By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has warned against any plot to rig the 2023 elections in Rivers State, saying any lecturer who connive with politicians to compromise the mandate of the Rivers people will surely receive the punishment of coup plotters.
The Governor who spoke during the flag-off ceremony of the construction of the convocation arena in the University of Port Harcourt on Tuesday said he will resist any attempt to manipulate the 2023 election in the state, warning that 2023 will be different from 2019.
Making reference to the recent appointment of vice-chancellor of the institution, Governor Wike said it was regrettable that political considerations have become a factor in the appointment of vice-chancellors in Nigeria.
The Governor claimed that the VC’s are often expected to submit the names of returning officers that would favour the ruling party.
He however warned that nobody would be allowed to manipulate elections in his state.
He said “let me warn that not one person would dare to rig election in Rivers State. I have told people, allow the university community to be a university community, to produce those who would be leaders of this country. Don’t turn the university community to be where you have politicians who would begin to manipulate and change the mandate of the people, anybody who does that, it is a coup that they have plotted and you know the punishment for coup plotters”.
“I want to say I am not afraid of anybody, therefore I don’t care who the person may be”.
He further advised the lecturers that “whoever may be promising you, tell the person I have a family, so you too vice-chancellor go and be the returning officer so that if you survive I will join you”.
The governor also warned against the move by the National Assembly to remove electronic transmission of election results from the Electoral Act.
