A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Chief (Hon.) Hope Utchay, has advised Governor Nyesom Wike to be careful with the All Progressives Congress as the party agrees to work with PDP to move Rivers State forward.
Utchay, who is the Chairman of Forum of former Councillors and Supervisors in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state, alleged that the All Progressives Congress has an hidden agenda in accepting to work with the Peoples Democratic Party to move the state forward.
The PDP chieftain said: “It’s wonderful (that the All Progressives Congress wants to work with PDP). Nobody is against it but let the governor be careful because when a wife who has rejected you for so many years now wants to marry you after your victory, the husband of that wife needs to be careful. If APC says they are coming to work with Wike, I’m not against it but let Governor Wike be careful in this emergency marriage. They have an hidden agenda that we are not aware of”.
He recalled that the All Progressives Congress in the state worked against Wike and his political ambition in this year’s general elections, noting that the willingness by members of the party to work with him is “suspicious”.
He said that despite challenges facing the state, Governor Wike could tackle the challenges with or without the All Progressives Congress of Rivers State.
It will be recalled that the Senator representing Rivers East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Andrew Uchendu, recently said that the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State would work with Governor Wike to move the state forward.
In a press conference held in Port-Harcourt on behalf of elected and appointed members of All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, Senator Uchendu had said that the APC would work with the Peoples Democratic Party for the overall interest of the people of Rivers State.
He said: “On April 17, 2019, the world woke up to a live broadcast by His Excellency, Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike, CON, Governor, Rivers State in which he extended his hand of fellowship to Rivers people, including all political parties which have been engaged in the struggle for power to guarantee a better life for the people of Rivers State. Although, we are yet to see indication of any intent in this direction, we are still resolved not to give up.
“We want to allow Governor Wike to discharge his constitutional responsibilities, primary roles of the government as provided in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to provide security for lives and property in the state… We are saying we will join in that boat but only one captain will be piloting the boat and that captain is Governor Wike. We will only help him to take the boat to the shore.
Governor Nyesom Wike had in a statewide broadcast in April, appealed to the APC in Rivers State and the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, to join him in moving Rivers State forward.
Governor Wike made the appeal in a broadcast he made after the Supreme Court had struck out the appeals by the APC on the elections in Rivers State.
Wike had said: “We salute the opposition for their courage to fight within the confines of the law to the end. Now that the legal battle is over, the task of building the state must take precedence over all other considerations. I, therefore, appeal to the APC and the Minister of Transportation to join hands with us to move our dear state forward.
“We cannot as leaders continue to remain divided and expect the government to deliver on its responsibilities to our people. Let us from henceforth seek the common ground instead of allowing our differences to be exploited to retard our march to progress”.
Wike said that he was in politics for the collective interest of the people of the state.
He also said that he would form an “all-inclusive government” to advance the collective interests of the people of Rivers State regardless of party, ethnic and religious ties.
