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Tag: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

  • APC chieftain defects to PDP in Edo

    Chief David Olukoga, an aide to former Gov. Adams Oshiomhole, and Chairman, Edo State Traffic Management Agency (ESTMA), on Wednesday, formally defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    Olukoga led several of his supporters, majority of who were youths, to the PDP Secretariat.

    They were received by Chief Dan Orbih, the party’s chairman as well as national executive members of the party.

    Addressing the gathering at the occasion, Olukoga said that he decided to return to the PDP after due consultation with his supporters.

    He also said that marginalisation as well as ethnic, regional and religious politics and impunity in the APC was a major reason for his leaving the party.

    “I return to the PDP with a clear conscience, because I believe the party has learnt from its past mistakes and now well repositioned and forward looking,’’ he said.

    He called on all Nigerians to join hands with the PDP and rescue the state in particular and the nation at large from maladministration of the ruling party.

    Read Also: Osun: Lasun, Omisore join forces with APC to fight PDP

    Earlier, Orbih said that he was happy to address the thousands of youths, who have decided to leave the APC for the PDP.

    He said that he was convinced that fundamental issues affecting the state were responsible for their defection.

    He said some of the issues include failed promises of job creation for 200,000 persons annually, as well as the failed N30 billion Water Storm project.

    The chairman said that the failed Water Storm project was also responsible for the disaster being experienced and flooding in some parts of the state capital.

    He, therefore, appealed to NEMA as well as the state government to urgently provide relief materials to flood victims within the state capital and environs.

    Orbih urged the state government to wake up and address the problems in the state as there was need for the government to take concrete action against problems affecting the state.

  • Atiku begs Oyo PDP to bury their differences

    … Promises to Return S’ West to PDP in 2019

    The former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Monday in Ibadan appealed to state PDP members to put their differences aside   and forge ahead in unity for the party to win Oyo state in the next general election.

    While stressing the importance of unity of purpose in the quest to reclaim the state, Atiku promised to return the South West states to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019 if elected as President.

    Atiku, a Presidential aspirant of the PDP made this promise when he visited members and delegates of Oyo state ahead of the forthcoming presidential primary election of the party.

    The former Vice President was welcomed to the Molete, Ibadan  PDP state secretariat Tuesday evening  by the two gubernatorial aspirants of the party, Mr. Seyi Makinde and Senator Ayo Adeseun, a former Deputy governor, Alhaji Azeem Gbolarumi, Elder Wole Oyelese, Alhaja Bose Adedibu, Senator Kamoru Adedibu and Dr. Saka Balogun.

    Other bigwigs that welcomed Atiku were Chief Robert Koleoso, Senator Hosea Ayoola Agboola, Elder Wole Oyelese, Chief Jacob Adetoro, Taiwo Oluyemi, Muraina Ajibola and the State Secretary, Alhaji Wasiu Adeleke.

    Recalling how he worked with others as the Vice President in 2003 to take over all the South West states with the exception of Lagos from the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Atiku assured the zone of greater participation in the PDP government at the centre.

    Read Also: I’ll resolve Tiv-Fulani crisis, says Atiku

    He then urged members of the party to put their differences aside and forge ahead in unity for the party to win Oyo state in the next general election.

    Atiku who was accompanied by his Director General of his campaign, Otunba Gbega Daniel further urged members of the party to work for the interest of the party at all times for them to reclaim the state and the Federal government.

    Atiku while speaking further described Oyo state as the political headquarters of the South West region which should not be toyed with.

    He said, ” Oyo is the political headquarters of South West. So let us work together. Let us work for the unity of the party, by the grace of God, we will have PDP in government in 2019 in Oyo state and Nigeria.”

  • APC must work hard to win Osun governorship rerun, says Okorocha

    Says essence of governance to create happiness

    Says it’s difficult to reconcile with his political opponents

     

    Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha has warned that the All Progressives Congress (APC) needs to work hard to retain Osun State among the state it is controlling in the country.

