Rivers State governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has accused the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of engaging in anti-party activities.
He said it is an act of anti-party on the part of the national leadership of the party to tell lawyers handling legal suits on behalf of the PDP in the state to dissociate themselves from the cases.
The PDP in Rivers State had taken some political parties in the State to court over noncompliance to the regulations and laws of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the conduct of their various primaries.
Wike spoke yesterday at State School Premises, Okehi 1, venue of the Rivers State PDP campaign flag off rally in Etche local government area of the state.
The governor said instead of the PDP national leadership to support the suits by the PDP in Rivers, it has asked lawyers handling the various legal matters to withdraw legal representations.
He stated that anti-party begets anti-party and since the PDP national has started the anti-party game, it will get anti-party in return.
Wike said, “We have caught them. They are the ones engaged in anti-party. I told them anti-party begets anti party. You know we carried these small parties (APC, SDP) to court for failing to do what the law says.
“The people in Abuja that say they are national have gone to collude with them (opposition parties) to write our lawyers a letter that they should take their hands off, in order to kill the cases, we filed. I have told our lawyers to withdraw from the matters. I will hit them back by tomorrow.
“Nobody hurts us without sustaining a scar. Anybody who dares to touch us in Rivers State, I will inflict many scars on him and we have started it. We are voting for our people here. Now you have told us you are doing anti-party. We will show you what anti party is. Already, we have caught them red-handed.”
The governor emphasised that the forthcoming election is a battle that must be won, and urged Etche people to go home, get prepared by collecting remainder of their Permanent Voters Card with INEC and vote all PDP candidates in the State.
He stated that the PDP in the state is a formidable squad, fully prepared for the election and it has all that it takes to ensure that the election is peaceful, with winning votes secured for all its candidates.
Wike thanked Etche people for their massive turn out at the rally, which demonstrates that they are fully in support of the PDP in Rivers State.
The governor stated that by all ramifications, the PDP controlled State government has kept every promise made to them since 2015.
These are in delivery of over eight critical road infrastructure, establishment of a campus of Rivers State University in the area and appointment of their son as Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education.
He urged them to vote Sir Siminialayi Fubara as his successor to consolidate on the gains of his administration.
In his speech, Rivers State governorship candidate of the PDP, Sir Siminialayi Fubara solicited bulk votes from Etche people to enable him and the entire consolidation team to win.
He explained that when elected, his administration will ensure that closure of courts in the State is never experienced again.
Fubara also assured that there shall be sustained regular payment of workers and assets owned by the State are never sold to cronies of those in power.
Earlier, Wike had visited Ochie of Etche Land, Onye-Isi Etche, king Emmanuel N. B. Opurum at his palace in Ndashi to acquaint the king of the flag off of PDP campaign in Etche council.
