Dakuku PetersideWike connived with justices to win at Supreme Court - APC guber candidate alleges

 The apex court on Wednesday, January 27, said uphold Wike's election as the Governor of Rivers state, overriding the judgement of the Election Petition Tribunal and the Appeal court.

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2015 election in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has alleged that the State Governor, Nyesom Wike, had known the judgement of the Supreme Court before the ruling was eventually delivered.

The apex court on Wednesday, January 27, said uphold Wike's election as the Governor of Rivers state, overriding the judgement of the Election Petition Tribunal and the Appeal court, which had nullified his election.

Speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Tuesday, February 9, Peterside claimed that supporters of the Governor and members of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) had started celebrating Wike's victory as early as 9am while the Supreme Court judgement was delivered at about 6.20pm.

Peterside, who cited “credible information” alleged that Wike confessed to some persons that he (Wike) met with some of the justices of the Supreme Court in Mbaise, Owerri, Dubai and Saudi Arabia respectively.

He said: “Credible information confirmed that Nyesom Wike had earlier confessed to some persons of having met one of the Justices of the Supreme Court in Mbaise during an important burial, another at Owerri  in a hotel and yet others in Dubai and Saudi Arabia respectively.

“These Justices were in the panel that decided the matter in Wike’s favour. The most striking revelation by Nyesom Wike is contained in his account at the thanksgiving service last Sunday.

“He obviously stunned his audience and the watching world when he confessed that when it came to the Judges, Dr. Peter Odili and the wife Justice Mary Odili (a Justice of the Supreme Court) were his advisers.

“It is therefore obvious that the decision of the Supreme Court on the Rivers State Election was not a product of justice but rather a product of compromise and orchestrated contrivance to legalise electoral violence and rigging and, in turn, reward injustice. This calls for serious introspection by our Judiciary and judicial officers.

“For the records, in his speech at the church service, Gov. Nyesom Wike probably forgot that he was on live telecast when he stated, ‘Let me thank our former governor, Dr. Peter Odili [husband of Supreme Court Justice, Mary Odili]. He will call me midnight to tell me what to do….he will say ‘go so so place.’ I took all his advice, and here we are today.

“This shocking confession needs no further explanation except for you and other decent Nigerians to further make your fair conclusions".

While cautioning Wike to stop insulting Buhari, Peterside added that the governor exhibited unconscionable indiscretion by warning INEC officials would be treated like armed robbers if they attempted to rig the election.