“Let nobody make a mistake that what happened in Osun and Ekiti States will happen in Rivers State. We are ready to follow them to any level that they want”
Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP ) has nominated Governor Nyesom Wike, to fly its flag for the 2019 governorship election.
Wike has also declared his preparedness to contest for re-election next year, with a warning that there would not be a repeat of what happened in Ekiti and Osun governorship elections. The governor, who was the only candidate on the ballot box, was unanimously voted for at the PDP state congress which held at the Sharks Stadium, in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
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Chief Returning Officer for the primary, Chuma Chinye, announced that the governor polled 3,345 delegate votes from the 23 Local Government Areas of the state. The voting process was kick-started by National PDP Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, who was a statutory delegate from Andoni Local Government Area.
Wike then voted, followed by other statutory delegates before they were joined by other delegates in alphabetical order.
Rivers State PDP Chairman, Felix Obuah stated that Wike’s nomination followed due process and a sign of the support of Rivers people.
The governorship primary started with a motion for the constitution of the 2018 Special Congress by former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Opara and seconded by Rivers State Women Affairs Commissioner, Mrs Ukel Oyaghiri.
Accepting the Rivers PDP nomination, Wike declared that the party is ready for the election.
“We are prepared for the election in 2019. Let nobody make a mistake that what happened in Osun and Ekiti States will happen in Rivers State. We are ready to follow them to any level that they want”.
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The governor urged party faithful to begin a process of canvassing for votes across the state, warning the people of the consequences of voting APC, a party he said is steeped in darkness and doom. He stated that following due consultation, he will run for the governorship election with his deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo and added that he has the experience, training and commitment to consolidate on the gains of his first term, since he will not b“In seeking to return as governor, I am not coming to learn on the job, I have the experience, intellect and commitment to drive the state forward. With my background, I will not be offering excuses. I will continue working from day one of my second term. Rivers state is working.
“The progress of this state in the last three and half years is appreciated in the country and across the globe.
“That is why I feel confident to ask for a second term. There is more work to be done across the state”, he said.
Wike also said despite the woeful failure of the immediate past All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in the state, his administration has been able to make outstanding achievements in the areas of infrastructure, healthcare delivery, access to justice, education, security and special projects.
“The immediate past APC administration failed woefully to provide basic infrastructure, health facilities and education. We met a state that was not led in the right direction.
“This state is now being led in the right direction with massive infrastructural development in place,” he said.