The Rivers State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the emergence of the immediate past Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a continuation of the party’s war against the state.
The state APC chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday, dismissed the candidature of Wike as an imposition, saying that the process that led to his emergence will cause ripples in the PDP.
Ikanya said, “We have watched with amusement the macabre dance by the PDP and its leadership which culminated in the imposition of Chief Nyesom Wike as the party’s flag-bearer for the 2015 gubernatorial election.
“To us, the emergence of the cantankerous and disreputable Wike means an easy victory for us as he cannot in any way be compared with our candidate, the very reputable and visionary Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside. The battle is now between the Rivers State people and the forces of darkness which the PDP represents.
“That Wike could emerge after the alarm unitedly raised by the 16 other PDP aspirants that were duped of their hard-earned money – as the outcome of the process had already been determined by forces whose hatred for Rivers State is legendary – speaks volumes about the extent to which the Presidency and the PDP national leadership are prepared to go to humiliate the good people of Rivers State.”
“What is more? For President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP leadership to disregard the warning and pleas by Rivers State Elders such as Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas, Chief A.K. Horsfall and Jonathan’s own ethnic Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, on the dangers of Wike’s candidature portends to the peace, progress and unity of Rivers State simply demonstrates the level of disdain and scorn that the Presidency and PDP leadership have for Rivers State and her people”.