……Urges APC leaders to accept the judgement of the Apex Court
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has announced the provision of free buses to convey Rivers people to their respective locations for the rescheduled elections beginning on Thursday, February 21; 2019.
This is as he called on the leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to accept the reality that their party will not be on the ballot for the 2019 General elections in the state.
He made the declaration in a State broadcast on the rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly elections coming up on Saturday, 23rd February, 2019.
He said: “In order to ease transport difficulties I have directed the immediate release of 18 luxurious buses to take people, irrespective of political affiliation, to vote in their communities from today 21st February 2019 and return you back to Port Harcourt after the elections free of charge. The Commissioner for Transport will release details of the routes to be covered by the free bus services”.
Governor Wike also urged the leaders of Rivers APC to accept the judgement of the Supreme Court as the will of God, saying that nobody can resurrect a dead horse.
The governor said: “Truth be told, the Supreme Court has spoken. INEC has confirmed. It is the will of God and there is nothing anybody can do to return the APC to the ballot for the 2019 general elections in Rivers State.
“But this, I believe, is not the end of life for the APC in Rivers State. There is always another day and as political leaders, we must have the courage to accept the reality, know when to stop fighting for nothing and tell our followers the simple truth, even if it may sound bitter. I would therefore advice my brothers in the APC to endeavour to put their house in order, allow the prevailing peace to continue and prepare for 2023”.
Governor Wike told the Rivers APC to desist from violence, noting that if they choose to destroy the State or kill and maim everybody because of power or someone else’s ambition to be President, there might be no one left for them to lord over when everyone is dead.
He said: “Remember, the army and the police officers you are relying on to kill your own people may come and go, but Rivers State will always be. Believe it or not, we are all from Rivers State irrespective of party differences and no other interest can supersede the collective interest of our State.
“Let me assure everyone that the collective interest of our State will continue to guide our actions and we shall continue to accommodate everybody irrespective of party affiliation in our schemes of governance.”
The governor said that the State Government is aware of the plot by the All Progressives Congress to scuttle the general elections in the State. He said there are pointmen who are architects of the planned electoral violence in the state.
He said: “Indeed, the champions of this evil plot met at the residence of one Bestman Amadi and the former Commissioner of Lands Mr Ezemonye Ezekiel-Amadi has already mobilized thugs with N10,000,000.00 to attack voters and disrupt the voting exercise in Ikwerre Local Government Area.
“My office is also inundated with reports of the partisan activities of the General Officer Commanding 6 Division of the Nigeria Army Major General Jamil Sarham and the State Commander of the Anti-Robbery Squad Mr. Victor Akin Fakorede who have signed on to unlawfully deploy military and SARS operatives to actualize the APC’s plot to destabilize the State and create avoidable crisis in the State.
“We condemn the unprofessional and provocative activities of General Jamil Sarham and Mr Victor Akin Fakorede and plead with the international community to hold the duo responsible for any election-related violence and or crisis in Rivers State”.
He appealed to the Chairman National Council of Peace, the Chief of Army Staff and the Inspector General of Police to prevail on the two partisan security chiefs to excuse themselves from participating in the elections in Rivers State.
He said: ” I appeal to the Chairman of the National Council on Peace, General Abdusalam Abubakar, the Chief of Army State General Tukur Yusuf Buratai and the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar Adamu to prevail on Major General Jamil Sarham and Mr Akin Fakorede to excuse themselves from elections duties in the State” .
Governor Wike said that the rescheduled General elections present a golden opportunity for Rivers people to partake with the rest of Nigerians to move the country forward and shape a brighter future for posterity.
“No sacrifice is too much to pay to sustain our democracy. God loves us and there can be no better opportunity for us to use the power at our disposal to effect the genuine change that we need.
“We should therefore be profoundly inspired and motivated by the frustrations of the postponement of the election to come out in numbers to vote for the candidates of our choice.
” God forbid, the next generation will not forgive us if we fail to take full advantage of the political momentum to reposition our State for greatness in the comity of States”, he said.
Governor Wike assured everyone that the collective interest of Rivers State will continue to guide his administration. He said his administration will continue to accommodate everybody irrespective of party affiliation in the schemes of governance.
He urged the Federal Government to remain neutral and protect the sanctity of the ballot as stated by the sanctity of the ballot.
