The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has denied rumours that it gave Governor Wike any pre-condition for accepting his olive branch.
The Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, insisted that party members remained focused and would not be distracted through blackmail, mischief, half-truths and propaganda.
Wike earlier claimed that APC leaders requested the completion of projects by the administration of Rotimi Amaechi as pre-condition for accepting his olive branch.
Finebone said: “No such pre-condition was issued in whatever form, publicly or privately. For the avoidance of doubt, we stand by the suggestions made through Senator Andrew Uchendu (Rivers East) at a news conference in Port Harcourt, as the way out of insecurity.
“We have no doubt that if Wike’s government has not abandoned, but improved upon the security architecture put on ground by the Amaechi-led administration, including the C4i infrastructure; if the various human capital development projects and programmes, such as foreign scholarships, were not abandoned/discontinued but consolidated upon; if the various projects, such as Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), Songhai Farm, Banana Farm, Buguma Fish Farm and many others which provided employment for our people were not abandoned or destroyed by the present government; the current killings and large-scale insecurity would have been stamped out or, at least, stemmed significantly.
“We believe that the widespread hopelessness and despondency bedevilling our youths is, to a high degree, the cause of the present insecurity pervading our land. We insist that these suggestions, freely offered, remain suggestions and not pre-conditions in any way. Our interest remains the wellbeing of the people and all residents of our dear Rivers State.”
The party added that rather than giving pre-conditions, it was Wike who gave the acceptance of his olive branch as a pre-condition for taking definite, concrete and altruistic steps to ensure political harmony in the state.
“We accepted the governor’s olive branch, believing that such political harmony would engender peace, security and development. The inaction following our acceptance and the recent twist of facts by Wike tends to confirm the cynicism of some APC members, who questioned the sincerity of the offer.
“We assure the people of Rivers State and Nigerians that we will continue to exercise utmost restraint in our conversations and actions, regardless of the seeming public flip-flops by Governor Wike.”
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