Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has accused the federal government of working relentlessly to kill the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He however expressed optimism that in the long run, the PDP would survive while the All Progressives Congress (APC) which controls the federal government will die politically.
He further stated that deliberate efforts by agents of the federal government to stagnate development in Rivers State would not succeed.
The governor spoke yesterday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, when he granted audience to the leadership of Non -Indigenes Without Borders chaired by Hon. Emeka Onowu.
He said: “We have a sad situation where everything is being done at the federal level to kill the PDP. However, in the end, it is their own political party that will die.”
The governor expressed dissatisfaction with the repeated plots to rig the forthcoming rerun elections in the state, noting that nobody would be allowed to steal the mandate of Rivers people, no matter the deployment of pliant security agencies.
“They are repeatedly shifting the date of the rerun elections so that they can have a convenient time to rig. Nobody should be scared of their plan to use DSS and police to rig the rerun elections.
“The policeman that is carrying gun, how many people can he kill? In Turkey where they resisted the army, are they not human beings? Nobody will circumvent the mandate of the Rivers people,” Wike said.
He said as an opposition state, the people of Rivers State are aware that they would have battles for survival from those who control the federal level.
The governor explained that his action of October 8, 2016 was not geared towards stopping the Department of State Services (DSS) from arresting a judge, but an action aimed at ensuring that the right process was followed.
In his address, National Leader of the Non-Indigenes Without Borders, Onowu, lauded Wike for providing leadership that has helped to shape democracy in the country.
He commended the governor for being a detribalised governor who caters for all interest and ethnic groups.
Onowu said contrary to rumours by the opposition in the state that the governor would drive away the non-indigenes after winning the 2015 governorship election, Wike has offered them critical appointments and integrated them in key empowerment programmes.
He said: “They claimed during the campaign that Wike would chase away non-indigenes from the state. Today, the truth is out and their false propaganda has been exposed.
“Non-indigenes have never had it so good in Rivers State. Today, we have a Chief Judge, a commissioner, Caretaker Committee members, senior aides to the governor and our members have benefitted from the empowerment programme to traders and artisans.”
He said the Wike administration has demonstrated fairness and love in all her dealings with non-indigenes since 2015.
