From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has again decried the deplorable state of affairs across the country owing to the alleged inability of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government to provide effective leadership urging the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rise up to the challenge of reversing the situation in the 2023 poll.
The governor stated this when he led a delegation of some elders and chieftains of the Rivers State chapter of the PDP on a New Year visit to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State in his country home at Umuobiakwa, yesterday.
He lamented that Nigerians in some parts of the country had been left to their fate as they were abducted and killed by bandits who were largely unchallenged or brought to book by the Federal Government which controls the security apparatus of the state.
“And this is not the country we wish ourselves. No reasonable Nigerian will say that he is happy that as he wakes up in the morning and what you hear of is death.”
Wike said there was need to reverse the security crisis and the people trust the PDP to tackle the challenge. He said it was his concern on the appalling situation that informed his statement in Bauchi State, over the weekend, that God would not forgive PDP if it did not rescue Nigerians from the poor governance foisted on them by the APC.
Wike said he had chosen the New Year to visit the Abia State governor because of the quality of friendship they share both on official and personal level. He said Ikpeazu had championed the need for a change in the previous leadership of PDP to align with the expectations of Nigerians.
Wike described Ikpeazu as a man of character and a faithful ally who supported him when it mattered most and never allowed him to be disgraced.
He also described Ikpeazu as a true believer in the Nigerian project who supported everything that would foster the development of the country.
He said it was a personal privilege and opportunity to host Governor Wike, whom he described as the flagship of governance in the country, as his New Year guest.
He said in Abia State, the people shared in Governor Wike’s concern for a better Nigeria and the need to rescue the country from the brinks.
“So that we don’t continue to drift to abyss, because a situation where you can no longer offer hope for your youths, a situation where your yesterday seems to be better than your tomorrow and certainly better than your today, is my definition of hopelessness.”
He said Wike was a determined and selfless leader who was not only focused on the provision of infrastructure in his state, but also providing true leadership for them to emulate.