Own up to audio recordings – APC tells Gov. Wike

The Rivers State Chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, said it received with satisfaction the confirmation by Gov. Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State that the telephone discussion clip between him and Gov Nyesom Wike published by Saharareporters is authentic.

“Gov Fayose’s only grouse is that it was allegedly recorded and leaked by the Department of State Services [DSS], an accusation he is yet to provide the evidence. The APC finds Gov. Fayose’s position very significant in several aspects. The most important significance of that admission is that even among criminals, some level of honour especially in telling some truth and owning up to the obvious are necessary” the APC said in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Senibo Chris Finebone.

The opposition party in Rivers State recalled that when the audio recordings of Gov. Wike’s conversations with his people on rigging the last December 10 rerun elections surfaced in public space, the governor rather than own up and raise other issues about the clips chose to discredit them even if they were as clear to the deaf and dumb as could be.

According to the statement, the APC expected Gov. Wike to take advantage of the panel set up by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris to help unravel what happened during the elections including the authenticity of the alleged audio recording clips and his many accusations against security agencies, INEC and our party. Instead the governor defiantly announced that he and the Rivers State Government would not cooperate with the IGP panel – something that tend to suggest that the governor has a lot to hide.

The APC and its leadership believed that the decision by Gov. Wike to set up a parallel judicial panel on the December 10 rerun elections, as laughable as it appears, is not only to conceal his malfeasance in the rerun elections but to attempt to pin contrived wrong doings on his political opponents, a move doomed to die on arrival.The APC notes that having been unsuccessful in discrediting the audio clips Gov. Wike decided to deflect attention from himself and the criminal nature of the clips by setting up his own panel to investigate events surrounding the last December 10 rerun elections in Rivers State.

The APC reminded Gov. Wike that while immunity shields him from prosecution, it does not protect him and indeed any governor from investigation. He must know that immunity has expiration date and that day must come.

The APC also called on Gov. Nyesom Wike to tow the line of his Man Friday, Gov. Ayo Fayose and recognise that even among thieves some level of honour is necessary.

“He should own up that the audio recording of him is authentic instead of continuing to live in denial. Better still, the governor should take advantage of the IGP panel to tell all he knows about the December 10 rerun elections and possibly exonerate himself instead of the lame attempts at discrediting the clips and accusing APC, INEC, Police, DSS and everyone else” the statement declared.