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Controvery has continued to surround the alleged assasination attempt on NIMASA DG, Dakuku Peterside on Sunday, in the aftermath of the Rivers rerun election.
The undisputed part of the story is that there was a gun duel at UTC Junction, Old GRA, Port Harcourt close to the DSS office.
The photos released online were truly from the scene of the attack.
But while Peterside, who was Governor Nyesom Wike’s opponent in last year’s governorship election in the state, insists that the attack was an assasination attempt on his life, the state government is claiming that the attack was an attempt on the life of Chukwuemeka Woke, the Chief of Staff of Governor Wike.
Reports had it that the DSS arrested Woke for the attack on Peterside.
Yet another report said he ran into the compound of the DSS himself in an attempt to escape gunfire from Peterside’s convoy.
Peterside, after the incident, stated that it had become evident that the governor wants to kill him and that he is prepared to do everything possible to eliminate him.
According to a press release issued by Dakuku’s office, the gunmen trailed him from Aba Road as he drove towards his house in the GRA area of Port Harcourt, but as his car made to turn towards the GRA entrance to his home, the gunmen drove aggressively hoping to overtake his car.
Mr. Dakuku then changed course and drove to the state headquarters of the DSS as his security aide had already radioed for help.
Soon as Dakuku was allowed into the premises of the DSS, officers at the gate reportedly opened fire on the two SUVs trailing him and succeeded in demobilizing the car and got some of the occupants including Mr. Woke arrested.
According to SaharaReporters, one of Mr. Dakuku’s security aides was seriously injured as a result of exchange gunfire during the thirty-minute long encounter.
But the PDP camp says the attack was actually on Woke, who escaped by running into the premises of the DSS.
The report said the man in red in the photo above, is Mr. Woke, being guided into his vehicle.
Governor Wike, according to a statement by his Special Assistant Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, accused Peterside and his running mate Asita Asita of hijacking results from Isiokpo in Ikwere LGA on Sunday.
He said Dakuku Peterside and his security details opened fire and killed an aide to his Chief of Staff, Mr Woke.
In an interactive session with newsmen on Sunday, Governor Wike said that most military men deployed for the elections were used by APC leaders to hijack materials, illegally arrest PDP members and manipulate the process.
He said that the people resisted the attempt by the military to subvert the election process.
He said:
“Remember I warned that today’s Nigeria is not yesterday’s Nigeria. Things that were done wrongly before cannot be done wrongly now. I warned that the people will resist any attempt to rig”
Nwakaudu’s statement also reads:
“All is now set for the prosecution of Dakuku Peterside, defeated Rivers State Governorship Candidate and NIMASSA Managing Director who on Sunday 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.”