    He gave the warning while reflecting on the result of the last Saturday’s governorship election in the state as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Okorocha, who is also the chairman of the APC Governors Forum, spoke with State House correspondents in Owerri, Imo State.

    According to him, the result of the election in Osun State where the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led the APC with over 300 votes showed that there was a good fight between the APC and the PDP.

    The fight, he said, helps in checks and balances.

    Okorocha was however optimistic that the APC will come out well in the 2019 general elections.

    He said “Well, it is inconclusive (the election), as long as it is made inconclusive, it is inconclusive and it is a good fight.

    “I love that kind of democracy where there is a close margin; it shows that there is checks and balances.

    Read Also: Okorocha sacks aides contesting election

    “That is why I tell APC, we must never go to bed to sleep, we have a lot of work to do because you are more endangered when you are in power than when you are not in power.

    “The forces to pull you down are more than the forces to build you up when you are holding unto power.

    “So APC has a lot of work to do and I hope we will come out fine.”

    Speaking on some elites, who are presently opposing him in the state, Okorocha said that the fight was all about the state treasury.

    He said “The issue of reconciling with the elites is a very difficult one and the more you reconcile you either not to give up or you reconcile because what they want you cannot afford to give them.

    “The elites want you to give them the local government so that the money that comes from the local government, they take it that is the reconciliation they want. The elites will want you to give them the contract of the entire state budget. The elites will want you to pay their medical bills in their hundreds of millions.

    “The elites want to be in power and then do whatever they want to do with the treasury of the state. The struggle for power in this state is not for power really to govern the people, it is a struggle for the treasury of Imo state and that is what I am protecting.” he added

    Okorocha explained that the essence of any governance is to create happiness for its citizens.

    His administration had earlier created a novel ministry named the Ministry of Happiness and Purpose Fulfillment.

    Stressing that his administration has completed over 1000 projects in the state, he promised that there will be no project left uncompleted at the end of his tenure.

    Some of the projects, he said, included new wing of the government house, chapel, 8-lane road, multiple level car park, 5000 capacity Imo International Convention Center, Freedom Square, Cabinet Office, first inland bridge, second inland bridge, third inland bridge, Jacob Zuma road, permanent and temporary sites of the Ministry of Happiness, Heroes square, Heroes apartment, Imo Youth Center, renovated state secretariat, ISOPADEC,

    Others are 3000 capacity Imo Trade and Investment centre, Police Headquarters, modern prison, Imo State High Court complex, sentinary towers, Nigeria Labour Congress House, Nigeria Union of Journalists House, Creative Arts and Entertainment house, Imo foundation complex, CAN Secretariat Imo chapter, two tunnels, drug house, new Ministry of ICT complex,

    Also completed are the Eastern Palm University and 200-bed Nigeria Air Force hospital.

     

  • Group accuses Yahaya Bello of imposing Adeyemi on Kogi West

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Vanguard in Kogi West Senatorial District has warned against the imposition of Senator Smart Adeyemi as candidate of the party by the stage Governor, Yahaya Bello saying such an action will be a receipt for defeat in the general election.

    In a letter to the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole dated 19th September 2018 and signed by convened of the group, Comrade Ayo Alonge said Senator Adeyemi does not have what it takes to win the Senatorial district saying the Senator lost the last election on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) because he was imposed on the people.

    Read Also:Bello: Kogi second most peaceful

    Alonge said it has information that Gov. Yahaya Bello has perfected plots to arbitrarily foist on them, Senator Smart Adeyemi to fly the party’s flag in next year’s senatorial election.

    The letter entitled: “Fairness, Equity and Transparency, Panacea for Disastrous Electoral Outing For APC In Kogi West” said despite its insistence on “a level playing ground for all aspirants on equity and fairness in a free, transparent and credible primary election that will produce our party’s candidate for the Senate”, the governor has concluded his plans to impose Senator Adeyemi on the party.

    The group said part of the plot to impose Adeyemi on APC faithful in the zone was to tilt the congresses in his favour, saying “the congresses of the party that produced delegates to vote in the indirect primaries were fundamentally flawed and compromised because names were written, compiled and affirmed by Bello’s appointees.”

