We’ll not Play Second Fiddle in 2023 General Election, Says Wike

.  Atiku to campaign in Rivers February 11

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt and  Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

Governor Nyesom Wike said the people of Rivers State will not play second fiddle concerning the general election slated for February 25, and March 11, 2023

The Rivers State governor hinted that he and his political allies will soon disclose the presidential candidate to support in the February 25 election. This is just as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar,  would  visit Rivers State to campaign by the second week of February in what has been described as the “mother of all rallies.”

However, Wike  maintained that the people of the state know their political bearings, and have been duly sensitised to vote the candidates of the PDP for governorship, Senate, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly. .

Governor Wike spoke yesterday, while  flagging off the State PDP campaign in Omagwa Town, Ikwerre Local Government Area.

The governor informed that the forthcoming election will leave no room for any form of electoral manipulation and intimidation from security personnel.

Governor Wike  assured the people  that all votes must be put in one basket in favour of candidates of the PDP in the state.

“This time, no army will do anything. No Fakorode will do any thing. No police will do anything. Now, it is one man, one vote. All the votes must be in one basket from governorship to House of Assembly. The other one we are concluding. When we conclude, you will be told.

“Nobody should intimidate you. Nobody should tell you any story. We are free born of this country. We are not second class citizens. Nobody can tell us anything. I dare them. Let anybody do any funny thing, We’ll tell them we are from Rivers State. “

He emphasised that it will be a case of one man, one vote and no blackmail can thwart the collective resolve of the people on who to support with their votes.

The governor, who urged the people to be calm, maintained that soon Rivers electorate will be notified on the final decision of the presidential candidate the state will support.

“As we finish from here now, you’ll go home and start working before the appropriate time when we will ring the bell. When you hear the bell being rang, know that the decision has been taken.”

Governor Wike explained that governance is not about story telling but in performance that translates into making living easier for the people and seeing them happy.

He said the successes of his administration is what the consolidation team, to be headed by the PDP governorship candidate, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, will consolidate and therefore, should be elected to continue from where he will stop.

Governor Wike insisted that the forthcoming election will be a fight to finish so that those who have placed themselves as enemies of the State, will be taught a lesson.

Governor Wike told the people of Ikwerre Local Government that in 2015 and 2019 he came to seek their support, made promises and have fulfilled all of them with development projects evenly distributed in all the 13 political wards.

Meanwhile,  Atiku Abubakar  will  visit Rivers State to campaign by the second week of February.

 The Rivers rally is planned for February 11, while the row between Atiku and the five aggrieved governors of the PDP, led by Governor Nyesom Wike, has yet to be resolved.

The South-south Coordinator of the PDP Ward2Ward Group, Onengiye Leonard Tamunoigbeinbia, confirmed that all plans had been concluded to hold the rally in the state.

Tamunoigbeinbia, who is also the Director General, Atiku/Okowa Campaign, Okrika Local Council in the state, said in a statement that Atiku was scheduled to be in Port Harcourt, the state capital on February 11, 2023.

“The 2023 general election will not be like the previous ones. Nobody is going to write results, this time around. The campaign in the state will be the mother of all campaigns as Rivers State and the people will show the world that they have a stake in the Presidency of Atiku Abubakar,” he noted.

“Rivers PDP Presidential Campaign Council awaits to graciously usher in partisans from other political parties to become part of the record-making event at Adokiye Amiesimaka, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.

“The Rivers State PDP Presidential Campaign Council DG, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, led various committee heads and members to inspect the preparation venue of the forthcoming record-making presidential campaign in the state.

“Part of teams include, former Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Tele Ikuru , DG of the Okrika LGA Presidential Campaign council, Leonard Tamunoigbeinbia, Chris Chuama , amongst other leaders, to supervise the arrangement of the event center in Port Harcourt.”

Meanwhile, the Bauchi State Coordinator of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Babayo Liman, has dumped the party for the PDP.

 Liman, who is also the North-east zonal secretary of NNPP, announced his resignation at a news conference on Monday in Bauchi.

“I want to formally inform the general public, especially members of the NNPP in Bauchi State, North-East and Nigeria at large, that I have resigned as a member of the NNPP,” stated Liman. “I have also resigned as the zonal secretary of the North-East as well as member and coordinator of the Presidential Campaign Council of the NNPP presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwnkwaso.”

Liman added: “Let the general public know I have withdrawn my membership from the NNPP. I am no more with the NNPP from today.”

Liman said that he ditched the NNPP for the PDP alongside many of his supporters because it lacked the needed structure to win elections in Nigeria.

He also explained that his decision to defect stemmed from the internal crisis, flagrant disregard for the rule of law and lack of unity among members due to poor leadership of the party.

According to Liman, the NNPP’s leadership poorly managed its affairs, resulting in the emergence of various factions. He, therefore, canvassed votes for the PDP and its candidates at all levels in the forthcoming election.

Also speaking, the ward chairman of the PDP, Makama Sarkin-Baki in the Bauchi council area, Yusuf Marafa, welcomed the defectors.

He described PDP as the most organised party of any other political party and conducted its affairs like a family.

He pledged that the party would accommodate and ensure equal treatment of its members.