Alleged poll fraud: Army parades Wike’s commissioner, others
The 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, on Tuesday paraded Rivers State Commissioner for Urban Development, Reason Onyia Williams; a member of the State House of Assembly, Wanaka Okpokiri; the Camp Commandant of Rivers State Government House, Oyoku Ifelle and three others over an accusation of financial inducement and being in possession of election materials.
Parading the suspects, the Division’s Deputy Director of Public Relations, Col. Aminu Iliyazu, said N2,250,000 was found in a Range Rover car belonging to Ifelle.
He said other items recovered from the suspects included four INEC 2019 election tags, customised Rivers State Government House brown envelopes.
He said: “Similarly, on Saturday 23rd February 2019 at about 7:00 am, a member of Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Opokri Wanaka in company of Dr Reason Onya Williams, Rivers State Commissioner for Urban Development visited our troops Camp at Akinima and requested to be acquainted with the Commander of the troops at the location.
“Hon Opokri offered the Officer some amount of money he removed from his pocket but the officer not only rejected the offer but sent the duo away.
Incidentally, while the Officer and his men were manning a Check Point at Mbiama Bridge, a white Hilux vehicle with a Rivers State Government Reg No.L0203RV RIVERS and 8 occupants was stopped for routine search and clearance.
“A carton and 2 bundles of INEC 2019 presidential Election ballot papers were discovered in the vehicle. Preliminary investigation reveals that none of the occupants of the vehicle is an INEC staff, INEC Ad-hoc staff or security agent.”