    They alleged that “the Kogi state APC chairman accompanied by party chairmen of seven local government areas in Kogi West, the Speaker of the State Assembly and the State Security Adviser purchased the nomination and expression of interest forms and delivered to Senator Smart Adeyemi at his Maitama residence.”

    They also alleged that “in flagrant abuse of party guidelines, the forms were submitted on Monday 17, 2018 when submission closed officially on Wednesday, 12th September 2018.”

    It alleged that printing of fake ballot papers have been contracted by Gov Bello for the primaries while arrangements have been concluded with some party officials at the headquarters to divert authentic ballot papers to Kogi State Government House to manipulate the process.

    They also alleged that the state government purchased forms for some aspirants in Yagba Federal Constituency to break their ranks in a mischievous divide and rule tactics and warned against looming crisis in the party “if the despotic activities of Gov Yahaya Bello are not curtailed”.

    The group said it had protested the open and undemocratic endorsement of Senator Adeyemi by Bello saying that it was against the existing rotation arrangement in the Senatorial District and reminded the APC national chairman that the PDP had lost the zone in 2015 when it imposed Adeyemi on the people, adding that “the futile bid created a lot of confusion in an arrangement that is still with us.

    The group further alleged that “coercion, intimidation and harassment is now the order of the day all in a desperate bid to manipulate the process to skew the primaries in favour of an aspirant.”

    It also called for the deployment of persons of proven integrity to conduct the party primaries in Kogi West, calling for the utilisation of numbered ballot papers with security features to expose and render unusable the already printed fake ballot papers meant to be used.

  • Oyetola denies rift with Aregbesola

    The Osun State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Isiaka Gboyega Oyetola, has denied any rift between him and the state governor,  Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, over last Saturday’s election.

    In a statement on Monday by the Director-General of the IleriOluwa  Campaign Organization, Hon. Ajibola Famurewa, the governorship candidate described as irrational the insinuations in some quarters that there was a rift between Oyetola and Aregbesola, saying those peddling the rumour are “detractors out to create disaffection within the APC camp ahead of Thursday’s governorship rerun.”

    He also described Aregbesola as the driver of the “governorship project,” saying he is a model of good governance and responsible leadership.

    Read Also: I vouch for Oyetola’s competence – Aregbesola

    Oyetola, who advised the people to ignore the rumour, commended the people of the state for turning out well and for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner during the last Saturday’s governorship election.

    Asking the people to resist provocation from the opposition who he said are desperate, Oyetola advised the people not to give the detractors any room to truncate the relative peace in the state.

    Oyetola said the people of the state had demonstrated a high level of democratic culture in the most keenly-contested election in Nigeria.

    According to him: “The Oyetola Campaign Organization commends the steadfastness of the people despite the commoditization of votes by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). We are aware of the votes buying and selling strategy of the PDP. We are proud that the people are resisting the provocation and temptation to sell their conscience.

    “We appeal to the people to be vigilant and ready to jealously guard their votes on Thursday as the PDP have commenced massive commoditization of peoples mandate through massive purchase of voter cards.”

     

     

     

  • Defamation: Court adjourns Dokpesi’s suit against Lai Mohammed, AGF 

    FCT High Court, Apo, on Monday adjourned until Oct.23, the alleged N5billion defamation suit, instituted by Chief Raymond Dokpesi against the Minister of Information and Culture and Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

    Dokpesi, a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and chairman emeritus of DAAR Communications Plc, filed the suit on April 30, seeking N5 billion damages from the defendants for alleged defamation.

    Read Also:‘N2.1b fraud’: Dokpesi received funds without executing contract, says witness

    He alleged that Information Minister, Lai Mohammed and the Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami (SAN), defamed his character by the inclusion of his name on the treasury looters’ list.

    The plaintiff had told the court that the Information Minister had on March 30, during a press conference, portrayed him as “a corrupt and crooked person, a dishonest man and a thief.”

