Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has called on Rivers people to remain calm as the success of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) in the March 9 governorship election would be a sweet victory in the end.
Governor Wike said that the will of Rivers people will prevail at the end of the day despite the conspiracy against the people of the State.
He spoke on Friday when members of the National Assembly elected on the platform of the PDP presented their INEC certificates of return to him at a ceremony in the Government House, Port Harcourt.
“I know that PDP won the elections squarely. We believe in peace, therefore Rivers people should remain calm. We believe in due process. I believe that INEC is doing their best to follow the due process. In the end, it will be a sweet victory. The will of Rivers people will prevail “, he said.
Governor Wike described the entire political standoff as a drama which will end . He said the people of Rivers voted overwhelmingly for the PDP in all elections, while the anti-democratic forces attempted to snatch results at the collation centres.
“Let me thank the people of Rivers State for the love they have shown for our great party. It is not in doubt that Rivers people have shown our party love. What is happening is sad. It is a drama.
“We have 13 House of Representatives seats and the PDP clinched all of them. We have three Senate seats, one has been declared and PDP won. When the remaining two seats are declared, PDP will win them. Eighty percent of the seats declared, PDP took all.
“You begin to wonder why any right thinking person would say that PDP lost the governorship election. Not that they say PDP lost to a party with a known logo, or even if you have seen the candidate one day in your life or seen his posters to make people vote for the candidate. For us, it is a drama. PDP won the election squarely “, he said.
He said that across the 4442 polling units of Rivers State, the people voted for the PDP in all the elections. He said: “Across 4442 polling units the results are there. The PDP won in all these areas. Not when you hijack results at the collation centre. When you hijack Form EC 8C, you forget that there is Form EC 8A. Any other party can win in any other state, but not in Rivers State.
“I dedicate this victory to God and the good people of Rivers State who stood firm and said that nobody can manipulate their mandate” Governor Wike urged the elected National Assembly members to always place the interest of Rivers State above other considerations as they represent the state. The Governor said all those who plotted the killings of Rivers people because of their desperation to clinch power will face the consequences of their actions.
Speaking on behalf of the elected National Assembly members, Senator-elect Barry Mpigi said there is no need for anyone to panic as Governor Wike will be declared winner in line with the votes cast on March 9.
He said Rivers people are with Governor Wike as shown by their votes in all the polling units. He said that the people have shown that they love PDP and that the party has shown that it is the party on ground in the State. “We have looked round the 23 Local Government Areas and we have seen that the people of Rivers State voted for you. Don’t panic, the vindication will come at the appropriate time”, Mpigi said.
Rivers State PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah said that elected members of the National Assembly were at the Government House, Port Harcourt as a mark of respect for Governor Wike and in recognition of his support all through the electioneering process.
Wike and his Rivers people should not be fooled by whatever victory they are anticipating. Having failed to rig the governorship election in Rivers , with their countless armoured personnel carriers (APC) littered all over the streets of Rivers State Amaechi and his cohorts will resort to cooking up AAC house of assembly aspirants as winners in their various constituencies just to have a sizeable number of opposition members in the house to scuttle Wike’s administration. Watch it Rivers people.