Rivers State may be a battle ground in the 2023 general elections, going by the hints dropped by the vice president and a front line presidential aspirant in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yemi Osinbajo.
The VP who was in Port Harcourt late in the week in continuation of his nationwide consultations said the party is determined to take Rivers State back next year, even as he assured that the APC hoped to retain power at the centre.
He said the leaders including Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, former governor and immediate Transportation Minister were working hard on this. He said the party can boast of many quality persons.
The VP also assured that Nigeria would bounce back into greatness.
He also said all aspirants have been together as a family, eat together, doing things together. “But, only one person will emerge.”
On various demands and complaints, Osinbajo said the complaints were the same everywhere, and that there are appointments that can manage to go round. He said the FG has done much.
He also hinted that all office holders have been contributing from their salaries to fund the activities of the party.
He assured members that there is a lot to fight for, urging them to cheer up, saying he knows what it is to be in opposition, but that their efforts were not only commendable but that they would be rewarded in due course.
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The state chairman, Emeka Beke, said many APC leaders in Rivers State have suffered since 2015.
He told the visitor that APC was going to snatch back the state because Rivers is an APC state. “Governor Nyesom Wike knows this and is already scared.”
Beke further said: “We are here to hear from you. Most of us here have suffered for the APC in this state. We lost lives, property, and time. Come to our aid. The system up there does not recognise us here. Support us as we march to win Rivers State back. Governor Wike has frittered away Rivers resources, but all funds go to the governor.”
Members raised questions such as the issue of the Niger Delta development Commission (NDDC) which they said has been idle in recent years. “How do we convince our people to follow the party? A viable NDDC should attract investors.”
Others asked to know how Osinbajo administration would handle university lecturers and strike, and how to revive the economy.
Some wanted to know his gender policy and called for Ministry of Gender Equality since they said women are 52 per cent in voting population. Some wanted to know how he would stop the kind of thing that happened in Sokoto (stoning to death of Deborah Samuel).
Addressing newsmen, Osinbajo said he came to reason with APC delegates and discuss local issues bothering them.
He said only unity of APC members can help states where the party is in opposition. He also said insecurity is growing especially as incidents now happen many times at a time.
