The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has declared that Nigeria is in coma, saying that only the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) can salvage the country.
Wike’s declaration is coming on the heels of former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido’s assertion that he has the capacity to revive the fortunes of the country.
They spoke at the Government House, Port Harcourt, last Wednesday, when the former Jigawa State governor visited to inform Wike of his intention to vie for the position of the President.
Wike said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) was a party of strangers with no knowledge of the intricacies of development.
He said that the APC thrives in politics of mischief wherein it engages in high level intimidation, corruption and dirty political schemes to compel defection of PDP members to her fold.
“If you decamp to the APC, you are no longer corrupt. APC is a party of daylight deceit.
“I am happy that one of those who left to bring a messiah, has realised that the so-called messiah they brought is no longer the messiah Nigerians expect. PDP is the only hope for Nigeria”, Wike said.
The governor noted that though the PDP made mistakes in the past, the party was the only platform with the commitment and patriotism to take the country out of the current situation.
He said the present political and economic situation in the country requires politicians with courage to rescue the country.
Wike said those who benefited from the PDP since inception till 2013 before defecting were the same people sponsoring negative propaganda against the party.
The governor described Lamido as a committed and consistent PDP member who was courageous and has the capacity to confront the APC.
He, however, urged all presidential aspirants to accept the verdict of the party at the end of the primary.
Also speaking, former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido said he was presenting himself to take over in 2019 because the nation deserves to move forward.
He said that if given the opportunity to lead Nigeria, he has the capacity to unite Nigeria and set it on the path of growth.
Lamido said: “I want to run because I feel I can do it. I have the pedigree. We stand to fight for democracy and the restoration of Nigeria”.
He said that he will work with other PDP leaders to transform Nigeria for the good of the people.
The former Jigawa State governor said that the APC is a party of hate and deceit; hence, it should be sacked in 2019.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has berated the Federal Government for failing to release her counterpart fund of N60billion for the execution of the Bonny-Bodo Road project.
Speaking when he granted audience to the management of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) at the Government House, Port Harcourt, last Wednesday, the governor said that the inability of the Federal Government to treat all sections of the country fairly was generating tension.
He said that Bonny and the adjoining towns produce a great percentage of the country’s wealth, yet they have been denied quality road infrastructure.
Wike said: “We produce the oil that makes Nigeria to survive, yet the road leading to Bonny Island is a source of politics.
“The failure of the Federal Government to release her counterpart fund for the Bodo-Bonny Road has made it difficult for major construction work to begin.”
The governor stated that the recourse to the piecemeal annual budgeting process would stall the project, and charged the Federal Government to take funds from the Excess Crude Account to pay her counterpart fund.
He said the Federal Government did same thing on the Ogoni clean-up, which has been abandoned, emphasising that by March, the Federal Government was likely to start propaganda on that project.
The governor charged the NLNG to improve on its corporate social responsibility to her host communities, insisting that such investments should also accommodate Omoku and Kalabari communities, which supply gas to the NLNG in Bonny.
He commended the NLNG for the construction of their head office in Port Harcourt, and challenged all oil companies that have not complied with the Federal Government directive to immediately domicile and relocate their headquarters to the Niger Delta.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of NLNG, Mr Tony Attah informed the Rivers State governor that the Train 7 of the NLNG will become a reality in 2018.
He said that the work on the project will be flagged off by the Rivers State governor.
The managing director stated that work has reached advanced stage on the construction of the headquarters of the NLNG in Port Harcourt.
In a related development, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it represents the true coalition of Nigerians from across the country.
It stated this in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan in Abuja.
It said that its experience in governance and successful rebound from challenges had provided it an edge over every other existing or intended political platforms in the country.
It also faulted claims by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in his letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, that PDP procure judgment from the Supreme Court, describing it as “unsubstantiated claims.’’
“Obasanjo’s claim on procurement of judgment amounts to an ill-intended attempt to impugn the integrity of the Supreme Court, particularly when such a claim is false and not predicated on any empirical proof.’’
The party said that the ruling of the Supreme Court, which ended the protracted internal feud within its fold reinforced Nigerians confidence in it.
“Rather than detract, the judgment reinforced the confidence of Nigerians in the PDP as the platform that truly embodies the resilience of a genuine democratic process in the face of daunting challenges.
“Even the worst critics of PDP concede that the judgment of the Supreme Court, was unprejudiced, uninfluenced and determined completely on merit, for which it was applauded in Nigeria and across the world.’’
It added that its December, 2017 elective National Convention was conducted in a transparent, free and fair manner, and where nobody was “kingmaker”.
“This denotes the democratic credential of the repositioned PDP to deliver credible primaries that would yield a presidential candidate Nigerians desire.’’
The party said that there was an extensive dissimilarity between it and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Unlike the APC, where very few individuals from within a circle control the instrument of power and governance, the PDP remains that egalitarian platform.
“PDP remains that egalitarian platform where all Nigerians are free to express themselves, politically engage and freely aspire for any office without regard to divisive considerations.’’