The terrorist-like politics of state institutions in Nigeria working for President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election by all means appears to be taking a turn for the worse.
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has raised a disturbing alarm on the backstage politics of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to Wike, the authorities of the apex bank and the anti-graft agency have allegedly directed Managing Directors of banks to deny the state cash during the weeks of the general election.
He claimed that he received the information on the alleged illegal cash strangulation of the big oil and gas state by a few bank chiefs who attended a meeting with the CBN and EFCC.
Addressing his supporters during a Campaign Rally of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area, Governor Wike said this unconstitutional initiative by the ‘’desperate’’ federal institutions will fail woefully.
According to him, ‘’the CBN and the EFCC invited the managing directors of banks and told them to deny Rivers cash during the elections. They told them to strangulate Rivers. We have passed that stage. Nobody can gag us. Before now, we prepared for the elections. They should not bother, because we are ready.’’
Governor Wike said rather than cry over the insistence of the international community that the All Progressives Congress (APC) Federal Government should conduct credible polls, ‘’President Buhari should emulate former President Goodluck Jonathan who organised free and fair elections and lost.’’
‘’In 2015, the APC went to the International Community and got their support. They supported them and the PDP lost. Today, the APC Federal Government is crying because the international community is insisting on credible polls.
‘’President Buhari should conduct credible polls and earn international respect. Buhari should emulate former President Goodluck Jonathan. He should not rig with security agencies because it will not work.’’
He declared that PDP was ready for the forthcoming general elections as the party is preferred by Rivers people and has a history of resounding electoral victories, adding, ‘’we have won all previous elections in the state. In 2015, they claimed we won because of Jonathan. But we won all the rerun elections under Buhari administration, except the ones they snatched illegally.
‘’If not for their planned reliance on security agencies, nobody will collect APC nomination forms. There is no imprint of APC anywhere in Rivers’’, and charged the people of the area to vote for Atiku Abubakar and other PDP candidates.
The governor announced that he will start the electrification of the area, stating that during his second term, his first project will be to connect Wakama to Ogu by road.
Governor Wike urged the people to remain faithful to the PDP because it is the only party that considers the welfare and development of the people.
PDP State Chairman, Felix Obuah, thanked the Ogu/Bolo people wholeheartedly supporting Rivers governor and other PDP candidates. He presented the party candidate for Rivers East Senatorial District , Senator George Sekibo, that of Okrika/Ogu/Bolo Federal Constituency, Bright Gogo and Ogu/Bolo state Constituency, Evans Bipi to the people and asked them to vote for them .
Senator Sekibo said that the people of the area will always support Governor Wike, pointing out that the people have no choice than to support Wike for the several projects in the area, especially the reconstruction of Government Secondary School, Ogu. He said that the construction of the school removed shame from his eyes.
Evans Bipi who said the area is purely for the PDP, insisted that nobody can steal the votes of Ogu/Bolo people. He said PDP has no rival in the area, promising that the people will continue to support Wike.
Chairman of Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area, Erasmus Victor, a retired Navy Captain, urged the people to vote for the PDP because that is the way to sustain development.
Director General of the state PDP Campaign Council, Ambassador Desmond Akawor said Ogo/Bolo people are now part of the movement of progress as they are fully in support of Governor Wike, claiming that the Ogu/Bolo land by their mass mobilisation have shown they are committed to stopping the wind of destruction represented by the APC.
Former Commissioner and the state Liaison Officer in Abuja, Vincent Nemieboka said that the people will deliver the area to the PDP because of the achievements of Wike
PDP Chairman in the area, Arnold Davids said the area is the heartbeat of PDP in the state, and accordingly assured that all PDP candidates will win their respective elections
