Apc Dismisses Wike’s Jumbo Allowance For Slain Corper
BEVERLY HILLS, March 27, (THEWILL) – The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed the award of bonuses to NYSC members by Nyesom Wike, Governor, Rivers State following the violence and death of a youth Corper in the state’s re-run election.
A Youth Corp member serving in a part of Rivers State, Dumiebi Samuel Okonta, lost his life while conducting the March 19, 2016, rerun election prompting an increase in allowances paid by the state government to the 7,500 members that serve in three batches per year in the state.
Wike increased the allowances from N5,000 per month to N10,000, saying those serving in the rural areas would get N15,000 per month and promised to immortalise Okonta and compensate the family.
Furthermore, Wike, has set up a judicial commission of inquiry, chaired by Monima Wenike Danagogo, to unravel those behind the violence declaring his determination to support the security agencies to fight crime and ensure that Rivers State was secure, safe and peaceful.
He also called on INEC and all other stakeholders in the management of the electoral process ensure that the re-run elections to be conducted in the remaining eight Local Government Areas were devoid of malpractices and violence.
Reacting, APC's publicity secretary, Rivers state, Chris Finebone, accused the state government of creating the conditions that led to Okonta's death describing the commission of inquiry as cover up.
He recalled that following the killings associated with the 2015 elections in Rivers State, the former governor, Rotimi Amaechi, set up a commission to unravel the issues behind the killings which was kicked against by Wike.
“Nyesom Wike and the PDP swiftly filed suit No FHC/PHC/256/2015 at a Port Harcourt against the sitting of that Commission,” he said.
“One of their arguments was that the former governor was an interested party in what happened during the elections and therefore should not have set up the panel.
“This time, Governor Nyesom Wike is on record for having threatened violence and death to stakeholders long before and even during the rerun elections. There is no doubt that the several gave rise to the widespread and wanton killings.
“Therefore, where lies the enabling neutrality and moral high ground for the governor to set up a commission of inquiry to investigate this matter?” The party threatened to ensure that the commission died on arrival.
“As an INEC ad-hoc staff, late Samuel Okonta and his colleagues were asked by Nyesom Wike to write their will because they might be killed during the rerun elections. After Wike's threat materialised, it was shocking to see the governor rush to sign the condolence register of late Samuel Okonta.
“By signing the condolence register, the APC believes that Wike simply countersigned the will written by late Okonta on the advice of the governor.
“Not done with this, Governor Wike announced that the Rivers State Government will immortalise the dead Corp member. However, the APC wishes to advise Nyesom Wike that members of the NYSC and others who function as INEC ad-hoc and permanent staff would prefer to remain alive than to be sent to their early graves and later immortalised.
“No amount of monetary inducements or mundane accolades is worth the death of anyone under any circumstances.”
Okonta died in the Ahoada area of the state after gunshot injuries. The police said they arrested 24 persons for electoral violence but did not say if those that killed the corper were among those arrested.
Story by David Oputah