17th December, 2015
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has described the nullification of his election by the Appeal Court in Abuja as a temporary setback, saying that God’s will and the mandate of the people will prevail at the end of the day.
Addressing thousands of Rivers State people who thronged the Port Harcourt International Airport to receive him on Thursday, Governor Wike urged the people to remain peaceful as the state remains PDP despite the contrived situation at present.
He assured the people that his lawyers have already started the process of Appeal at the Supreme Court, noting that after the Supreme Court, the PDP will abide by whatever judgment emanates from the apex court.
The governor said the PDP is ready for the National Assembly elections as ordered by the Appeal Court, but warned that the people will resist any attempt by the Federal Government to use soldiers and policemen to manipulate the elections.
He said: “I want to warn, let nobody attempt to do what happened in Bayelsa State here. Since they said they have annulled the elections, let them come and conduct fresh elections. Let nobody think that they can use soldiers and policemen to intimidate us. We will resist any such attempt. We have maintained our cool for a long time. Our calmness should not be mistaken as a sign of weakness.”
The governor stated that Rivers people are peace loving, but they hate injustice and intimidation.
He advised all PDP members in the state to commence unit to unit and ward to ward campaigns for the National Assembly elections.
“We shall return all our National Assembly members as a way to disgrace those who think they will snatch the mandate of the people,” he said.
He said that the administration will continue to work for the people of the state and deliver good governance and projects to the people.
Governor Wike was welcomed by the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, members of the State Executive Council, former National Assembly members, PDP leaders, Local Government Caretaker Chairmen, women and youth groups.