From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) committed anti-party and embarked on self-destruction when they dumped the zoning arrangements entrenched in the party’s constitution.
He maintained that the decision of the PDP leadership to abandon zoning, in clear violation of the party’s constitution, was largely to blame for the party’s defeat in the presidential election.
He reiterated that PDP’s constitution in Section 7(3)(c) states in pursuant of the principles of equity, justice, and fairness, the party shall adhere to the policy of rotation of elective and appointive offices.
Governor Wike made the remark when the three Rivers’ senators-elect, including Ipalibo Banigo, Barry Mpigi and Allwell Onyesoh, visited him at his private residence in Rumueprikom, yesterday, to present their certificates of return to him.
He said: “We are proud to have produced the three senators. Out of 13 House of Representatives, they have announced 10, and we have taken nine. We believe when election is done in the other ones, we will also emerge victorious because Rivers State has always been with PDP as regards to the issues of our local elections.texter
“When our party abandoned the principle of equity, fairness and justice; when our party abandoned the provisions of our constitution, which is the highest anti-party anybody can do, they also have to pay for it. If your party constitution says this is what you should do, and you abandoned it, you have committed anti-party more than any other thing. Our own is unity of Nigeria, and that is what we stand for. Unity of Nigeria is far above party interest.”
He said APC governors deserve commendation for their nationalistic stance that propelled the party to zone the presidency to the South.
According to him, the emergence of the president-elect of southern extraction was made possible because of the premium APC governors attached to national unity.
“That is why I said APC governors are my heroes. They came out openly to tell the world, to tell Nigerians, look, the unity of this country is paramount. We don’t want Nigeria to be divided. In fact, I was shocked when all of them came out and said we have had it for eight years in the North, let it go this way (South) for eight years, so we can have harmony, peace and unity.”
The governor said the emergence of a southern Nigerian as president elect in the just concluded presidential election will give the people a sense of belonging and cause Nigerians to live harmoniously together without any sense of alienation.
He charged the senators-elect to be nationalistic in the discharge of their legislative duties, by supporting policies of government that will unite the country. texter
He tasked them not to allow pecuniary interest sway them from fighting vigorously for the interest of Rivers State.
The governor expressed confidence that the three senators-elect would not betray the interest of Rivers State and the country as some former senators did in the past.
“I want to appeal to you when you go to the Senate, talk about Nigeria, not party. Talk about how Nigeria will continue to be one. Support policies of government that will unite this country, and that is where we stand,” he said.
He urged the senators-elect to return to their various senatorial districts to galvanise massive grassroots support for the PDP governorship candidate, Siminalayi Fubara, whose administration is expected to consolidate on the remarkable successes of the current government in the state.
Mpigi, who spoke on behalf of the senators-elect, said they remain eternally grateful to God for using Governor Wike to enable them actualise their political aspirations.
Similarly, PDP National Vice Chairman (South South), Dan Orbih, said the victory of the three senators-elect was a bold and clear statement that the people of Rivers State were appreciative of Wike’s commitment to the development of the state.texter
“For me, it is a very bold and thank you message to Wike for the wonderful job he has done for Rivers people. Their election is very clear, the people of Rivers state appreciate everything the governor has done for this state.
“For us in the South South, we are proud of him. He has done very well, the people are happy with him, the party is happy with him.”
