An elite political action group in Port Harcourt, the Rivers PDP Third Force Movement has condemned in totality the criminal acts of a syndicate caught cloning the Permanent Voters Card (PVC) being issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The fraudulent incident occurred during the early hours of Friday, 5th of December 2014 at a popular hotel owned by a chieftain of the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI) who is also a close associate of Barrister Nyesom Wike. The hotel is located in Elele, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The persons numbering about eight (8) including a female are all alleged to be members of Nyesom Wike’s GDI and were arrested by some youths in the community following a tip-off and were subsequently handed over to the Police. The suspects who were caught in the act of forging PVCs in the hotel in Elele are presently in the custody of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Port Harcourt.
Disclosing this to newsmen, the group’s General Secretary, Oprite Amachree stated that for the GDI operatives to clone the PVCs that INEC just began issuing is criminality of the highest order. He added that the sole intention for carrying out such a devilish and fraudulent act was clearly to further Barrister Nyesom Wike’s political agenda to win the governorship ticket of the PDP in Rivers State at all cost.
“Everyone knows that Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike is the leader and grand patron of the GDI, so for his followers to be caught in such a criminal act is a shame to democracy and can only be a clear indication of his desperation to win the PDP’s gubernatorial ticket”, the Rivers PDP Third Force leader stated.
The Group accused security agencies of trying to sweep the issue under the carpet, noting that his antics should be seen as an individual act of a mischievous element and not as a collective PDP affair. They also noted the credibility built by the PDP over the years should not be destroyed by a lone ranger who is the financier of the GDI. The group called on the security agencies to beam their searchlight and increase surveillance on Nyesom Wike and his GDI cronies for their fraudulent and criminal acts.
It will be recalled that Barrister Nyesom Wike had boasted severally in the past that he has the backing of the First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan, prominent figures in the Presidency and some top party leaders of the PDP at national level since he can win elections by any means possible. Could this GDI PVC scam possibly be one of the fraudulent tactics in his arsenal to win the upcoming gubernatorial elections after he bulldozes his way to win the Rivers PDP primaries? Who knows.
The Rivers PDP Third Force Movement also called on President Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR and the national leadership of the PDP to swiftly save the Rivers State chapter of the party by cautioning the former junior minister and his GDI followers from further defacing the beauty of the PDP and frittering away the goodwill that the party has been enjoying in Rivers State. The group noted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has capitalized on this unfortunate incident to launch attacks on the PDP.