*Says Rivers can’t be taken for granted
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, says more politicians in the state are renouncing membership of their political parties in droves and joining the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Governor Wike spoke on Thursday at the flag-off of the 11th flyover project, which was performed by former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, at the Rumuola- Ikwerre Road-Rumuokwuta Roundabout in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of the State.
The Rivers governor explained that the ongoing collapse of the membership strength of other political parties in the State is definitely an electoral advantage for the PDP.
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“We have collapsed every other party. Every day, people from All Progressives Congress (APC) are joining our party. We are here doing that and some people are in Abuja; ask them how many persons have they brought to the party.
“It’s not to say I’m supporting our candidate. How many people have you brought to help your candidate?
“We are here every day bringing people to join our party and you are there following your candidate from Abuja to Adamawa. Is it there you’ll win the votes? Come back home.”
Governor Wike stressed that Rivers is too strategic politically to be ignored by any serious minded politician who wants to win an election.
He stated the futility of the claims by those who professed that they know the PDP presidential candidate, yet they are not at home where votes can be mobilised to secure electoral victory.
“This Local Government alone, Obio Akpor, where I come from, we registered not less than 600 thousand voters. This local government beats two states in their electoral strength.
“So, we are not a state that you can take for granted, not to talk about the Local Government where I come from.
“I believe that they must know us here because we have what it takes to deliver. They must come and know us. I’m not going to find anybody. You must come here. You can’t take 600 and something thousand votes away from my local government. You can’t take 3.2million votes from my state just like that.”
Governor Wike emphasized that the days are gone when supporters and electorate offer their votes and do nothing in return.
“If we were father Christmas before, we won’t be father Christmas again. You must tell me what is there for me if I should vote. So, nobody should bother himself. At the appropriate time, we will talk to our people and our people will understand.
“If you say we don’t exist, we will tell you that you don’t exist. I am not a son to anybody. I am a son of Rivers State. I am working to attract what will benefit Rivers State,” he said.