Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said that the government and people of the state will stand with the six policemen dismissed by the Police High Command last week.
He called their dismissal “political” and said the officers committed no offence to have been punished.
Mr. Wike said the Rivers government will pursue the matter through laid down legal processes to its conclusion.
The police on Friday said the six officers – one inspector and five sergeants – were dismissed from service for firing indiscriminately into the air, and thereby causing panic among the crowd, during the recent re-run election in the state.
The incident, according to the police, took place when the policemen were in Mr. Wike’s convoy.
They were also accused of escorting Mr. Wike to polling units during the elections, in contravention of the directive from the inspector general of police, which had barred policemen from moving around polling units with politicians and political office holders.
Mr. Wike spoke on Saturday in Ahoada East Local Government Area of the state, during the defection of a former APC chieftain and former Ahoada East Local Government Chairman, Cassidy Ikegbidi.
“They gave me policemen for my protection, but before I knew it, they have dismissed them. They think they are punishing them, but Rivers State will stand with them forever,” the governor said.
He said the policemen committed no offence.
“Simply because they followed their boss, they said they should be dismissed,” he said. “They want to discourage policemen from protecting me. For me, I am not worried. I am a village man and a grassroots politician. Before you kill me, you would have killed so many people.”
The governor said his party, Peoples Democratic Party, is popular in the state because it is delivering.
“Nobody will intimidate me to change my mind. If you like bug my phone. As far as I will never plan coup, I will never be afraid. A man with the people will never beg those who are bent on intimidating us.
“The blood pressure of APC leaders is extremely high. I will continue to make their blood pressure grow higher. From now on, I have changed my name from high tension to Mr Project. ”
He pledged to execute three key projects in Ahoada East Local Government Area and also rehabilitate Western Ahoada County High School.
He commended the former Ahoada East Local Government Chairman for defecting to PDP.
