has said that despite the ruling of the State Election
Petitions Tribunal, he will complete his four-year tenure as
the chief executive of the state.
Wike also expressed optimism that he would eventually
emerge victorious at the end and would continue to retain
his position as the governor of the state.
The governor, who was speaking to a crowd that gathered
for a thanksgiving service at the Obi Wali International
Conference Centre in Port Harcourt on Sunday, said the
thanksgiving service was significant, adding that he would
not have become a governor if the enemies’ plans had
worked.
Calling on his supporters to be calm, Wike described the
nullification of his election by the tribunal as an indication
that justice would eventually be for him and his supporters
in due course.
The governor’s public remark at the event was the third
since the annulment of his election on Saturday, having
earlier addressed the people through a state-wide
broadcast on Sunday.
He expressed surprise that the All Progressives Congress in
the state was celebrating over the annulment of his election
after condemning the ruling of the tribunal against its
senatorial candidates.
“We will win and I will complete my four years tenure as
the governor of Rivers State. The thanksgiving service
today is very significant because if what enemies planned
had work, I wouldn’t have been governor today.
“The nullification of my election by tribunal sitting in Abuja
shows that justice is ours. I am surprised that some people
are celebrating over the judgement, when they described
the judgement against their candidates at the National
Assembly as judicial 419.
“It is now that they have confidence in judiciary. In spite of
the judgement, we still have hope in the judiciary. I want to
beg you, don’t be provoked; I know what happened at the
weekend is provoking. But, I know what their plans are;
that was why I am begging you to be calm,” Wike said.
Making a veiled reference to the immediate past governor of
the state, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, Wike added, “I was a
minister in this country and I was given the highest
responsibility. And today, some people are struggling to be
a minister; and they are celebrating to be a minister as if
nobody has been a minister in this state.”
Earlier, the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party
Felix Obuah, had appealed to party supporters not to be
afraid, but be strong and bold despite the outcome of
Saturday’s verdict by the state elections petitions tribunal.
Describing the ruling as a pre-determined judgement,
Obuah urged the PDP supporters, who streamed to the Obi
Wali Conference to put their trust in God, maintaining that
the verdict of the tribunal was the beginning of their (PDP
supporters’) glory.
“Wike is the man and Rivers State is a PDP state. We are
still in charge. Chief Wike is still the governor of Rivers
State and he will continue to be the governor till four years.
Don’t be afraid; just be strong, believe in God. We will at
the end get judgment that will favour us,” he said.
Earlier in a state-wide broadcast, Wike had condemned the
judgement of the state election petitions tribunal, based on
the non-usage of the card reader.
“Apart from the reported malfunctioning of the card readers
supplied by the Independent National Electoral
Commission, which placed no advantage on any of the
contestants, the election took place throughout the state
and was adjudged both by local and international observers
to be largely peaceful, transparent, free, fair and credible.
“It is common knowledge that INEC’s card readers
malfunctioned throughout the country in the 2015 general
elections. It is also common knowledge that wherever the
card reader malfunctioned, manual accreditation, which is
the only process, recognised by the current Electoral Act,
was used to accredit voters all over the country.”
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