APC Chieftain Slams Gov Wike for Stifling Democracy in Rivers
…Cautions Oshiomhole over anti – party comments.
Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has condemned the outgoing State Governor, Nyesom Wike over anti democratic practices in the state.
Eze also reacted to the outburst of the erstwhile national chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, who predicted the defeat of his own party’s governorship candidate.
In a statement, the erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP) said democracy in Rivers State is under a threatening siege in the remaining days of the administration of the outgoing Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike.
He said Gov Wike’s biggest nightmare seems to be having the APC on the ballot in 2023 under a free and credible contest, but we must stand and resist the tyrannical tendencies and crude excesses of the power-drunk mediocre who has crossed his bounds and should only be bluffed into surrendering to strong caution.
“I have watched the sad state of Gov. Nyesom Wike and all the efforts he is making to see a way to survive what awaits him in 2023. He has appointed 200,000 youths to be paid a meagre allowance of N20,000 for them to risk their lives to sustain an administration that has ravaged and scuttled their progress this past seven years.
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“Not satisfied with this ulterior motive, he has enacted very undemocratic and draconian laws termed Executive Order 21 & 22 which clearly contradict both the Electoral Laws and Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is only in the powers of the Police and INEC to monitor and regulate political parties’ rallies and no State government is empowered to regulate or sanction political parties and regulate electioneering campaigns as Wike is currently doing in Rivers State. All these demonstrate and expose his fears; he has no chance to impose any candidate anymore on the people of Rivers State,” he added.
Recall that the Governor is sponsoring a litany of court cases against most of the parties and their candidates in Rivers State with the hope of paving way for his candidates to contest the 2023 general election unopposed; a plot that is still not possible.
Eze said with the calibre of political juggernauts that the APC currently parades as candidates for the 2023 general elections, Wike’s PDP faction has no chance in any free and fair election in the State.
With the invitation of APC Governor’s and leaders outside the State to commission his projects and sing his praises coupled with his failed attempt to join APC from the backdoor, Eze said Governor Wike is drowning deeper and deeper and the 2023 elections will see the end of his power-drunkenness because the result will introduce a new order.
The party chief hinted that unless Gov. Wike wants to join the APC from Lagos or any other State, if not, he has a moral obligation to first tender an unreserved apology to Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi who is the leader of APC in the State as none of those deceiving him can influence his admission into the party without following due process.
On the infamous statement attributed to Adams Oshiomhole, currently the Deputy Director General of APC Presidential Campaign Council that, “The energetic youths of Rivers State will join Gov. Wike to vote and defeat the governorship candidate of my party, APC, in Rivers State.” Eze said this is the most demeaning and self-embarrassing statement any leader can make against his own political party.
Eze said though some are aware of Oshiomhole’s anger and the bitterness of those he represents, who ensured that APC never contested the 2019 general elections in Rivers State, but assured the times have changed and all negative efforts and energies will be collapsed no matter the level of conspiracy against the party in Rivers State.
