Rivers Governorship: We’ll Defeat You And Your Thugs, Wike Tells Amaechi

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has vowed to resist what he called “a desperation” on the part of the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, to rig this Saturday governorship election in the state using thugs and security agencies.

Governor Wike stated this weeks after Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State, vowed to wrestle power from him with every ounce of his strength.

The minister had during the Rivers presidential rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) last month vowed to deal with Wike, who was his Chief of Staff, in the election for allegedly betraying him.

Amaechi had said at the rally, “Wike was my Chief of Staff, I made him Chairman of Council, I inaugurated him as a minister but when he saw Goodluck, he betrayed me,” adding that, “I have been betrayed serially… including senators. After you finish helping them, after praying for them, they will go and betray you for a pot of porridge.”

The minister’s threat was not taken lightly by Governor Wike who has continued to state his readiness to resist any attempt to forcefully wrestle power from him at the poll.

At a town hall meeting in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, the governor urged the people of Rivers to make sure they protect their votes during the governorship election this Saturday.

“Just be vigilant and protect your votes. We have no security with us, but we have the Chief Security Officer of the world on our side.”

Apparently referring to Amaechi, Wike said: “If they like they should bring Police, Army and thugs from all over the world, we are quite confident that we shall smile on March 9, 2019. Come out and vote for people you can vouch for.

He said, “It is unfortunate that the Minister of Transportation would imagine that he can impose a politician without pedigree on Rivers State, just because he is desperate.

“Has Rivers State gone to the level where someone will point at a person and make him governor? He says he will bring anyone even without record.

“Rivers State is not like any other state. We will not allow a godfather to operate here. Our only Godfather is God.

“You are not participating in the elections. Why are you killing our people. You should allow the will of God to prevail. Talk to our children to avoid being used for violence. Reject violence as being propagated by the APC.

“Those who want to shed blood in Rivers State will never succeed. I don’t know why they are plotting to destroy the state. We never caused any problems in the APC.

“APC fought themselves and pushed themselves out of the race. Now they want to kill everyone in the state. What is the offence of Rivers people, that we must all die because the APC excluded themselves from the ballot?

“Where are the children of the APC leaders preaching violence in Rivers State .

“Nobody in Rivers State ran for the post of President and Vice President on February 23, 2019, yet the APC visited deaths on Rivers people.

“The Minister said that he believes in the rotation of positions, yet he nominated himself as Minister, sacked an Ogoni man as the Executive Director of Finance and Administration of NDDC and replaced him with his kinsman from Ikwerre LGA and also facilitated the appointment of an Ikwerre LGA indigene as a member of Federal Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission.

Governor Wike also urged the security agencies to be professional in their conduct during the governorship election.

“Security agencies please perform your duties in line with the rules governing elections. Conserve your energy to fight Boko Haram and violent crime,” he said.

“Those who involved themselves in street protests claiming they will kick me out are merely playing because they have already kicked themselves out of the process. Rivers people have already decided to vote me again for a second term,” said the Governor.