(By Tony John – PORT HARCOURT)
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared that the southern state is too big for anybody to impose representatives on the people, stressing that citizens must be allowed to elect their representatives.
Speaking in Port Harcourt during a PDP dedication service at Saint Paul’s Anglican Church for the flag-off campaign of the 2016 re-run/supplementary state election, Governor Wike urged the Electoral Commission to be neutral in the course of the rerun election to ensure that the will of the people prevailed.
“This election will prove whether INEC is ready to conduct free and fair elections in Nigeria,” he said.
The governor noted that the PDP remained committed to violence-free elections, pointing out that the opponents of the party should play within the rules of engagement.
“What causes violence during election is when the umpire wants to manipulate, rig or write results. We will resist any attempt to write results.
“PDP will not be involved in anything violent, but we will not allow anyone to steal our votes. We will protect our votes and make sure that the people’s mandate is declared, he said.
The governor was confident of victory by the PDP because of the achievements of his administration in the past 17 months.
The dedication service had in attendance Deputy Governor, Ipalibo Harry Banigo, state and National Assembly members, political leaders of the state, commissioners, local government chairmen and other dignitaries.
Venerable John Adubasim, in his campaign dedication message, asked members of the party to trust in the God for their sustenance and victory .
Earlier in the day, Governor Wike worshipped at the Emmanuel Anglican Church, Okoro-Nu-Odo, at the church’s 2016 Annual Adult Harvest Thanksgiving .
Speaking, the governor said his administration would fight crime across all communities.
