Fubara remains Rivers PDP guber candidate ― Wike

Following the Supreme Court Judgment of Nigeria on Tuesday dismissing appeal brought before it by Hon. Farah Dagogo, who claimed to be the Democratic Party (PDP)’s gubernatorial candidate in Rivers State, Governor Nyesom Wike has affirmed that Sir Siminialayi Fubara remains the authentic candidate of the party.

Wike maintained that there is no disputation over the candidature of Fubara as the PDP gubernatorial candidate for Rivers State.

He spoke at Ogu Mini Stadium, venue of the Rivers State PDP campaign flag-off rally for Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area on Tuesday.

The governor said he had to make the explanation because of the apprehension that some party members had expressed sequel to rumours that there was a plot to replace Fubara as gubernatorial candidate of the party in Rivers State.

He mocked those he called plotters against the interest of the state, saying that he was always ahead of them and urged them to also return home to implement their plot.

“Supreme Court dismissed the appeal by Farah. I can tell you there is nothing we do not know about what they want to plot from the up. If you plot finish, come down and implement it,” Wike stated.

He also wondered the basis of the claim by Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, national chairman of the PDP, who on Monday claimed that they are reaching out to the G-5 governors. According to Wike, Ayu lied when he also claimed that one of the G-5 governors visited him at his residence.

The Governor, who took exception to what he regarded as blackmail, insisted that neither he nor any G-5 governor went to the residence of Ayu.

He stated that they are who they are, and this is not the first time such insinuation would be made, adding that the G-5 governors will win the battle in PDP at the end of the day.

“Nobody can blackmail us. We’ll never go and meet anybody. We are who we are. This is not the first time we have battled. This battle we will win at the end of the day.”

Wike maintained that he and his colleague in the G-5 are determined not to allow any person to chase them away from a party that they have built.

He declared; “We have gone to court against them. We are not running away from them, all our candidates went to court, our party went to court. I went to court too. We’ll stay here and we’ll battle it.  We are not going to run away from anybody.

“Are we going to run away from armed robbers? It’s not possible. You can’t chase us away from the house we built. Rather, we’ll chase you out because you are used to running away.”

The Governor also disclosed that he has reapproved Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium for the PDP presidential campaign to hold its rally on February 11, 2023.

“This morning after appeal from people who talked to me, I have given them back Adokiye Amiesimaka. Go and campaign. Let it not be that because they didn’t campaign that is why they didn’t win in Rivers State”, he said.

Wike said the consolidation team will continue with his development strides and consolidate on the gains of his administration.

He informed that like other promises that he fulfilled, his administration has paid 50 percent for the Eteo-Ogu Road and the awarded the contract for the construction of the Eli landing jetty, which were demands their leaders made when they met with him on 14th January 2023.

On his part, Rivers State governorship candidate of the PDP, Siminialayi Fubara thanked the people for their massive turnout, which is a pointer  of their support  for the party.

He assured that his administration will work with critical stakeholders including traditional leaders to maintain the peace, which will engender development.

Specifically, Fubara said he would do more land reclamation for them, provide rural electrification and ensure that there are, what he called better school system and facilities to promote quality education for them.

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