Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has urged the Church in Nigeria to be vigilant and not allow itself to be used by desperate politicians who desire power at all cost in the 2023 general elections.
The governor stated this on Sunday, December 11, 2022, at the St. Paul’s Cathedral, Diobu-Port Harcourt during the Rivers Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dedication Service for 2023 Election Campaigns.
Wike, told the Church in Nigeria to ‘shine its eyes’, a Nigerian lingo to be alert to current happenings, and not be dragged unnecessarily into political intrigues.
“All of us should participate in the politics of Nigeria but the church must not be used as if we are fighting a religious war.
“We have to be careful so that the church is not destroyed,” the governor said.
Wike said just as the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is not good for democracy, so also is it unacceptable for a northerner – PDP’s Atiku Abubakar – to take over from Katsina-born President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
“We cannot hand over govt to unserious people,” Wike said, adding that political parties must pay to use any public facility in Rivers.
Nigerians shine your eyes. pic.twitter.com/7R8pK7jLAH
— Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (@GovWike) December 12, 2022
Unending Row
With about two months to the 2023 presidential election on February 25, politicians have been seen at major programmes of mega-churches, tacitly seeking support of their large congregations.
Wike’s 2023 presidential ambition was terminated when he lost the PDP’s primary to Atiku in May. Atiku, a former Vice President later stung Wike when he passed over his closest rival at the primary and chose Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate.
Wike has since been at loggerheads with PDP presidential candidate (Atiku) over the chairmanship of Iyorchia Ayu. Wike with four other PDP governors known as the G5 or the Integrity Group have insisted that Benue-born Ayu must step down for a southerner as a precondition to support the 2023 ambition of Atiku.
Last month, Wike promised logistics support for the campaigns of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi; and his New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) counterpart, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
While Wike and his allies have not been seen to campaign for Atiku, it is not clear whether they will support Obi, Kwankwaso or APC’s Bola Tinubu in the contest for Aso Rock’s top job.
Enemies Of Justice Planning Disinformation Campaign Against Governor Wike – Rivers Gov’t
The Rivers State Government has issued a stern warning to a group of persons who it says are orchestrating a campaign of calumny against the state’s Governor Nyesom Wike.
Chris Finebone, the state commissioner for Information and Communications, who briefed journalists in Port Harcourt on Thursday, December 8, 2022, after the state executive council meeting last night, said the persons seem to be uncomfortable with the role of Governor Wike in the demand by the G-5 Governors of the Peoples Democratic party for fairness, equity, and justice in the party.
The communication at the briefing displayed a copy of a document said to bear the sinister plot by the people he describe as faceless and political detractors of Governor Wike.
He, however, did not reveal the content of the document nor the identities of the persons involved.
“This is the evidence of the plot to blackmail Governor Wike. This is the document and it is titled, ‘proposal with hashtag, to end Wike rascality programme.’”
Finebone declared that this development is not totally unexpected by the government and the governor.
What is sad about it, he noted is that those behind it have decided to remain faceless.
“We encouraged them to remove their mask and show themselves as the governor and the government is equal to the task of responding to them adequately.”
The Information and Communications Commissioner pointed out to the fact that the State government already has an idea of the likely identity of the political detractors who are orchestrating the campaign of calumny against governor Wike.
He stated that they are individuals within the party and challenged them to reveal themselves if they are convinced of what they are doing and bold enough for the fight they seek.
“They can’t even sign it (the document) to push for this. It is important we warn them. It is important we also warn Nigerians about this scheme.
“We expect more of them to come. But I can assure you that the governor and the G-5 would rise to the occasion as they continue to start this type of campaign of calumny.”
Finebone also briefed on another decision of the State government to seal off the premises of the EUI Event Centre that is located along Sani Abacha link Road within the Government Reserved Area (GRA) phase 3, Port Harcourt.
He said the EUI Event Center had refused to heed several warnings from the Rivers State government instructing them not to allow their activities block the road without the requisite approval.
“The management of EUI Events Center had refused to refrain from blocking an entire stretch of part of Sani Abacha link Road, GRA phase 3 without government approval.
He declared that the Rivers State government has with effect from Wednesday 7th December 2022 sealed the EUI Events Center in GRA phase 3, Port Harcourt.
Finebone said very often, owners of event centres in the State fail to plan for the vehicles of their guests; how the vehicles will be parked, and how other road users would use the same road.
Rather, he noted, they simply block the road and do not care about the consequences while also shunning candid advise given to them to curtail such public nuisance.
“Government cannot fold its hands and watch people exercise impunity to the highest level by appropriating property government built with taxpayers money just to their own personal use and comfort. Government must protect all.”
Also, briefing journalists, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Austen Ben Chioma explained the decision followed by Wednesday’s obstruction of free flow of traffic on the road by the management of the EUI Event Center.
This, he noted, was in variance to promises they had made to government that they would always make sure that their traffic wardens control traffic properly so that other road users are not punished.
“But to the greatest surprise of the Rivers State government, today’s event that is holding there, there was no road for road users to pass and road users were complaining bitterly.
“I got the information and I went there myself and I saw that the road was totally blocked. I told the owner of the place that this cannot be tolerated. And she said that she has done her best and she cannot kill herself.”
Source: ChannelsTV
