An audio recording allegedly of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, threatening officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission has gone viral, sparking controversy.
The recording, uploaded by SaharaReporters, is said to be of a phone conversation between the governor and two officials of INEC.
According to the recording, entitled “Governor Nyesom Wike caught on tape bribing INEC officals to rig Rivers election rerun”, a voice said to be of the governor could be heard threatening to deal with and even kill officials who he suggested had been paid if they failed to deliver.
He particularly threatened to kill an official sent from Plateau State who was sent to Khana Local Government Area.
Stressing that “Ikwere Local Government did it”, he warned that if others failed to deliver he would make sure that they did not leave the state.
ReportsAfrique.com, however, reported that sources within the state government claim the audio recording was doctored by Sahara Reporters.
According to the report, the government sources claim the audio was an attempt by the All Progressives Congress and its supporters to shift attention from the “gravity of electoral crimes committed by agents of the Federal Government caught on video across Rivers State”.
It quoted the Senior Special Adviser to the governor on Social Media, Oraye Franklin as saying, “There is nothing technology cannot do.”
