Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers has alleged plots to rig the 2023 elections, again criticising the ruling APC for rejecting the electronic transmission of election results.

“Other countries are talking about how their elections should be transparent. We are talking about how to rig the election in 2023. Simple thing! Transmit a result electronically to show transparency is a problem,” Mr Wike said during a church service in Port Harcourt on Sunday, ahead of Nigeria’s independence day celebration.

The governor explained that Nigeria should be more concerned about competing with developed countries practising representative democracy.

“Sixty-one years old, where is the legislature? A legislature that accepts anything they bring as right; a legislature that cannot say Nigeria has gotten to the stage of conducting a free and fair election,” Mr Wike added.

Although the Independent National Electoral Commission has since maintained that it had the capacity to adopt the electronic transmission of results and the PDP legislators supported the move, the APC lawmakers kicked against it.

The governor lamented that the country still “cannot put itself together” and rather embraced tribalism and enmity.

“At 61, Nigeria is still talking about enmity, hatred, division; we’re still talking about a country that cannot put itself together. You hate a state because of an individual. You discriminate against some people because of their religion, because of where they come from,” he stated.

He also criticised President Muhammdu Buhari’s regime for its borrowing spree. “The money we are borrowing, where we are applying it?” asked the Rivers governor.

“What are we celebrating about 61? At 61 years, where are the courts? The courts are being intimidated; the judges have abandoned their responsibilities because of fear,” Mr Wike wondered.

The governor further noted that the country “was gone” and needs God’s intervention as insecurity ravages several states.

“This is the period Nigeria needs God. There’s no other time. The country is gone — insecurity everywhere. And so, everybody must say, ‘God, we need you at this time to save this country. Man’s leadership has failed this country, and therefore, God, we need you at this time,” he pointed out.