Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has been accused of submitting forged or inconsistent birth- and age-related documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2015, following his claim of turning 50 in December 2017 despite earlier records suggesting a different date of birth.
Accusations have emerged that Governor Nyesom Wike submitted conflicting or forged documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) when contesting the 2015 governorship election.
Central to the dispute is the governor’s December 2017 celebration of his “50th birthday,” implying a birthdate of December 13, 1967. However, documents filed with INEC in 2015 list his date of birth as March 13, 1963.
An affidavit used in lieu of a birth certificate, sworn by his brother Collins Nyele Wike on October 3, 1986, also names 1963 as his birth year. Observers point out additional inconsistencies: the affidavit was handwritten in pen instead of typed, and it lists Obio-Akpor Local Government Area as his brother’s place of residence, despite that LGA having been created only in 1989.
When confronted, Wike reportedly asked guests at his birthday party, “Who told them I am 50?”, but has not offered a definitive explanation regarding the discrepancies.