The River state government has said that Dakuku Peterside, the defeated governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state and Managing Director of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), will be prosecuted for alleged murder.
He is accused of trying to kill an aide to the governor’s chief of staff on Sunday in the heat of the violent legislative elections held at the weekend. Peterside himself had earlier released a statement saying he escaped an assassination attempt by agents of the state government.
Simeon Nwakaudu, special assistant to the governor on electronic media, said in a statement that Peterside, who is now the managing director of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), “directed his security details to murder an aide to the Chief of Staff to Governor Wike while fleeing with some result sheets from Ikwerre Local Government Area.
“The incident took place at the UTC junction in GRA after Dakuku Peterside instead of taking Ikwerre Local Government Area result sheets snatched from collation officers to INEC office drove with it towards the GRA.
“He had stormed the Collation Centre in Isiokpo with soldiers after which he hijacked the already collated results, which included the Ikwerre/Emohua Federal Constituency. Chief of Staff to Governor Wike, Engr Emeka Woke is a PDP Collation Agent for Emohua Local Government Area. Dakuku Peterside, plays politics from Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area and has no links with Ikwerre Local Government Area.
“After he snatched the results alongside his defeated running mate, Asita Asita, Dakuku Peterside and the soldiers fled towards Port Harcourt. The PDP leaders of Ikwerre and Emohua Federal Constituency followed suit.
“At Omagwa near the airport, the soldiers withdrew leaving the SARS personnel from Abuja to take over the electoral theft operation. At Omagwa, defeated APC candidate for Ikwerre State Constituency, Azubike Wanjoku attempted to murder the LGA Electoral Officer when he used his Armoured Sports Utility Vehicle to ram into the Electoral Officer’s car. The SARS personnel with Dakuku Peterside also opened fire on the rest of the people. The Electoral Officer was shot. “It was from this point that Dakuku Peterside motorcade in neck-breaking speed drove towards Port Harcourt.
“Chief of Staff to Governor Wike, Engr Emeka Woke became a victim as the same SARS personnel with Dakuku Peterside opened fire on the vehicle of the Chief of Staff. “Like in the case of infamous Chidi Lloyd, Dakuku Peterside went ahead to release a false press statement on the issue.” Nwakaudu sent a picture along with the press statement, appearing to show a wounded man at the back of an SUV.
