NOTWITHSTANDING APC’S SUPPORT FOR POWER SHIFT, I WOULD NOT JOIN – WIKE
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By Adeniyi Onaara
Wike stated that while he does not encourage traditional rulers to participate in politics, he asked them to support the PDP governorship candidate.
Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, governor of Rivers State, has stated that he will never join the All Progressives Congress (APC), despite its governor’s admirable stance on allocating the presidency to the South.
The governor dismissed speculation that he will switch to the APC, insisting that he is an unrepentant member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Governor Wike made the remarks during the 114th quarterly general meeting of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers on Monday in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
He informed the council ahead of Saturday’s presidential election that he will vote for only the candidate who can ensure the country’s unity.
“I am not a member of the APC and will not become one. However, they have convinced me that they are national heroes. The governors came out to argue that the presidency should transfer to the south for the sake of the country’s unity.
The APC governors stated that given the state of the country, the president should be handed over to the south.
“It doesn’t matter if they say yes or no. We have the number as governors. We can still argue that it should remain where it is. But they didn’t do that. They said the way we are seeing this country we want everybody to be together.
“Let no one say because I have the population, therefore, you will continue to dominate. In dominating you need peace, without peace you cannot govern.”
Speaking on the crisis in PDP, the governor stated that Rivers State has helped to sustain PDP right from the era of former governor, Dr. Peter Odili down to his administration.
Therefore, he insisted that it is absolutely wrong for a section of the country to deny other people the opportunity to participate in presiding over the affair of the nation.
“We are all Nigerians and we want the unity of this country. We want Nigeria to move forward as a united country. Rivers State has always been in support of one Nigeria and we’ll continue to support one Nigeria.
But in doing that, we believe in equity, we believe in justice, we believe in fairness. As the governor of this State, I will vote for the unity of this country. I will vote for anything that will unite Nigeria.
“I will not support anything that will divide Nigeria. And that is what necessitated the principle of live and let’s live. If only one person continues to live, things will not be good.
It’s not about party, it is about Nigeria. I am a member of Peoples Democratic Party, unrepentant member, who in fact, built this party when people ran away.”
He explained that the reason why he has been one of the arrowheads of those agitating inclusivity in PDP, is because of his belief in the unity of the country. According to him, a strategic State like Rivers, cannot be relegated to play second fiddle in the country.
Governor Wike said though he does not encourage traditional rulers involvement in politics, he however, urged them to support the PDP governorship candidate, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, who he formally presented to the council, for the continuity of the developmental stride recorded by his administration since 2015.
“In the next few months, I will be former (governor). But former in a big way. My transition will be smooth, there will be no crisis. Don’t make mistake to go and vote for another person. You want to distort everything we have done, and then our state will go backward. Let’s allow continuity.”
The governor declared that in over seven years of his administration none of the twenty-three local government areas of the State can claim they were neglected in terms of project execution.
Governor Wike assured the traditional rulers that no project awarded by his administration including the reconstruction and dualisation of the Emohua/Abalama-Tema road as well as the Ahoada/Omoku road, will be abandoned.
The Rivers State governor promised to give all State recognised traditional rulers official vehicles before he leaves office.
The chairman of the Rivers State council of traditional rulers, His majesty king, Dandeson Douglas Jaja, Jeki V, Amanyanabo of Opobo, thanked the governor for the respect he has accorded the council since his assumption of office.
The king informed the governor that members of the Council, in a representative meeting, have resolved to support any governorship candidate of his choice that will carry on with the developmental blueprint of the state as laid down by him.
Ahead of the general election, the king has urged political actors and their supporters to conduct their activities peacefully so that the citizens can still have a State to cherish after the elections.
“They should also note that, nobody’s political ambition is worth the blood of any resident of this State. We must remember that political parties are only vehicles by which people access political offices.
“They are not permanent. Politicians can change parties anytime depending on changing circumstances. We, therefore, appeal to our politicians to eschew violence and stop using our youths as cannon fodder. Let the peace we are enjoying under this administration be sustained.”
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