*Says Rivers APC guber candidate, Tonye Cole, lacks character
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike says the inability of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to win the presidential election was a direct consequence of ignoring the warnings of the G-5 governors of the PDP.
Governor Wike stated that it is too early in the day for people to begin to forget that the eventual fate that befell PDP was avoidable if the national leadership of the party had heeded the several appeals and demands on them to adopt the principal of equity, fairness and justice as they approached the presidential election.
Speaking on Monday at Okomoko Community Field while inaugurating the Chokocho-Igbodo Road in Etche Local Government Area, governor Wike said it is now settled that the presidency has returned to the south because the north is completing its 8 years at the presidency.
“Our constitution says in section 7: 3c that there shall be rotation of public offices; of appointive and elective. You took the chairmanship of the party. You took the presidential candidate slot of the party and we came to you, saying this is against the spirit of our constitution.
“Give us back the chairmanship, you said no, that you must have it all because you have won. I said be careful then, and nobody wants to remember all those things when we were shouting.”
Governor Wike stated that while others are demonstrating against the outcome of the presidential elections, he is in Rivers inaugurating projects and satisfying the development needs of the people.
The governor explained that there was no time he ever criticised either the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi or the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu during the campaigns.
Governor Wike said he rather campaigned, unapologetically, to true lovers of Nigeria to vote for a southern presidential candidate in the spirit of equity, fairness and justice.
“That is what we have argued for, that the north has had it for 8years, therefore the south should have it for 8 years. So, I am not here to persecute anybody.
“As far as I am concerned, anybody from the south is where I stand. That is what we agreed as integrity group that we must make sure that the south emerges as the next president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Speaking further, governor insisted that he is one of the apostles who stood firm that power must rotate and it was based on the conviction of equity, fairness and justice.
He told Etche people that he has no problem with anybody who had either voted for the Labour Party or the APC because the outcome of the presidential election is that Nigeria has a southerner elected as the next president.
Taking a swipe at the governorship candidate of APC in Rivers State, governor Wike said Tonye Cole lacks the character to steer the affairs of the State.
“People are terrible in politics, those who cannot stand for what they say. When I say something, you can go home and sleep, knowing that I said something.
“Look at the APC candidate (Tonye Cole), he posted on social media, congratulating Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, but within one hour, he pulled it out. Is that a man? Is that character? I don’t understand. This is a man who all of them, both their leader, even some of them who claimed they’re in PDP, all of them in this State voted against a southern presidency.”
Governor Wike went on to say: “They voted Atiku Abubakar. The same people now turned around to say, support me (Tonye Cole), it’s only Wike that did not support Obi.
“Look at people who don’t have character, are they the ones you want as governor of Rivers State? I have character, go to anywhere, I have character. There are characters whom you cannot trust.”
Commenting on the Chokocho-Igbodo road, governor Wike said it is one of the several promises that he made to Etche people that has been fulfilled.
While awarding the contract for the construction of the 3KM long section of the road to connect Etche to Imo State, governor Wike urged the people to reciprocate the development they have benefitted by voting for Sir Siminialayi Fubara, PDP gubernatorial candidate of the State for continuity.
Governor Wike urged the people of the State to ignore manipulated audio and video being circulated on social media by some depraved minds to mislead unsuspecting general public.
Providing the description of the project, Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Dr. George-Kelly Dakorinima Alabo said the 27.12 KM long road, awarded in December 2021 was completed within the agreed 12 months.
He explained that the road is 11.3 meters wide, has binders across with 1.5meters of shoulders, 8.3meters of carriageway, 22.01 KM long drains, has 16 culverts and 6 discharge points that takes runoff water to designated places.
Kelvin Ebiri
Special Assistant on Media to the Rivers State governor.
March 6, 2023.
