On March 4, 2023, a Twitter user posted a video corroborating claims that Nyesom Wike, the Governor of Rivers State, committed atrocities in the 2023 presidential election of February 25.
The video was tweeted as a reaction to the post by a Peter Obi supporter claiming that Wike was at a market in Port Harcourt asking the people for forgiveness over the atrocities he committed during the just concluded general election.
Barely 48 hours after the video was posted online, it has garnered over 20,000 views.
In the video, the Nigerian Army officer accused Wike of trying to financially induce security agencies and thwarting the electoral process in the state.
Claim: Did the Army accuse Wike of financial inducement and bribery to compromise the 2023 election?
Verification
Shortly after the 2019 general election, Colonel Aminu Illiyasu, the Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 6 Division accused Wike of financial inducement.
While briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt, he said “equally of grave concern is the daring attempt by Barrister Nyesom Wike to compromise security agencies, particularly troops of 6 Division Nigerian Army with hefty financial inducements to help him in his illegitimate act of thwarting the free and fair electoral process to his favor…”
Wike acknowledged that he spoke to one of the officers on duty during the election. He, however, denied the allegation of financial inducement and described it as baseless.
Verdict
The video being circulated online is real and dates back to February 2019. The narration is however misleading as the press briefing and the alleged financial inducement does not relate to the just concluded 2023 General election.