JAGISTS

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has said that the endorsement of Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi, for the 2023 presidential election by former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, calls for worry over the fate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Wike said this at the flag-off of construction of Mgbuodohia Road in Rumuolumene, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area on Tuesday.

He noted that for Obasanjo to pick Obi above the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar, who served him for eight years as Vice President, every lover of PDP should be worried.

Wike said: “I meant no bad. I’m only worried as a prominent PDP member. A man who loves PDP should be worried.

“I was not mocking anybody. I was merely worried. My prayer was, look, let Obasanjo remain quiet and not say anything. That was all my prayer, but my prayer didn’t work.

“My prayer was that if this man makes any statement, it will indict us because he was President under the Peoples Democratic Party for eight years, and he worked with our presidential candidate.

“And the campaign of our presidential council is that our presidential candidate during the eight years did very well, with experience.”

On being castigated on his position over the development, the governor wondered “What did I do? I didn’t do anything.

All I did was to express concern. If you care for this party, it is for you to go back and ask what is fundamentally wrong.

“Me that is worried that we should do something and have expressed it, you’re abusing me for telling the party that we should do something.

“They are not bothered, but those of us who since 1998 joined this party, contributed for the survival of this party until now, we keep shouting always when we see danger coming.

“Abuses upon abuses, it will not change anything, rather it will spoil more things. What you don’t know, ask people, seek for advise, people will help you to solve the problem.

“Nobody can drive us (Integrity Group) from this house (PDP) we have built. All of us will fight here.

So, if anybody thinks that you can just sit in your house and dish out orders, it will not work. The house will collapse on you. So, you better think twice.”

Wike also wrote off the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state, saying its soul and strengh have departed, leaving the carcass and therefore, cannot get any electoral support from Rivers electorate.

Specifically, Governor Wike pointed to the level of support that Chief Anele Orobule, a die-hard believer in the former governor, Chibuike Amaechi, gave to the APC but was disgraced because of failed promises.

He urged the people of Rivers State to be wary of the APC governorship candidate, Tonye Cole, alleging he is being fronted by Amaechi because they do not mean well for the state.

The governor urged the Rivers State PDP governorship candidate, Sir Siminalayi Fubara to consider constructing a bridge to link Rumuolumeni to Eagle Island in Port Harcourt, when he eventually assumes office.