The Rivers State government has denied allegations that Gov. Nyesom Wike walked with soldiers, intimidated voters and influenced votes in Saturday’s presidential and statehouse elections. National Information and Communications Commissioner Chris Finebone said in a statement in Port Harcourt on Monday.

Finebone was responding to a viral message that Wike had discussed electoral conspiracy with Rep. Dumnamene Decor, a member of the House of Representatives. Calling the video manipulated, the commissioner said those behind it were conducting a smear campaign aimed at tarnishing the governor’s image, and urged the public to ignore it.

He said: “The Rivers State Government has come to the attention that certain individuals have embarked on a campaign of defamation against the Executive Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Nyesom Wike, using various forms of manipulative and false audio and visual materials and their dissemination, especially via the Internet.” Of particular note is a manipulated audio clip made during the 2016 Rivers State re-election that pretended to be a discussion between the Governor and the Honorable Dum Decor.

“This audio mix has been duly smeared and seen as crap invented by nefarious people to tarnish Governor Wick’s image.” But this time eager to throw dirty water on the governor, some decided to dig up and use the same old clip Come and defend their nefarious plot to tarnish the image of the Governor. “To be clear, after Governor Wake and his wife voted last Saturday, they quietly returned home and did not come out for the rest of the day.

“So it’s surprising that the same people who chose to lie to the Governor for reasons they know best made false allegations that Governor Wake was walking around with soldiers to intimidate people and vote and vote to influence votes.” For the record, at no time, and especially during an election, Governor Wick has no soldiers, official or unofficial, in his entourage. For whatever reason, the governor did not visit or move after the vote.

Likewise, Ogbonnan Nwuke, director of public relations and communications for the Rivers State People’s Democratic Party campaign committee, rejected an online petition calling for a visa ban on Vic, who was allegedly promoting election violence. In an interview with The Times on Monday, Nwuke urged those behind the online petition to provide evidence to back up their claims.

As many as 12,404 people have almost signed a change.org petition calling for the UK, US, Canada and the entire continent of Europe and Asia to ban Vic and his family from obtaining visas. Petitioner Onyebuchi Ezeagabu claimed, “Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has acted to undermine the electoral process in his state. We demand the disqualification of his and his family’s visas.”

Amechi Victor, who supported the petition, said: “He (Victor) is against democracy in Nigeria. He just rigged the election results.” A citizen who enjoys the mission of the people.”

He said: “We have seen the names of the signatories to this petition. We know they are not from the Rivers. Wake’s claim that he killed the Igbo is further proof of that. Missions abroad and what they represent countries can better understand what’s going on in the country. “They have credible sources to gather information from. Wike provides logistics for Peter Obi. No Igbo ever said anything about Vic killing an Igbo.