7th February, 2023
Okafor Ofiebor/ Port Harcourt
Governor Nyesom Wike on Tuesday said he has again granted approval to Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to use Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, for its Rivers presidential campaign rally scheduled to hold on February 11, 2023.
Wike had cancelled approval it earlier granted the PDP Presidential Campaign Council to use the stadium for its rally over claims that the PDP Presidential Campaign Council of collaborating with the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is in opposition in Rivers.
Speaking during the Rivers State PDP campaign rally in the Degema Local Government Area last week, Wike said the action by the government is in the interest of the state.
Wike said intelligence report at the disposal of the state government, indicated that the PDP Presidential Campaign Council is to share the use of the facility with the APC, whose activities he said, has been characterised by violence and destruction.
But Wike, on Tuesday said he has changed his mind over the issue after some people he did not mention appealed to him.
“This morning after appeal from people who talked to me, I have given them back Adokiye Amiesimaka. Go and campaign.
“Let it not be that because they didn’t campaign that is why they didn’t win in Rivers State.”
While urging the people to vote for Fubara, the Governor said he will continue with his development strides and consolidate on the gains made by him.
Specifically, the Rivers state Governor said Ayu lied when he claimed that one of the G-5 Governors visited him at his residence during the PDP presidential campaign rally in Benue State on Monday.
Wike spoke at Ogu Mini Stadium, venue of the Rivers State PDP campaign flag-off rally for Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area on Tuesday described the claim by Ayu as a blackmail, while insisting that neither him nor any G-5 governor went to the residence of Ayu.
The Rivers State governor who noted that that was not the first time such insinuations have been made, affirmed that the G-5 governors will win the battle against PDP at the end of the day.
“Nobody can blackmail us. We’ll never go and meet anybody. We are who we are. This is not the first time we have battled. This battle we will win at the end of the day.”
He also said he and his colleague in the G-5 are determined not to allow any person to chase them away from a party that they have built.
“We have gone to court against them. We are not running away from them, all our candidates went to court, our party went to court. I went to court too.
We’ll stay here and we’ll battle it. We are not going to run away from anybody.
“Are we going to run away from armed robbers? It’s not possible. You can’t chase us away from the house we built. Rather, we’ll chase you out because you are used to running away.”
The Governor also revealed that the Supreme Court has affirmed Siminialayi Fubara as the authentic candidate of the PDP for the March 11 governorship election in Rivers.
He noted that the apex court had on Tuesday dismissed appeal brought before it by Hon. Farah Dagogo, who claimed to be the gubernatorial candidate of PDP in Rivers.
He maintained that there is no disputation over the candidature of Fubara as the PDP gubernatorial candidate for Rivers State.
The governor said he had to make the explanation because of the apprehension over rumours that there was a plot to replace Fubara as gubernatorial candidate of the party in Rivers State.
He mocked the people behind the alleged plots, saying that he is always ahead of them and urged them to also return home to implement their plot.
“Supreme Court dismissed the appeal by Farah. I can tell you there is nothing we do not know about what they want to plot from the up. If you plot finish, come down and implement it.”
He informed that like other promises that he fulfilled, his administration has paid 50 percent for the Eteo-Ogu Road and the awarded the contract for the construction of the Eli landing jetty, which were the demands of leaders when they met with him on 14th January 2023.
These, he noted, are in addition to other projects like Ogu sandfilling project, Bolo-K-Dere link bridge, kpogo-Wakama Road, Bolo Internal Roads and the rebuilding of Government Secondary School, Ogu, which was demolished by former governor Chibuike Amaechi.
On his part, Fubara thanked the people for the massive turnout at the rally which he said is a pointer of their support for the party.
He assured that his administration will work with critical stakeholders including traditional leaders to maintain the peace, which will engender development in the area.
Specifically, Fubara said he will do more land reclamation, provide rural electrification and ensure that there are, what he called better school system and facilities to promote quality education for the people of the area.
Rivers State Chairman of PDP, Ambassador Desmond Akawor presented flags to the candidates of PDP and urged the people of Ogu/ Bolo to vote for all PDP candidates.
Chief Allwell Onyesoh, the candidate for River East Senatorial District, said the candidates consider themselves fortunate and lucky to fly the party’s flags.
He pledged that the candidates will not disappoint the party because it has laid a solid foundation for their winning.
In his speech, the House of Assembly member representing Ogu/Bolo State Constituency, Evans Bipi said governor Wike has undisputable footprint everywhere within the council in terms of development projects.
In appreciation, he said the people are resolved to vote massively for Fubara as next governor of the State.
Earlier, Governor Wike, Fubara and leaders of the PDP paid a courtesy call on the Ogu-Bolo council of traditional rulers. Highlight of the event was the conferment of chieftaincy title, Ibifiriwengibo 1 (one who does things) of Ogu-Bolo on Wike by His Highness, King Acheseinimie Micah Frank, Bolo Luka VIII.