Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said that Nigerians will not honour members of the Nigerian Armed Forces who engage in rigging and snatching of ballot boxes during elections.
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Wike, who made this remark on Sunday during an Inter-denominational Church Service to mark this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration at the Saint Peter’s Anglican Church, Rumuepirikom on Sunday, urged the uniformed men to be professional.
“We are not honouring those who are unprofessional and (who) carry ballot boxes to influence the electoral process. I urge members of the Armed Forces to choose the right path in the interest of the country.
“It is unfortunate that the military has lost its integrity because of some unprofessional personnel. Nobody is afraid of the military because of their unprofessional conduct. Those who come to rig election or kill Rivers people, Heaven will never remember them,” the governor said.
Wike explained that he had been vindicated by the admission by INEC Chairman, Mamood Yakubu, that security agencies were responsible for the electoral malpractices that marred the last elections.
He said, “I thank God that the chairman of INEC has owned up that the problem with elections are the security agencies. This confirms all I have said in the past.”
The governor, however, praised the Armed Forces for the role they have played in preserving the unity of the country.
“But for them, kidnappers, cultists, insurgents and armed robbers would have taken over the country,” he said, just as he called for the institution of a reward system to encourage soldiers to put in their best for the country.
In a sermon, Venerable Samuel Chimele, called on soldiers to be professional in the discharge of their duties to the nation.
Chimele said, “As we remember our fallen heroes, be professional. There are temptations for the military to be unprofessional, but strive to be professional.”
He said that soldiers engaging in unprofessional acts would go unrecognised in the long run, even when they enjoyed earthly promotion.
Prayers were said for the fallen heroes, their families, the Government and people of Rivers State as well as the Federal Government and the Armed Forces.
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