    Dokpesi through his counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), told the court that the minister’s action negatively affected his reputation and that his image had been seriously injured.

    The plaintiff said he had suffered considerable distress, odium, obloquy, ridicule in political analysis in the media.

    Dokpesi besides the N5 billion damages,  is also asking the court to order the defendants to publish a full retraction of the said publication.

    He further asked the court to order the defendants to tender an unreserved apology to him in all the major electronic and print media outlets in the country.

    He further urged the court to grant a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their servants, agents, partners, representatives, from further writing, publishing defamatory words about the plaintiff.

    At the resumed hearing on Monday, the plaintiff’s counsel, Ennaemeka Adasu, holding brief for Ozekhome, informed the court that the matter was slated for hearing and all the five plaintiff’s witnesses were in court.

    He, however, told the court that the defendants’ counsel only this morning in court, served the plaintiff with a notice of preliminary objection on the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit.

    Adasu , who argued that the service on his client in court this morning was done in bad faith and in the circumstance, requested for an adjournment to enable him respond to the objection.

    Justice  Adegboyega Adeniyi, upheld the plaintiff counsel’s submission and adjourned  the case until Oct. 23 for hearing of the preliminary objection.

     

  • PDP vote buying mechanism, a threat to democracy says APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) said on Monday asked security agents and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to check what it described as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) vote buying machineries already deployed ahead of rerun election scheduled for Thursday.

    Acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena said in a statement that the outcome of the Osun election confirmed the threats by the PDP to deploy all means, Scheme, shenanigans in all ramifications to rig all the elections beginning from the Osun election.

    Read Also:Osun: APC, PDP trade words

    It said that the vote buying mechanics deployed by the PDP during the Osun election is a threat to democracy and current efforts t9 ensure the sanctity of the nation’s elections.

    While asking the people of Osun to resist any of such attempts, the APC wondered why the main opposition is raising questions about the inconclusive nature of the Osun election when they failed to do same in previous elections, especially the governorship election in Kogi State.

    The APC said: “The aftermath of Saturday’s inconclusive Osun State Governorship election has confirmed the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) vow to deploy all “means, schemes, shenanigans in all ramification and magnitude” to rig all coming elections, starting from the Osun State Governorship election.

    “It is now clear that the vote-buying template introduced by the PDP and brazenly deployed in the Osun inconclusive election is an urgent threat to our democracy and current efforts to ensure the sanctity of our elections.

    “While the PDP and its paid proxies where accusing other political parties of irregularities during Saturday’s inconclusive elections, the Party was busy perpetuating its vote-buying scheme as exposed in several leaked videos showing PDP agents buying votes for its candidate, Sen. Ademola Adeleke particularly in Ede local councils of Osun State.

    “The PDP’s now public rigging method particularly vote-buying and dissemination of diversionary fake news must be checked particularly as we go into the INEC-ordered Osun governorship rerun.

    “We also call on the electorate, civil society organisations and relevant stakeholders to speak out and resist the PDP’s retrogressive plans which threaten our democracy.

    “Again, while the PDP attempts to misinform the public on the rationale for declaring the Osun Governorship election inconclusive, they should be reminded that in 2015, the late Abubakar Audu of Kogi State was leading by 240, 867 votes to PDP 199,514 votes, the margin of 41,353 favoured the APC but it was declared inconclusive.

    “INEC ordered a rerun because 49,953 cancelled votes were higher than the 41,353 despite the fact that APC was leading with a wide margin. At the time, the PDP did not protest rather prepared and waited for the rerun date.

    “The PDP cannot be supportive of decisions only when it seemingly favours them. There are electoral precedents, guidelines and laws which are binding on all.

    “Finally, we reiterate our confidence that the Osun electorate will resist the PDP’s deployment to take over the state by force. The people’s will; the people’s vote is supreme. It must be respected and defended. That is democratic, progressive and the right thing.”

