Pull Nigeria back from brink of extinction, Gov Wike charges voters

Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt

Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike of Rivers State has called on Nigerians to pull the country from the brink of extinction by voting out President Muhammadu Buhari on February 16, 2019. Speaking during the 2019 PDP Campaign Rally at State School 1, Bori, weekend, the Governor said that Nigeria was at an unfortunate crossroad and that everyone was under obligation to salvage the country from the grip of an alleged non-performing President. He charged: “On February 16, 2019, all Nigerians should persevere at the polling units to ensure we vote Atiku Abubakar and other PDP candidates and sack President Muhammadu Buhari. “Nigeria is at a crossroad and anything can happen at any time. The enemies of the country will never succeed,” he said. The governor urged Nigerians to defend their votes and their permanent voters’ cards because the APC Federal Government had allegedly set up a committee to steal PVCs. The governor warned security agencies and officials of the National Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, against plotting to rig, saying that any official involved in rigging would suffer the consequences. He said that his administration had kept all his promises to the Ogoni people, pointing out that his second term would witness more profound projects in the area. Governor Wike warned the people of Khana Local Government Area against “being deceived by the empty promises of the failed APC Federal Government.” He said the Buhari administration had used the Ogoni cleanup exercise as a lying political tool which would never be implemented. Governor Wike said that at the federal level, President Muhammadu Buhari “wanted to cripple the Judiciary and the Legislature, the way the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, closed the courts and State House of Assembly of Rivers State in 2013.” Deputy Governor, Ipalibo Harry Banigo who was present at the occasion expressed happiness that Khana people were solidly behind Governor Wike. She said that Governor Wike would never disappoint Khana people. She also said that anyone plotting to scuttle the forthcoming elections would face the consequences of their actions. Rivers State PDP Chairman, Chief Felix Obuah, said that Khana Local Government Area had proven to be a stronghold of Governor Wike and urged the people to remain steadfast in their support for Governor Wike in 2019. He presented PDP Candidate for Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Rt. Hon. Bari Mpigi, PDP Candidate for House of Representatives, Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency, Dum Dekor, PDP Candidate for Khana State Constituency 1, Bariene Deeyah and PDP Candidate for Khana State Constituency 2, Prince Ngbor to Khana people. He said the people should vote them for the development of the area. Speaking, PDP candidate for House of Representatives, Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency, Dum Dekor, said the rally was a history making event because the governor’s journey to Government House Port Harcourt started on the same point. He said the people were prepared for battle, noting that nobody would be allowed to use the military to rig elections in the area. In his remarks, Senator Lee Maeba, said Governor Wike was for the Ogoni people, alleging that the former governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, sacked Ogoni son and replaced him with an Ikwerre man. He said that Governor Wike had always been a friend of the Ogoni, as he nominated an Ogoni son, Kenneth Kobani as a Minister of State for Trade. Former Leader of APC in Khana, Elder Austin Nwanko, said since 1956 till date, Governor Wike was the first to touch the lives of the people through the dualization of the Sakpenwa-Bori Road. He said about 1800 members of the APC defected in Kpean Town because of the works of Governor Wike. Commissioner of Environment, Roseline Konya, said the performance of the Rivers State Governor would lead to 100 per cent votes for the PDP during the 2019 General elections. Rivers State Commissioner for Employment Generation, Dr Leloonu Nwibubasa, said that Governor Wike had changed the heartbeat of the area into Pro-Wike songs. Director General of the Rivers State PDP Campaign Council, Desmond Akawor said that Ogoni people from the 295 polling units came with one voice to re-elect Governor Wike. He said the projects across Khana people had endeared him to the people Chairman of Khana Local Government Area, Lahteh Loolo, said that Governor Wike and PDP would win in all the polling units of the area. He said since 2015, Governor Wike had continued to defy all negative claims by the opposition to emerge victorious at every turn. He said like in 2015, Governor Wike would win in 2019.