Wike says political violence not his strategy

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has made it clear that violence for political advantage was not his strategy, probably for 2023.

The governor has also said Orders 21 and 22 which stopped parties from holding rallies in public places except with approval from him and a deposit of N5m and a ban on the use of residential areas as political offices or activities.

Wike said politics of violence is alien to him because he is a believer in the rule of law.

The governor maintained that even in the face of political provocation, unfounded allegations and outright disregard to statutory laws by ‘unruly political actors’, his administration would not resort to political violence.

Wike made the assertion at the inauguration of the 17.2 kilometres long Bori-Kono Road that held at Methodist Comprehensive High School Premises in Baen community of Khana Local Government Area on Friday.

The governor said his administration has done so well for Rivers people in terms of project delivery, ensuring security and promoting good governance, which have earned political goodwill of Rivers electorate.

People have said the governor knew something about the attacks on supporters of Atiku Abubakar in Rivers State and destruction of their billboards. They also said the governor had huge influence in the judiciary where opposition parties lose cases almost on daily basis.

The governor admitted that he knew the rule of law and that he had done so much that he did not need violence to win or install whoever he wanted.

Governor Wike stressed that already Rivers people were at home to listen to his political counsel on who to vote in the 2023 election, and that there is no need for recourse to political violence against anybody.

The governor noted that the senator, Lee Maeba, and Abiye Sekibo, have been trying to instigate violence in the State by deliberately violating a State law that prohibits the location of political offices in residential areas of the State.

“Few days ago, you (Maeba) and Abiye went to Igboukwu Street, D-Line (Port Harcourt) without the approval of government to site a political office.

“We are talking about Executive Orders 21and 22 that have now been taken over by the law passed by the State House of Assembly. We did not send the chairman of Port Harcourt council to go and bring it (the building) down. We have the powers.”

Governor Wike spoke further insisting that, “But we say, no, let’s take a step further. We went to court to say, look, this is in violation of the provisions of the law. It is the court that has placed the seal-off.

“If we are violent, since you want to try to see whether we are violent or not, we would have shown it. But you’ve been defeated. We have always followed due process and we cannot be violent.”

The governor stressed that nobody was harassing anybody and preventing them from their political campaigns but such must be done in line with statutory laws of the State.

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Gov Wike explained that his administration and other State governors challenged the Executive Order 10 that President Muhammadu Buhari signed in the court and won at the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

On the illegal deductions of State fund to support the Police Trust fund, Gov Wike explained that it was also challenged in court and the FG was directed to refund Rivers State.

Gov Wike informed that the State is already in court over VAT collection and remittance and another collection of fund by the FG for one of its agencies without resorting to violence.

The governor said instead of politicians daring to disobey the Executive Orders 21 and 22, they should test the position of those regulations and laws in court.

Otherwise, Wike said under the prevailing system, nobody would dare disobey and not face the full wrath of the law.

Exposes Lee Maeba on $15m oil block

Gov Wike also took time to dismiss the alleged assassination attempt levelled against him by Maeba.

The governor said he had never contemplated sending people to kill the senator because it is not his style of politics.

Gov Wike stressed that his explanation has become necessary to set the record straight for posterity.

He asserted that politically, Maeba is not a threat or a major influencer of votes whether in Khana council or in the entire State.

Gov Wike insisted that while he as council chairman, Chief of Staff, Minister, and now Governor, he attracted projects to his immediate community and the state, whereas, Maeba, he said, has never attracted any project to Ogoni.

According to him, the former senator was awarded an oil block, instead of growing the business, he allegedly sold it for $15m.

Even with such fund, Gov Wike maintained that Maeba has never sponsored any Ogoni person on scholarship, or executed even a constituency project for his people.

Gov Wike challenged Maeba to mention anything he had done for his people because the school he attended has not got any intervention from him. He further revealed that even the Bori Town Internal Roads and Luae East West Road that were awarded to him were not done.

The Rivers State governor said despite the refusal of Maeba to execute the contract concerning Bori Town Internal Roads, he would re-award the project that will be likely completed by the administration of Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Siminialayi Fubara, when he wins the 2023 general election as governor.

Providing the description of the project, George-Kelly Dakorinima Alabo said the contract for the construction of Bori -Kono Road was done in March 2022 and work started in June 2021.

Alabo explained that the first phase of the project, the 16.5 kilometres long Saakpenwa- Bori was completed long and this second phase of 17.29 kilometres long Bori-Kono Road has also been completed making a total length of 33.79 kilometers Road .

He noted that Bori -Kono project is essentially a major booster of the socioeconomic dynamics of Ogoni land. This is because the road connects three local government areas in Ogoni land and serves as route to neigbhouring Opobo/ Nkoro and Andoni local government areas.

The General Manager, CCECC Nigeria Ltd, Eric Shen, commended the Rivers State government for the confidence reposed in the company.

He assured the governor the company remains committed to working with the State government in her drive to advance the socio-economic fortunes of the State.