Wike’s 200,000 SAs, Threat to Democracy, Says Lulu-Briggs

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The governorship candidate of the Accord in Rivers State, Dumo Lulu-Briggs, has described the recent appointment of 200, 000 Special Advisers by the state Governor, Nyesom Wike, as a threat to democracy and not his party.

Lulu-Briggs made the assertion while addressing journalists at the inauguration of his 207-member campaign council in Port Harcourt.

Responding to questions from journalists, the Accord gubernatorial candidate stressed that the appointment by Wike is an indirect engagement of people in vote buying, saying it will not in anyway affect the decision of the Rivers people to effect change in the governance of the state.

He said the present government is taking advantage of hunger in the land to engage people at their various wards and units into vote buying.

Lulu-Briggs said: “Appointment of 200, 000 special advisers by the Governor Wike is not a threat to my election but a threat to democracy and it’s something that everybody must rise against. There is nothing else you can call it other than vote buying. And we have been told by the INEC that it’s criminal to engage in such activities.

“I understand what the governor is doing but I believe that the people have been appointed across the various local government areas in their various units. We should ask ourselves, why are we important to politicians once in every four years.

“There has been so much hunger, why have we just remembered that we can empower them, why have you just remembered that money which is not available to pay pensioners is available to give your party a head-start on election?

“This election is going to be decided by the great people of Rivers State. It is going to be one man, one vote. Rivers people have seen beyond all these antics.”

The business mogul said the oil rich Rivers State is at a nosedive because of poor leadership, and pointed out that Accord is out to liberate the people of the state from the maladministration imposed on them.

He regretted that civil servants in the state as well as pensioner have not been taken good care of, adding that he will run policy governance that will take good care of the civil servants and provide for their needs.