Wike can’t speak for Rivers

A Canadian-based chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, Mr. Joe Korka-Waadah, has slammed Governor Nyesom Wike for constantly accusing political opponents, saying the governor is not in the position to speak for Rivers people.

Korka-Waadah said as far as the 2023 elections was concerned, the governor alone was not in a position to speak for the people.

This came barely 24-hours after Wike took a swipe at the former Minister of Transport, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, who is the Director-General of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Council in the state, saying he was not in a position to speak for the state.

Wike had taunted Sekibo as a political failure for declaring that Rivers people were in support of the PPD presidential standard bearer, Atiku Abubakar.

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Sekibo, a former Secretary to the Rivers State Government, his allies, including a former governor (now derecognised), Sir Celestine Omehia, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Austin Opara, former Senator Representing the Rivers South-East District, Senator Lee Maeba, and a former Commissioner for Employment in the state, Dr. Leloonu Nwibubasa, have pitched their tent with Atiku.

But Korka-Waadah, a Canada-based political management consultant, while speaking on Tuesday, tackled Wike over his comment against Sekibo and other perceived political enemies.

He said, “Rivers isn’t the PDP. Rivers people have a mind of their own and would vote who they want in the coming polls.

“It appears the governor of Rivers State is totally at variance with the tenets of democratic practice.

“It is wrong for Wike to make such a sweeping statement for an election that his PDP is projected to lose woefully. If he may want to know, nobody, not even Wike can speak for Rivers people who have already decided whom they will vote for.

“Rivers people have spoken, this time, we want a son of the soil who is self-made and bringing his huge success story in global investments and likeable character to transform the landscape into a Rivers of prosperity for all.

“Partisan sentiments apart, Tonye Cole, the APC governorship candidate is arguably the only one who fits that bill.

“The days of unknown entities who could hardly fend for selves seizing reins of government by hook and crook and turning overnight billionaires with the commonwealth while the majority suffers are over.”

Continuing, he said, “With the new electoral codes allowing votes to count, no one, not even Wike can speak for Rivers people. Every eligible voter will speak with their ballot using his Permanent Voters Card.

“And we know who the consensus is already,” the Canadian-based political management consultant stated.