God Saved PDP From Destruction - Wike

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has said the victory of Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Supreme Court was God’s saving help for Rivers State.

He said they had no “Plan B”.

Wike stated this while speaking at an interdenominational thanksgiving service at the Ecumenical Centre in Port Harcourt.

“God saved PDP because of Rivers State. We are the only state without Plan B,” he said.

Similarly, Bayelsa State governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson has urged Senator Modu Sheriff to respect the Supreme Court judgment and support the leadership of Makarfi.

“I call on Senator Sheriff and his supporters and all contending interests in our great party, PDP, to respect the verdict of the Supreme Court as the final arbiter.

“I urge all contending interests in the PDP to embrace peace and genuine reconciliation and support the Senator Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee of our party with a view to organising an all- inclusive National Unity Convention.

“Without such support, genuine reconciliation cannot take place. Without such support, the caretaker committee will have a herculean task organising an acceptable convention and without genuine reconciliation, the party cannot move forward,” Dickson said.

By Ifreke Inyang

NLC Not Kicking Against Buhari Led Govt Policies As They Did Against Jonathan - Wike

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike on Friday accused leaders of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) of not kicking against some policies of President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.

He said the body was very active under the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

Wike stated that labour leaders now engage in politics, adding that this had divided the NLC and made the body ineffective to fight for ordinary Nigerians.

Wike spoke at the Government House in Port Harcourt when he received NLC president, Ayuba Wabba.

He said: “Nigerians are not happy with the NLC. With due respect, you people are now politicians. You are no longer as strong as you used to be.

“I remember when Jonathan was President; you wanted to pull heaven down just for the slight removal of petroleum subsidy.

“Now they have removed everything and nothing has happened”, Wike noted, lamenting that it has gotten to a point the NLC calls for strike and workers don’t obey.

“You have allowed politicians to penetrate your ranks and you now have two factions. Factionalization is not the best. I urge you to work for the union to be strong as this is in the interest of the nation.

“Look at what is happening in the country today. Nobody wants to go to jail. If you talk, EFCC will come after you. If you don’t want EFCC to trouble you, defect to the other party.

“There was this ED Finance of the NDDC, who was a member of the PDP. EFCC was after him, when he defected to the other party, they dropped the charges.”

By Wale Odunsi

Supreme Court PDP Judgement: Wike Opens Up On Sheriff's Fate

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has disclosed that sacked National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ali Modu Sheriff will remain in the party irrespective of Wednesday’s Supreme Court ruling.

Wike claimed that the former Borno State governor “called him last week,” to assure him that he will “respect whatever decision reached by the Supreme Court.”

The Rivers State governor made the disclosure while reacting to the Supreme Court ruling which affirmed Ahmed Makarfi as the leader of the party.

Wike declared that the judgment of the Supreme Court affirming Makarfi as PDP leader is a “victory for democracy” as the nation will now have a viable opposition.

In a statement sent to DAILY POST by his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, Wike urged Sheriff to keep to his word and work with other stakeholders in the interest of the party.

He noted that the PDP will emerge from the crisis stronger because all stakeholders will work hard to rebuild the party.

According to Wike, “This judgment shows that there will be opposition in Nigeria.

“I am very happy. Rivers people are very happy because we have no other party aside the PDP”.

“I urge them to keep their word. All of us will work together to re-position the party. The party will go back to the drawing board to move ahead.

“I don’t see any reason why Sheriff will not be a part of the party. He spoke to me last week that whatever the situation he will remain in the party”.

He urged the Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee to meet with all stakeholders to plan the time-table for the party’s national convention.

By Seun Opejobi

Sultan Hosts Wike, Blames Agitations On Lack Of Good Governance

The Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar, said on Tuesday that ongoing agitations in the country are symptoms of rot in the Nigerian system.

Abubakar stated this in Sokoto when Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, paid him Sallah homage.

The Sultan said: ”In the past, a lot of things were done by some people with impunity and nothing was done.

”That is why you find lack of good governance now weighing us down now in the country.

”However, as it is now, no matter how bad your hand is, you cannot cut it and throw away.”

Abubakar called for dialogue to resolve all the misunderstandings and problems in the country.

He said Nigerians should sit together, brainstorm, look at what went wrong, retrace our steps and move forward.

The Sultan also appealed to statesmen in the nation to intervene and assist in resolving the crises.

“We are not short of statesmen across the country and they should help in championing the dialogue.

”We should not allow sentiments to rule our heads. Nigeria is a very big and lucky country and we have no any other nation we can call our own.

”We should love one another irrespective of any religious, ethnic or cultural differences,” Abubakar said.

He also commended Wike’s developmental strides in Rivers, as well as his existing relationship with the Muslim community in the state.

Speaking earlier, the governor said the people and government of Rivers believe in the indivisibility of Nigeria.

He said there were better ways to solve the agitations and problems of Nigeria, rather than a pondering on a break up.

”Rivers and its people believe in the oneness and unity of Nigeria and that is our stand.

”The Sultan is a father to all Nigerians and he is a peace builder in Nigeria and beyond.

”We have also been friends with Governor Aminu Tambuwal since and before his emergence as a Speaker of House of Representatives and this will be sustained despite the party differences,” Wike stated.

NAN

JUST IN: Wike Fires All Rivers State Commissioners

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has sacked all the members of the State Executive Council.

The sack of the Commissioners came 48 hours after he sacked his Commissioner for Works, Bathuel Harrison.

It is also coming less than 24 hours after Austin Tan-George, his Commissioner for Information and Communication tendered his resignation over alleged “high handedness by the Governor.”

Inside reports say Governor Wike was embarrassed and bitter about the action of Tam-George.

The dissolution of the members of the State Executive Council is contained in a statement by his Special Adviser on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu.

The statement reads, “The Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike has dissolved the State Executive Council.

“The governor directed all former commissioners to handover to their respective Permanent Secretaries.

“Governor Wike thanked the former commissioners for their service to the state and wished them well in their future endeavours.”

By Ameh Comrade Godwin

Wike Tells American Ambassador To Nigeria Why Nigerians Want True Federalism

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, says Nigerians are demanding true federalism to enable each region develop according to its capability.

The governor spoke yesterday when he hosted the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr William Symington.

In a statement by his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, Wike explained that Rivers people, for instance, wanted true federalism because this will allow them properly manage their resources.

“We are clamouring for true federalism, when you talk of true federalism, they think you don’t want to be part of the country.

“We talk about true federalism as practised in America, a true presidential system where all the federating units will be allowed to enjoy their resources and contribute to the centre,” Wike said.

The governor all Nigerians deserve to be treated with equity, fairness and justice, adding that the right framework should be established to ensure that all the states excelled.

Wike further urged the American Government to set up a visa office in Port Harcourt to cater to the South-South and the Southeast geo-political zones.

Wike said that the visa office would be in the spirit of equity and justice as the Abuja office served the North, while the Lagos office served the South-West.

He said Rivers was safe for investments and promised that his administration would partner investors to enable them to benefit from their investments.

“Forget about the media propaganda, this state is an opposition state, therefore don’t expect them to say it is the best.

“But we are the best state, we are doing everything to ensure that investors do profitable business under the ambit of the law,” the governor said.

In his remarks, the US ambassador commended Nigerians for their unity and added: “Nigeria will be great and I expect a super power and a super partner”.

By Wale Odunsi