  • 2019 Presidency: Jonathan backs David Mark

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday threw his weight behind the presidential ambition of Sen. David Mark, saying the former senate president will strengthen the bond of unity in Nigeria.

    The former president, who hosted the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant in his Yenogoa residence, said Nigeria was in dire need of unity.

    Jonathan said that it would take a man with strength of character and clear conscience like Mark to rebuild and foster unity in Nigeria in 2019.

    “We are only existing superficially and this is very dangerous,” he warned.

    He said that beyond dwindling economy and worsening insecurity, the major problem the next president would face was the challenge of uniting the country and giving every section a sense of belonging.

    Jonathan noted that every right thinking Nigerian should crave for peace and unity as “we continue to stay together”.

    “Staying together is what everyone desires as the global community respects and values us because of our size and population.

    “As president of Nigeria, I worked harmoniously with Mark as President of the Senate. He demonstrated patriotism and loyalty to his fatherland.

    “His colleagues admitted that he is a detribalised leader. He is the kind of man the nation needs now.” Jonathan said.

    The former president expressed optimism that the PDP would get it right in 2019 elections.

    In his remarks, Mark, said that Nigerians now knew the difference between the former and present administrations.

    He said that he possessed the experience, knowledge and skill to bring the nation out of the social and economic malaise within two years if elected.

    Earlier, Director General of David Mark Campaign organization, Sen. Zainab Kure, paid glowing tribute to Jonathan for his uncommon leadership quality and sacrifices he made to keep the nation united.

    Kure noted that Nigerians would forever be grateful to the ex-president for his statesmanship.

  • Osun Decides 2018: PDP rejects INEC’s inconclusive verdict

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the inconclusive verdict delivered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State.

    The party has insisted that the process was conclusive and that its candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, who won a total of 254, 698 votes was in clear lead and should be immediately declared winner by INEC, having met the requirements of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    At a media briefing in Abuja on Sunday, the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said that Section 179 (2) (a)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, (as amended), was clear and very unambiguous in spelling out the conditions for returning a candidate to the office of governor of a state.

    Quoting from the said Section, the PDP said, “A candidate for an election to the office of Governor of a State shall be deemed to have been duly elected where, there being two or more candidates – (a) he has the highest number of votes cast at the election; and (b) he has not less than one-quarter of all the votes cast in each of at least two-thirds of all the local government areas in the State”.

    The main opposition party insisted that the declaration by INEC of the election as inconclusive, was a “sordid robbery” of the franchise of the people of Osun State, who participated in the election.

    Continuing, the PDP said, “It is obvious that having failed in their schemes to alter the final results due to the resistance of the people, the APC had to bear pressure on INEC to declare the election inconclusive so as to pave way for the perfection of their manipulative schemes, which the people of Osun state have firmly resisted so far.

    Read Also: Updated: INEC declares Osun governorship election inconclusive

    “Instead of yielding to the evil machination of the APC, INEC should have summoned the patriotic courage to immune itself and end this needless controversy by returning the PDP and declare our candidate as the winner.

    “It is instructive to state that the PDP will no longer accept inconclusive elections as subterfuge by the APC attain its dubious electoral manipulative schemes in our nation.

    “The people of Osun state and the entire nation are already aware that the PDP won this election. They have the authentic figures from the polling units and know the candidate the voters prefer.

    “The people, by their votes, have overwhelmingly declared for our candidate and we are not ready to accept any attempt by anybody to use any means whatsoever to steal our mandate freely given by the people.

    “The PDP is for peace, but we will not hesitate to use every force available in a democracy to face any attempt to subvert the will of the people or rig us out in this election”

    The party charged the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to avoid the fury of the people by immediately reversing what it described as a “fraudulent” decision by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) and declaring its candidate the winner of the election.

    “Anything short of this is definitely not acceptable to the PDP and the people of Osun and it is a direct recipe for crisis.

    “Finally, the PDP cautions INEC and the APC to note that the game is up. The people of Osun state have decided in favour of the PDP and that has become a fact that can never be altered”, the party added.

