawn from the Garki branch of a bank in Abuja.

The IGP had written a letter to Wike intimating him of the investigative committee to look into allegations of bribery, murder, gross human rights abuse and acts of sabotage/terrorism in the Rivers rerun election.

The letter was titled: ‘Investigation into Allegations of Crimes Committed During the Last Rerun Elections in Rivers State,” the IG had stated that the, “purview of the investigation will cover allegations of bribes taken, several brazen murder incidents (including that of serving police officers), reports of gross human rights abuses, acts of sabotage/terrorism, kidnapping for ransom and ballot box snatching, all of which were perpetrated in connivance with several federal and state civil servants as well as highly placed politicians within and outside the state.”

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Wike had approached the Federal High Court Abuja through an ex-parte motion to halt the work of the investigative committee, but was denied by Justice Gabriel Kolawole.

Wike, in the motion ex-parte through his counsel, Mr. Mike Ozekhome SAN, urged the court for an order of interim injunction restraining the IG, Department of State Services (DSS) and a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Damian Okoro, who are defendants in the motion, or their agents from enforcing or executing the matters contained in the letter written to governor Wike by the IG on December 20, 2016.

Justice Kolawole in his ruling held that some constitutional issues regarding the powers of an executive governor of a state were raised in the motion.

The judge refused to grant Wike’s request seeking to set aside the letter of the IG to Wike and instead, ordered that the defendants, comprising of the IG, the DSS and a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Damian Okoro to appear before him on January 30, 2017 to show cause why the relief sought by the plaintiffs in their motion ex parte should not be granted.

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