Politics

Fubara remains Rivers PDP candidate, Wike maintains

Nyesom Wike

…As Supreme Court dismisses Dagogo’s appeal

…Reapproves Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium for PDP presidential rally

BY AMAKA AGBU

Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has maintained that Sir Siminialayi Fubara remained the authentic candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the Supreme Court of Nigeria on Tuesday dismissed appeal brought before it by Hon. Farah Dagogo, with claims to be the gubernatorial candidate.

Governor Wike spoke at Ogu Mini Stadium, venue of the Rivers State PDP campaign flag-off rally for Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area on Tuesday.

The Rivers State Governor maintained that there was no disputation over the candidature of Sir Siminialayi Fubara as the PDP gubernatorial candidate for Rivers State.

The governor said he had to make the explanation because of the apprehension that some party members had expressed sequel to rumours that there was a plot to replace Fubara as gubernatorial candidate of the party in Rivers State.

He mocked those he described as plotters against the interest of the State, saying that he was 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 said.

The Rivers State governor also wondered the basis of the claim by Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, the national chairman of the PDP, who on Monday claimed that they were reaching out to the G-5 governors. According to him, Ayu lied when he also claimed that one of the G-5 governors visited him at his residence.

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Governor Wike, who took exception to such “blackmail”, insisted that neither he nor any G5 governor went to the residence of Dr. Ayu.

The Rivers State governor stated that it was not the first time such insinuation has been made, but that the G-5 governors would win the battle in 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 said

To governor Wike, he and his colleague in the G-5 are determined not to allow any person to chase them away from a party that they had built.

Wike continued: “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,” Wike stated.

Governor Wike announced that he had reapproved Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium for the PDP presidential campaign to hold its rally on February 11, 2023.

“This morning after appeal from people who talked to me, I have given them back Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium. Go and campaign. Let it not be that because they didn’t campaign that is why they didn’t win in Rivers State,” Wike continued.

Campaigning for Sir Siminialayi Fubara, governor Wike said the consolidation team would continue with his development strides and consolidate on the gains made by him.

He informed that like other promises that he fulfilled, his administration had paid 50 per cent for the Eteo-Ogu Road and the awarded the contract for the construction of the Eli landing jetty, which were demands their leaders made when they met with him on 14th January 2023.

These, he noted, were 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.

On his part, Rivers State governorship candidate of the PDP, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, thanked the people for their massive turnout, which he said, was a pointer of their support for the party.

He assured that his administration would work with critical stakeholders including traditional leaders to maintain the peace, to engender development.

Specifically, Fubara said he would do more land reclamation for them, provide rural electrification and ensure that there were, what he called better school system and facilities to promote quality education for them.

Rivers State Chairman of PDP, Ambassador Desmond Akawor presented party’s flags to the candidates and urged the people of Ogu/ Bolo to deliver winning votes to all PDP candidates.

Chief Allwell Onyesoh, the candidate for River East Senatorial District, said they considered themselves fortunate and lucky to fly the party’s flags. He pledged that they would not disappoint the party because it had 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 had undisputable footprint everywhere within the council in terms of development projects.

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In appreciation, he said the people were 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 governor Wike by His Highness, King Acheseinimie Micah Frank, Bolo Luka VIII.

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