Governor Nyesom Wike congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari for winning at the tribunal but bounced back to hit hard in all directions including at Aso Rock.
Speaking at a funeral event in a part of Rivers State, the outspoken governor said he preferred to congratulate Buhari openly than join some People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governors that rather sneak to Buhari’s home at night for visits, probably to curry favour. He said such governors were getting refund for amounts they spent to do federal projects whereas Rivers State was not getting anything.
He hit harder at the FG, saying Rivers was an oil state but was not getting any projects to show for it.
Wike drew flaks when he rushed to congratulate Buhari after the Presidential Election Tribunal in Abuja on Wednesday, September 11, 2019, upheld Buhari’s victory over PDP’s presidential candidate, Atilu Abubakar. Many viewed the move as sign that Wike was heading to the president’s party (APC) or that the governor was relieved by the defeat of Atiku.
Wike however threw the mud back at his critics, saying he congratulated Buhari after the PET confirmed the president’s re-election because it was better to offer public congratulations than visit the President at night.
Wike said that unlike some governors of the PDP who visit President Buhari at night, he made his declaration public because it came from the heart.
Speaking further at the funeral service in honour of the late Blessing Awuse, mother of Sergeant Chidi Awuse, at the St Luke’s Anglican Church, Emohua on Thursday, Wike said: “I am sure all of you are surprised that I congratulated Buhari. Is it not good for me to congratulate him than to go to his house in the night? So many PDP governors go to see him in his house in the night. I have never gone and I will not go. I won’t go.”
“We are the only state that the Federal Government refused to pay us our money used to execute Federal projects because I don’t go to see him in the night and I won’t go. He is not my friend, he is not doing well, but he won in court, should I say that the court did wrong, no.”
“President Buhari, congratulations and carry Nigerians along. Unify the country, the country is too divided. I am saying what is right. What I will do, I will do, what I will not do, I will not do”.
Governor Wike said politics is a game of interest, noting that Rivers people in the All Progressives Congress were under obligation to attract Federal benefits to the state.
As taking a swipe at his bitter rival and predecessor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, now transportation minister, Wike said; “Politics is a game of interest. And my only interest is Rivers State. Anything that is against the interest of Rivers State, I will not agree. These people sold us out, thinking that they are doing Wike. It is the state that you are offending, because I am just one person “.
Governor Wike expressed displeasure that Rivers State has key links to President Muhammadu Buhari from the State, yet the East West Road, the seaports and other federal projects were completely neglected since 2015. He said nothing indicated that Rivers State had prominent APC members working with President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Rivers State governor maintained that Rivers State is a Christian state. He said that the facts of Rivers being a Christian State would not be changed by negative propaganda and falsehood targeted at his person. He said he never demolished a Mosque as was circulated by alleged mischief makers.
“We produce oil. They should not punish Rivers State because of me. I am just one individual. We have not benefited anything from the FG. The only thing we have benefited is the abuse they heap on me.
“They turned the NDDC into a cash-cow to sponsor elections against us. Nobody protested that anomaly. Now they want us to protest because someone did not nominate the management of NDDC this time.
“Since 2015, NDDC has not had its governing board, but nobody protested. I will not be dragged into such protests “, he said.
Ignatius Chukwu
