…Says, ‘This Can’t Happen In Rivers State’
…Blames Governors Forum For Being Docile
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has taken a swipe at the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Adams Oshiomhole for masterminding the disqualification of the governor by the party’s screening and appeal committees for the Edo State governorship primary.
The Governor wondered why Oshiomhole who campaigned for Governor Obaseki four years ago, would now turn around to say that Obaseki has a defective certificate.
Governor Wike who spoke at a media parley held at Government House in Port Harcourt on Monday saidObaseki was presented by the APC National Chairman when he (Oshiomhole) was governor.
“I was watching a video where Oshiomhole described Obaseki as a product of Nigeria’s premier university, who went to the U.S. and came back with a Master’s degree.
“Has Oshiomholeapologized to Nigerians that he supported someone with a defective certificate? Who is saying that a sitting governor has a defective certificate? Is it a man that does not have a certificate?”, Governor Wike fumed.
He went on: “They think because they have the Army, Police and INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) they can do anything and get away with it”.
“They tried it in Rivers State but God gave us the will to say no. I hope Edo people will also say no to their impunity”.
While urging Oshiomhole to practice what he preaches, Governor Wike accusedthe former Edo State governorof plotting to perpetuate impunity in Edo State ‘just the way they unleashed terror in Rivers State in 2019’, adding that such cannot happen in Rivers State.
Meanwhile, Governor Wike has blamed the travails of Governor Obaseki to the docility of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) in failing to rise to the occasion and save their colleague from the impunity.
He said the NGF had become a toothless bulldog as it has lost focus on its role in defending the rule of law.
Wike said the Forum used to be non-partisan and a powerful voice on national issues, but regretted that since the APC took over the NGF in 2015, governors have been turned to beggars.
He said: “Before 2015, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum used to be very powerful as symbols of their respective states but APC killed it because they were protecting the interest of the ruling party.
“It is quite unfortunate that I belong to such a forum. Nobody seems to respect the Governors Forum again because we have given ourselves out.
“During one of the rerun elections in this state, my security aides were withdrawn, thus exposing me to danger. The Forum did not say anything because the Chairman was a member of APC.
“I told them then that what they were doing was wrong. Now, they have become a Beggars Forum even when there are constitutional infractions.
“You can see that APC governors say that they are progressive. You can see how progressive they are when they keep quiet when a fellow sitting governor is disqualified from contesting elections.”
Governor Wike during the media parley debunked insinuations by the State Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr.Obelebra Adebiyi, about the Rivers’ response to COVID-19.
He said the state gave the Ministry of Health all it requires to fight the pandemic.
According to him, the increasing number of COVID-19 cases results from more testing.
He said Obelebra, who is in charge of the state treatment center, cannot politicize the response by creating unnecessary panic to score cheap political points.
