Wike inaugurates probe panel

The Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike inaugurated the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Killings/Violence that attended the Rerun/supplementary elections on Dec. 10 in the state.

Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, Special Assistant to the Governor on Electronic Media said Wike charged the panel to find out the number of those killed and who was responsible for their deaths.

Wike also charged the Commission to ascertain the names of those who were killed.

The governor stated that it was not within the purview of the Commission to investigate how the elections were conducted.

“This Judicial Commission of Inquiry is not to investigate how they conducted their elections. You are to investigate the murders that attended the elections.

“Those involved in the killings will face the full weight of the law. This government has the capacity to follow through”, he said.

Wike called on members of the commission to stand by the truth and be courageous in the discharge of their assignment.

In his response, Chairman of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry, Justice Chinwendu Nwogu said that the commission would discharge its assignment within the confines of the law.

The Judicial Commission of Inquiry was mandated to submit its report to Governor Wike within one month from the date of its first sitting.

On Wednesday, Dr Dakuku Peterside, Rivers APC governorship candidate in the 2015 general elections, said the constitution of Judicial Commission of Inquiry on alleged electoral violence by Gov. Nyesom Wike is laughable.

Peterside described the action of Wike like the proverbial witch who cried a previous night and the child dies the following day, adding that such amounted to ridiculing the exalted office of the governor.

“Here is a governor who told Rivers people not to attend an investigative panel set up by Police to probe issues surrounding the re-election.

“The same governor has now set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to probe issues surrounding the election and he expects Rivers people to obey him.

“How can such a governor call Rivers people not to obey police investigation but expect them to obey his own judicial commission," he asked.

He said “So, what goal is the governor seeking to achieve with his own panel of inquiry, to exonerate PDP members and pronounce APC members guilty.”

“I call on the Justice Chinwendu Nwogu-led panel to be very careful not to be used to achieve a dubious end," he added.

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Peterside, who is also the Director-General of NIMASA, said that Wike remained an accused in the election matter adding that he could not therefore set up an investigative panel.