■ Gov ’ll lose in his ward in free, fair election –APC

FROM: CHRIS ANUCHA, PORT HARCOURT

THE verbal war between the two major political glad­iators and Ikwerre brothers, the former Rivers State governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and his succes­sor, Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike, may not end soon go­ing by the recent outbursts by the leaders.

Wike, while addressing the Senate Caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party, led by the Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who paid him a solidarity visit at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recent­ly, boasted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will not win any election in Rivers State.

Also speaking to Saturday Sun exclusively through his Commissioner for Information, Dr. Austin Tam-George, the governor described the Minister of Transportation as, “toxic political personality in Riv­ers.”

He said as long as River APC remained under the leadership of Amaechi, it would continue to be defeat­ed at the polls.

He said: “So long as the River State APC is led by Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, the party will be rejected by the people of Rivers State.

Rivers people are sophisticated and have long mem­ory. Rotimi Amaechi will remain a toxic political per­sonality in Rivers State for a very long time. The earlier the APC gets rid of his presence in its midst, the better for the party. He has zero political relevance, even in his native Ubima, in Ikwerre local government area in Rivers State.”

“The people of Rivers State are fully aware of the catastrophic legacy of the Rotimi Amaechi-led ad­ministration. The Amaechi government refused to pay salaries to thousands of civil servants for four months, and pensions were owed for eight months.

Teachers salaries were owed for 12 months by the Amaechi administration. The governor diverted state resources to fund his political adventures outside Riv­ers State.”

Rivers State APC, in its reac­tion through Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, the Senior Special Adviser, Media and Public Af­fairs to the Chairman, Rivers State chapter of APC, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, described gover­nor Wike’s statement as unfortunate.

He said, no sound Rivers person would vote for any political organisation the governor represents. Accord­ing to him, if there is a level playing field, the gover­nor would lose election , even in his own ward.

He said: “The facts are very clear that Wike has nev­er won any election freely in Rivers State. Any election in Rivers State, void of use of criminals to kill, maim, intimidate and snatch ballot boxes, Wike and his gang will never win any election, including in his ward.”