Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State who is struggling for his re-election has again taken on President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, alleging that the Federal Government under the watch of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is currently in a panic mode and are working with security agencies and electoral agency to rig.
He spoke during the Abua/Odual Local Government Area Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Rally at County State School, Abua Central on Tuesday.
According to him, ‘’APC are afraid because they know that Atiku Abubakar will win fair and square. Therefore they are planning to use the security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rig. It will not work.’’
Though INEC has repeatedly declared that they are committed to a credible election, the hard-hitting governor has however, declared that Nigerians are under obligation to protect their votes ‘’to stop the desperate APC Federal Government from rigging the 2019 General Elections.’’
Continuing, he said, ‘’the only way to ensure that Atiku Abubakar and all PDP candidates emerge victorious is to protect all votes from the polling units to the Collation Centres’’, adding that due to the national rejection of the APC, the party is plotting to cause crisis in order to manipulate the electoral system.
‘’All they are doing is to cause crisis because they are not popular. We want free and fair elections. These elections, there will be no room for manipulation . If anyone hits you, hit back. Follow them bumper to bumper. APC is desperate, but we will not allow them’’, Wike said.
While assuring the people that he will flag off a key road project in the area once the people overwhelmingly vote for Atiku and other PDP candidates, he expressed happiness that the state government’s investments in peace and security have yielded results in the area.
The governor took out time to praise the Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Marshall Uwom, for his consistency, pointing out that Uwom will remain relevant in the state’s political terrain.
PDP State Chairman, Felix Obuah said the flagbearers of PDP in the area have the capacity to continue the development process. He used the occasion to present flags to the party candidates for Rivers West Senatorial District, Mrs Betty Apiafi, Abua/Odual/Ahoada East Federal Constituency, Solomon Bob and Abua/Odual State Constituency, Solomon Kirife.
While the candidate for the senatorial district, Mrs Betty Apiafi said Governor Wike has transformed the area with key projects and programmes, party Chair in the local government area, Ken Wariboko, said the governor was in the area for the celebration of his second term.
He said the area was ever intact for the PDP and Governor Wike, claiming that the people of the area are happy that peace has returned to the area due to the investments of the governor.
Local Government Chairman, Daniel O. Daniel, said the people will always stand with the governor, assuring that they will speak with their votes.
Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Marshal Uwom said that the area is determined to deliver all PDP candidates, while Women Affairs Commissioner, Mrs Ukel Oyaghiri said the governor’s achievements will speak for him during the elections.
