PDP crisis: We don’t fight and go back – Wike

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has mocked the ousted National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, who was said to have danced when the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party passed vote of confidence on Senator Iyorchia Ayu, the embattled PDP national chairman.

Governor Wike said that decision by NEC would not dissuade him and others from insisting that the prevailing structural imbalance within the party must be addressed.

The governor spoke at the eleventh hour homecoming and reception organised for decampees from the various political parties who joined the PDP in Rivers State, which held at the Isaac Boro Park in Port Harcourt yesterday.

He said: “I was listening and watching, they said there is one man they call Secondus. They said he was dancing, celebrating that NEC gave their person vote of confidence.  He forgets history. Ask him, the same NEC through Aliyu Babangida moved a motion of vote of confidence supported by the same person, Ndudi Elumelu. They gave you (Secondus) a vote of confidence. What happened? You left office.

“We don’t fight and go back. If you like, you can have as many 20 votes of confidence, it’s not my business. My business is to make sure the right thing is done, and the right thing must be done. Whether today or tomorrow.”

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He said that despite the heightening political aligning and negotiations that were going on, his administration has not abandoned governance in Rivers.

The governor explained that it was the love that he has for the state that has made him to remain devoted to providing good governance until the last day of his tenure.

“I’m not going to play party with the interest of my people. Rivers State is paramount to me first before any other person or group.

“So, the eyes can see what we have done. Up till today, we have never abandoned governance. So many people are already rounding up, taking the last they have. But, yet, we are still committed in commissioning, and flagging off projects.

“Because of the love we have for our people, we will continue to serve you till May 29, when by the grace of God, Siminialaye Fubara will be inaugurated the governor of Rivers State,” he said.

Wike commended the decampees for their courage to rejoin their political family, saying that it was true that there is no other political party that can win election in Rivers except the PDP.

“PDP is a household name in Rivers State. Let me assure you that we will all work with you. Nothing like somebody who has been there since and somebody who has just come back. The more the merrier,” he said.

The governor dismissed efforts by other political candidates as mere attempt to appear on the ballot because there is no hope of winning for them.

Wike disclosed that a new strategy would be adopted for the coming political season in which political ‘bigmen’ would be replaced with people who are domiciled among their people in various communities.

According to him, those who are domiciled with their people would be utilised to deliver their units and wards during the general elections.

Speaking, Rivers State PDP chairman, Desmond Akawor, said that the party was presenting a certificate to acknowledge the excellent performance of Governor Wike because he has surpassed their expectations.

Akawor stated that the decampees from the other political parties had witnessed unequal transformational performance of  the governor in office.

Speaking on behalf of decampees from Rivers South East Senatorial District, a former member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Board of Trustees, Sam Sam Jaja, said that they had a regrettable unsuccessful political expedition while in their former parties, but had retraced their steps back to the PDP on self volition.

Jaja described Governor Wike as a compassionate, loving and graceful leader who was created to do good for the people.

Speaking on behalf of decampees from Rivers West Senatorial District, former Commissioner for Transportation in the Chibuike Amaechi’s administration, George Tolofari, said that they were happy to be back home in the PDP.

Similarly, a former chairman of Akuku Toru Local Government,  Theodore Georgewill, apologised that they left PDP when they were most needed.