Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has urged the leadership and members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the State not to allow politicians, desperate for votes, to set them against each other.
Wike gave the advice during an interactive session with the leadership and critical stakeholders of the Rivers State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) at the Banquet Hall of Government House in Port Harcourt on Tuesday night.
The governor said tomorrow’s election is a state-level exercise and all the candidates contesting for the various positions, particularly for the governorship, are all Christians.
It is therefore not healthy for any candidate to be allowed to approach any constituent family of CAN to demand for endorsement, an action if granted, could create a division within the association and undermine the State, Wike said.
“Nobody can say that through this election, I called him or her and said, look, this is where you will go to. Nobody can also say that you came to me, see what the church has decided to do”, he added
The governor challenged any leader of the various constituents of CAN to come out and tell the world that the he had approached him to mobilise for votes during the last election.
“Now we are going for local election, not national election. Why will people begin to bring CAN into it, which we have never done before. CAN Rivers State has always been one. You, going to take one of the families to say endorse this person, you’re killing CAN because this State is a Christian State”, he asserted.
Wike expressed his dislike for politicians who remember the church only when they want to whip up religious sentiment to favour their course, but will never return thereafter to support the church to grow.
According to him, “What I don’t like is politicians using the church because they want to benefit at that time. After that time, what happens? Do you listen to the church again? You don’t listen to the church. If, as politicians who are Christians, will listen to the church, the church will not be where and how it is today. The church would have grown stronger.”
Wike reiterated that he was bold to declare that Rivers is a Christian State, and owes nobody any apology even if it was part of what was used against him during the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) presidential primary.
He said his administration has also maintained robust relationship with the church with fee weaver when any church applies to use facility of government, including the building of the Ecumenical Centre in Port Harcourt.
“I do things because I am one person who have so much benefitted from the mercy of God. So, when people say that I am a betrayal of Christian faith, I laugh.
“Let nobody in the Christian circle say, me I am betrayal of Christian faith because they will make me to expose so many people and politicians”, he said.
Wike also explained that it was a holistic decision of the integrity group that they will support southern presidency, and they did just that in their various States during the 25th February 2023 presidential election.
According to him, “I am one of the apostles of southern presidency. I stood for it and I fought for it. I did not waver. I never betrayed the interest of the south, I never and I will not do it till tomorrow.
“Anybody who knows me when I want to fight, I will fight without hiding. Let nobody bring me to that in saying that I didn’t tot support the Christian presidency, that person must be wicked to tag me that because I will not and I have never failed the church and Christendom.”W
Wike urged CAN to be wary of such politicians who wants to divide them using either the Catholic against the others, but should be united in their resolve to protect the interest of Rivers State.
The governor insisted that every member of CAN must work for a united Christian family, so that it will become difficult for any person marketing his candidate to create division among them.
He, however, evening told them to believe him when he says that he is in a better position, as a politician, to tell them who among the governorship candidates can do well as the governor of the State because he knows each one of them very well.
Wike explained that Rivers State has not grown on a steady development pace because it has not gotten it’s transition right and without hitches.
He urged CAN to pray for a smooth transition that will usher the State into a phase of continuous development.
In his response, Rivers State Chairman of The Christian Association of Nigeria, His Grace, Most Reverend Dokiboeriya Kaladokubo thanked Wike for his kind words.
He acknowledged the unequalled transformation that the State has witnessed in his administration with plethora of development projects sited beyond the State capital.
Kaladokubo said the church and its leadership would continue to pray for absence of any form of fighting or gun shot before, during and after the election.