In appreciation of his massive roll out of projects in Ijaw Local Government Areas, Rivers Ijaws have endorsed Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike for a second term.
Thousands of Rivers Ijaws, last Monday, trooped to the Government House, Port Harcourt from different Ijaw-speaking local government areas of the state, where they declared their support for the re-election of Wike.
Leader of Rivers Ijaws, Chief Ferdinand Alabrabra said that Wike has lived up to the expectations of the people in the last three years.
“The entirety of Rivers Ijaws endorse you (Governor Wike) for a second term. We are happy with your projects and performance”, he said.
Also speaking, Senator George Sekibo said that Wike earned the respect and support of Rivers Ijaws through his dogged support for former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan during his political travails.
He said: “We will never abandon you. Ijaw people see you as their own son. In three years, you have executed projects in all the Ijaw-speaking local government areas of the state.
“From the very first day when we gave you the mandate, we agreed that you should serve the state for eight years. We cannot change that agreement in the middle of the ocean.
“We are here to renew the mandate. We will vote for you again in 2019. Nothing will take you away from the Government House in 2019”.
Similarly, Niger Delta Rights Campaigner, Ankio Briggs assured that Rivers Ijaws would wholeheartedly work for the re-election of Wike in 2019.
Briggs said that once credible polls are conducted in 2019, Wike would coast to victory on the strength of his performance.
Responding, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike thanked Rivers Ijaws for their endorsement and solidarity.
He noted that they have not only indicated support for his re-election, but have demonstrated their support through donations.
Wike said: “This battle, which we have won, we are prepared for it. Any promise that I have made, I will keep to it.
“You must work as a team. A house divided against itself cannot achieve much”, he added.
He warned the people against any consideration for the All Progressives Congress (APC), pointing out that an APC governor would not support restructuring.
Wike berated the immediate past Rivers State governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, for de-marketing Rivers State through falsehood about the security situation in the state.
He said: “It is unfortunate that a minister from Rivers State is de-marketing the state. Since he became minister, what has he attracted to Rivers State, except to de-market the state.
“They talk about security in Rivers State, when there is insecurity in the entire country. Look at the killings in Kaduna and Plateau states. The entire country is facing a security crisis. What the minister is saying is that Buhari should go, and he will go in 2019”.
He said that the attempt by the minister to impose his business partner as governor was merely to siphon state resources for personal reasons.
“You sold gas turbines to your business partner, sold Olympia Hotel to your partner, sold Abonnema Wharf to your partner, and now, you want to sell Government House to your business partner.
“You have federal might, but we have God’s might. In this forthcoming election, we will teach them a lesson. All these Egyptians you see today, you shall see no more!
“God rules over Rivers State. Nobody can conquer this state”, Wike said.
Highpoint of the occasion was the donation of a Toyota Coaster Bus to the Wike Campaign Organisation by the Rivers Ijaws.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Ijaw Peoples’ Forum has endorsed the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike for a second term in office.
Speaking at a press conference, last Monday, at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Port Harcourt, Leader of the forum, Chief Ferdinand Alabraba, noted that Governor Nyesom Wike has lived up to the expectations of Rivers people for the past three years, hence the resolve of the Rivers Ijaw Peoples’ Forum to support him for a second term.
According to him, “As Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has given Rivers people purposeful leadership, and endeared himself to all in many ways”.
Alabraba stressed that the decision of the Rivers Ijaw Peoples’ Forum to endorse Wike for a second term was predicated on his leadership style, which he pointed out, includes “good governance, inclusiveness and transparency, which has effectively mobilized and united the people of Rivers State for progress and development”.
He also observed that Wike earned the support of the Rivers Ijaw Peoples’ Forum when he astutely stood behind President Goodluck Jonathan during his political travails, saying “With deep appreciation, the strong bond of brotherhood amongst the people of the Niger Delta as manifested in the noble role played by Chief Nyesom Wike…who when it became necessary to be our brother’s keeper, rose to the occasion and stood by our Ijaw son, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in 2015.”
The Rivers Ijaw peoples’ leader noted that they were aware of the clamour for an Ijaw son or daughter as governor, stating that the forum was not averse to that clamour.
According to him, “We wish to make it abundantly clear that the Rivers Ijaw Peoples’ Forum whole-heartedly support the concept of an Ijaw son or daughter being a governor, but honestly believe that it must be pursued at the appropriate time and strategically too, through consultation, cooperation and collaboration with other ethnic nationalities.”
He thanked the governor for picking an Ijaw daughter, Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo as his running mate for a second term in office.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has declared that Nigerians should work towards electing a president with administrative and economic experience to move the country forward.
He said that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government has destroyed the foundations of governance and stagnated development across the country.
Wike spoke, last Monday, at the Government House, Port Harcourt, when the National President and Executive officers of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) visited him.
He said: “We need a man with experience and economic understanding to drive the country forward.
“We must save Nigeria. We have suffered. We must make a statement that we cannot continue like this.
“We must do the right thing and that is the only way this country can move forward. We should no longer have a president controlled by the cabal”.
The governor said that there should be no difficulty in sacking the failed Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, since the incoming President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was also from the North.
“Luckily, the next president is coming from the North. The excuse of North and South is no longer tenable. Nobody should deceive us”, he said.
He berated the APC-led Federal Government for politicizing the fight against corruption by using anti-corruption agencies to fight the opposition.
“Nigeria is stagnated. It doesn’t matter where you come from. As a medical doctor, ask yourself, in the last three years, has the country made any progress?
“This country has never been this divided. You must be healthy in a healthy country. You cannot be well in an unwell country”, he said.
While thanking the doctors for visiting Rivers State, he said that his administration would continue to invest in the development of the health sector.
He directed the State Head of Service to immediately reinstate Dr Sofiri Peterside in the Rivers State Civil Service.
Earlier, the First Vice President of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr Tijo Kenneth Mingeh, had praised Governor Nyesom Wike for his investments in the health sector.
Mingeh said that the doctors were in the state for the Physicians’ Week 2018 with the theme, “Universal Health Coverage: Leaving No One Behind”.
The NMA leader said that the theme was motivated by the need to improve health for all people and stamp out quackery.

Tonye Nria-Dappa