2019: My performance will enhance electoral fortunes of PDP in Rivers State, Wike says

The Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has stated that the electoral prospects of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state have been enhanced following the outstanding performance of his administration.

Speaking during a special appearance on Viewpoint, Rhythm FM Port Harcourt, a Phone-in Programme on Saturday, Governor Wike said that his projects and programmes rolled out across the state have made the PDP more acceptable to the people.

He said: “If elections are held 100 times in Rivers State, the PDP will win. The chances of the PDP are even brighter in Rivers State as a result of my performance. I have projects located in all local government areas of the state. I have reasons in each local government area why the people should vote for me.”

He explained that if it is in terms of performance and projects delivery, the PDP would wax stronger in subsequent elections.

Wike said that though several groups had endorsed him for a second term, he would only declare after extensive consultations with stakeholders across the board.

He said, “If I have the consent of stakeholders, I will win in 2019 because I have projects located state-wide. In all Local Government Areas, I have reasons why the people should vote for me.”

The governor noted that the series of awards that he had won were testimonies that his administration had done well.

On road projects, the governor said all road projects were relevant to benefiting communities, hence the achievement could not be trivialized.

He said, “How would anyone who lives in this state come out to tell the world that we are painting roads. They should be courageous to own up that they are surprised that we have performed excellently. For instance, can you say that the Sakpenwa-Bori Road is painting of roads? What about the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo unity road, the Diobu roads, the Isiokpo Internal Roads, the Okrika Internal Roads, the Township roads, the Elelenwo-Akpajo Road, the Igwuruta-Chokocho road, the Abonnema Ring Road. Are these painting of roads?”

Commenting on the security situation in the state, Wike noted that his administration had invested in the security agencies and improved their capacity to fight crime and criminality.

“If we do not work in synergy with security agencies, how would we have gotten Don Wanny. Whether we like it or not, it is incumbent on us to play our own part on Security . I reeled out the data on security infractions during Amaechi’s tenure to refresh the memory of the people. Don Wanny did not start today. He reigned all through the Amaechi administration, what measures did Amaechi take to bring him to justice? We have tracked down Don Wanny and brought him to justice.

“The State Government funded the operation that led to the death of Don Wanny. The President may have encouraged it, but the operation was funded by the Rivers State Government. Don Wanny accepted Amnesty, but refused to abide by the tenets of the Amnesty. It was at this point that the Security Council resolved to track him down.”

The governor stated that all through his political career, he had never been involved in the arming of youths, alleging that it was the former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi that has links to rusticated cultists.

He said: “I have never bought weapons for anyone to support me to win elections. I worked with Amaechi to win two elections, I didn’t buy guns. It is nonsensical to allege that I will buy guns to win my elections. You don’t learn left hand in old age. If at the time I emerged Local Government Chairman I did not buy guns and as Director General of Amaechi campaign, I did not buy guns, why should I buy guns now?”

Governor Wike noted that the State Government wolud be setting up the Neighbourhood Watch to support the security agencies. He said that neighbourhood watch would have no power to detain or prosecute offenders.

He said that the security of lives and property has been politicised by the APC Federal Government in Rivers State to distract the Rivers State Government, adding that the APC-led Federal Government has failed Nigerians in the area of security.

The governor noted that his administration had mapped out strategies to ensure that the state was insulated from herdsmen insecurity challenge and all other forms of insecurity.

Governor Wike urged the people of Rivers State to live in unity under God, noting that the state remained a Christian State.

While stating that the Local Government Election would hold this year since the State Electoral Commission has proposed a Budget for It, Governor Wike assured that the PDP would hold transparent primaries that would lead to the emergence of popular candidates who would form the premise for victory in 2019.

The governor alleged that Amaechi planned to sponsor his political godson, Dr. Dakuku Peterside as a means of getting hold of the state and noted that he would fail.

On the issue of governorship, Governor Wike said he emerged because of peculiar circumstances created by the defection of Amaechi to the APC. He said he was nominated by PDP because he had the best potential to defeat the APC.

He said that no ethnic nationality in the state could produce a governor without the support of others. He said at the end of his expected second term, all ethnic nationalities would engage in dialogue to determine the next governor.

Amaka Agbu Portharcourt