  • Wike, Abe conspiring to defame me – Amaechi

    The Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has stated that his successor, Nyesom Wike, and the lawmaker representing Rivers Southeast Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe, are conniving and conspiring to disparage and defame him. 

    He declared that Rivers State governor (Wike), a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and Abe, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), were plotting to use his former cabinet members to tell fake, concocted and distorted stories to the media that were meant to denigrate him, impugn his unblemished integrity and paint a very terrible image of him to members of the public.

    Amaechi, the Director-General of Buhari/Osinbajo Re-election Campaign Organisation, who is also the leader of APC in Rivers state and the Southsouth zone, stated this on Friday in an online statement by his media office.

    The immediate past governor of Rivers state revealed that the plot against him was already far-gone and persons were being coached on what to say and how to say it. 

    Wike, a lawyer, was the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt between 2007 and 2011, when Amaechi was governor of Rivers state, while the then governor also appointed the former Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council (Wike) as the Director-General of Amaechi Re-election Campaign Organisation in 2011, before later recommending him the same year to the then President Goodluck Jonathan for ministerial appointment.

    Abe, also a lawyer, was appointed by Amaechi as Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG) from 2007 to 2011, before proceeding to the Senate in 2011. The former Rivers Information Commissioner (Abe) aspired to be the standard bearer of APC in 2015, but a former member of the House of Representatives, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, emerged as the candidate of the then ruling party (APC), but he was “defeated” by Wike in a massively-rigged and bloody election.

    Amaechi, on September 16 this year in Port Harcourt, accused Wike of sponsoring unnamed APC members to cause confusing in the party, but he declared that the Rivers governor would be sacked next year by the state’s electorate, to put an end to his poor performance and bad governance.

    Read Also: Amaechi to Abe: ‘I am not your leader’

    The senator (Abe), who earlier inaugurated a parallel secretariat of APC at Waterlines Bus Stop in Port Harcourt, on September 17 in the Rivers state capital, said: “Whoever God has said will be governor of Rivers State will be governor of Rivers State and there is nothing Amaechi can do about it.

    “I am not being sponsored by Governor Nyesom Wike. I decided to fight for my right, not only as a citizen of Rivers State, but as a member of the APC. Amaechi also fought for his right up to the Supreme Court to be governor in 2007 and we stood by him. The then Governor Peter Odili never accused Amaechi that he was a betrayer or being sponsored by anybody.

    “I am fighting for my right. I want to be governor of Rivers State. I will fight in any way that is constitutionally allowed, both by the party (APC) and our Constitution. Whatever God says at the end, I will accept in good faith. Nobody can deny me the right to fight for my right.”

    The transportation minister, however, insisted that Abe was not sincere with his claims.

    Amaechi said: “I am aware that two former commissioners who served in the State Executive Council when I was governor have been procured by Wike and Abe, jointly and collaboratively, to carry out the hatchet job of ‘hack Amaechi down’ campaign. The plan is to throw as much dirt at me as possible and rubbish my image.

    “While one (former commissioner) is being coached in Rivers State Government House (Port Harcourt) of what to say to the press and how to say it, to do maximum damage; the other one is busy distorting, concocting and fabricating fake screenshots, text messages, documents and all sorts in Senator Abe’s Freedom House campaign office in Port Harcourt; that they intend to release to the media to tarnish my image.

    “I want to alert the media and members of the public of the smear plot by these two political collaborators (Wike and Abe) to unjustly discredit and smear me for their selfish political reasons.” 

    The former Rivers governor also stated that he would not be distracted by any cheap and fake smear campaign of calumny against him, while urging Rivers people to pay no heed to the desperate attention-seeking duo of Wike and Abe and all of their fabricated lies, but to focus on the goal of ensuring that Rivers state gets a better leader that would turn around the fortunes of the state and its people for good, in 2019.

    The transportation minister insisted that no amount of sabotage and fake stories would deter him and all genuine APC members, supporters and Rivers people from changing and voting out the inept Wike’s government in Rivers State, next year.