As countdown to next month’s General Elections begins, more groups have pledged their support for the re-election of Nyesom Ezenwo Wike as Governor of Rivers State.
Rising from its first meeting of the year 2019, traders under the aegis of Rivers Traders Association (RTA), said they have resolved to give Governor Wike a block vote in the coming election, as he had demonstrated competence in governance and justified the mandate given him by Rivers people.
“First and foremost, our constitution permits us to support the government in power but the decision to vote for Governor Wike stemmed from the fact that he has passed the test of performance judging by the projects he has so far put on ground in course of his four-year tenure.
“And with a population of over a million, we have capacity to swing the pendulum in favour of Governor Wike against the other candidates who are all upstarts with no proven experience in governance”, he said..
He noted that the Rivers Traders Association is a non-partisan body, stressing that their membership, which he put at over one million, cut across all the political parties.
Comrade Bekwele stated that Rivers Traders Association is a non-partisan body, as its members belong to all the major political parties.
He noted that Governor Wike has won their hearts having demonstrated proven affection towards traders in the State.
The RTA leader said traders would remain grateful to the Governor for the interest-free soft loan approved for them even as he praised the committee set up to disburse the loan for doing an excellent job, urging traders to make judicious use of the gesture.
“The loan is intended to complement our efforts, so we must channel it to profit making ventures. We should not use it to settle old debts, make case or pay bride price”, he cautioned his colleagues.
The RTA President recalled that less than a week in his resumption of office, the Fruit Garden Market was gutted by fire and traders were displaced. He said upon the ugly incidence, Governor Wike promised N400, 000 to each of the affected traders and happily, he kept to the promised.
“He also promised to rebuild the market to standard and he did it. The only way to reciprocate such gesture is to vote him in again so that he will continue with the good works”, he said.
