The Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Gesila Khan, has said she did not collect N700 million or any money from anyone as claimed by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement issued by her lawyer, Mr. Selekeowei Larry (SAN), Khan challenged the APC to produce her statement of account that allegedly contained the huge sum of money.
She also said she carried out her duty in accordance with the law and did not take side with any group, political party or persons.
The APC in Rivers State had in a statement issued last Sunday in Port Harcourt, challenged the state REC to explain the source of the N700million reportedly found in her account.
But, Khan described the allegation as ridiculous, baseless and a calculated attempt to tarnish her hard-earned reputation.
She also chided journalists for not demanding a copy of the purported statement of account containing the bogus money before accepting to publish the libellous allegation from the APC.
“I have never collected bribes from anyone. I don’t have any such money in my account and I challenge the APC, or anyone who has my bank account containing that sum of money to produce it,” she added.
She said rather than commend her for serving her country, she is being vilified unjustifiably.
Khan said the DSS at no time said it found the alleged money in her account.
She challenged the APC to tell the world the source of the malicious information and that it could only have been invented by the party.
Rivers APC in the statement signed by the state chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, had berated the Peoples Democratic Party for seeking to stop the DSS from carrying out its constitutional duties.
Ikanya argued that the PDP’s posture on the arrest of the state REC by the DSS indicated that they (PDP and REC) were in alliance.
“By petitioning the DSS over the probe of Mrs. Gesila Khan, the PDP has publicly exposed the unholy alliance between their party and the REC.
“We have been crying even before the March 28 and April 11 elections, in which she brazenly took sides with the PDP and worked overzealously to return the party’s candidates for all the positions, so as to justify the huge sums of money she collected from the then ruling party and please her relation, the then President Goodluck Jonathan,” Ikanya said.
The state APC accused the former President and the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, of being behind the N700 million allegedly found in the state REC’s account.
“Jonathan presidency and candidate Nyesom Wike paid out (the money) to the woman to buy the mandate of Rivers people in the last general election. Sadly, they did not tutor her well enough on how to deal with such huge amount of money.
“Under the new dispensation, the law is not a respecter of individuals, stressing that Mrs. Khan and some of her key staff invited for questioning by the DSS are not above the law.
“If they are sure of the results of the elections in Rivers State, all they need to do is to report to the DSS and prove their innocence,” Rivers APC said.
