Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has challenged those threatening to expel him from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to go ahead and try it, if they can.
Wike gave the challenge at the Eneka Road Roundabout, venue of the flag-off ceremony for the construction of Eneka-Igbo-Etche Road dualisation project.
The governor, who insisted that he was unperturbed about the threat of expulsion, however, wondered why those desiring to expel him were displaying anxiety instead of acting out their threat, and see if they will survive it.
According to him, “When the time comes, we will know who has capacity, and who does not have capacity.”
The Rivers State governor also reiterated the minimum demand of the members of the G5 group, which was the resignation of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as national chairman of PDP to allow for a southerner to occupy the office.
“We have made our demand and our demand is: the national chairman must come to the South. It’s non-negotiable. If you say you don’t care, no problem. Let’s go to the field. No need to begin to threaten people: you will do this, you will do that.”
In retrospect, Wike recalled how between 2002 and 2003, former President,Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, knelt down to beg his then vice, now PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to support his second term bid, and the conditions the latter gave to him.
“You (HO1) say we are giving condition, but you forget history. In 2002-2003, when President Olusegun Obasanjo wanted to run for second tenure, he knelt down before his vice president, and said, my vice, please allow me to run. You know one of the conditions he gave him: Tony Anenih must be sacked as the minister of works; and Tony Anenih must not be in the presidential campaign council. Obasanjo obliged, and sacked Tony Anenih as minister of works, and removed him from the presidential campaign council.”
He expressed surprise over the undying interest by those who said they have moved ahead and do not need the G5 to win the 2023 election.
He wondered why those antagonistic to the G5 were always sniffing around to uncover any latest move made by the group.
Wike queried why they were bothering themselves about where the G5 goes, what it says, and which person they chose to speak with.
The governor noted that even as G5 travelled recently to Europe, some people, including the Arise TV and other media outfits speculated and insinuated so many unfounded things without a proof of any picture or audio, to affirm their claims that the G5 met with a presidential candidate in Europe.
“They said I had conversation with BBC, where is the picture, where is the video? You know these days, we don’t have journalists again, and we have press men. You can see people not being able to give out correct information. You see newspaper houses that are now running election. You see television houses standing for election.
“Wike had interview with BBC. Wike said we had a deal with so, so and so. Meanwhile, no video, no audio! And some of you waste your time to listen to such things. Don’t you know that when I want to do something, I’ll do it? Don’t you know? Do you need to speculate? You don’t need to speculate! They say there is trouble, there is no trouble. What we have is introduction to trouble that will come.”
In any case, Wike wondered why the worry, that he had to, if true, meet with any person, including the APC presidential candidate, whereas the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who had been meeting with APC governors was not questioned.
“What is your problem assuming that there was a meeting? Has Atiku not been holding meetings with governors of APC? Ask him. As he is in Dubai, don’t we know what is going on? So, why do you bother about us, G-5 that you say you can win without us. Leave us alone.”
The Rivers State governor took on the former national chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, who claimed that he was his benefactor, and said it was a lie.
He stated that at no point in his political career did Prince Uche Secondus sponsor him to any political office, except for the fact that he accompanied him on some lobbying trips.
Wike insisted that he was rather the benefactor to Prince Uche Secondus because against fierce opposition and rejection from the likes of Sule Lamido, Hon Austin Opara, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, Sir Celestine Omehia, and Senator Lee Maeba, he sponsored him to become the national chairman of PDP, and removed him later when he wanted to make his nephew governor of Rivers State.
“You wanted to be national chairman: first to impose your nephew or your cousin as you may call him to become governorship candidate of PDP in Rivers State. I said not here, it won’t work. We had to kick him out first, and we did, and you are out.”
He listed the Nsirim, Senator John Mbata, and Dr. Peter Odili’s families as sponsors at various times of his political dreams that had made him what he has become.
The governor emphasised that Prince Uche Secondus was awarded several contracts worth about N50billion in Rivers State, and had been paid a total sum of N43.9billion, but he has never completed any of the projects, and can also not account for money received.
Providing a description of the project, the state Commissioner for Works, Dr. Dakorinima Alabo George-Kelly, said the Eneka-Igbo-Etche Road was going to be dualised, and would be 5-kilometre long.
He explained that already, the contractor, Monier Construction Company (MCC) had been mobilised to site, adding that the project was expected to be completed in five months’ period.
George-Kelly said the project could be completed in two months’ time because of the incredible pace of work brought to bear by the contractor handling the construction works.
“This road is approximately 5kilometres long, the wearing course width will be 8.3metres while the binder course width will be 11.3metres.
“We are going to have drains on both sides of the road, the total length of the drains is going to be 9.24kilometres. The size of the drains will be 900millimetres by 900millimetres, 150millimetres wall and 150millimetres base concrete thickness.
“The completion time for this project is five months but with the speed the contractor is going, I am optimistic that in another two months, this project will be ready for commissioning,” he said.
The project, which is being constructed by Wike’s administration, was previously awarded by the immediate past administration but it was not executed.
This led the present administration to re-award the project to alleviate the sufferings of the people living in that area.