Rivers 2015: Elders give PDP 7-day ultimatum to drop Wike as governorship candidate

Some elders in the riverine areas of River State have issued a seven-day ultimatum to the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party to withdraw the governorship candidate, Nyesom Wike from the race. They expressed discontent over what they described as injustice and marginalization by the ruling elite in the state, for continuously neglecting the region in the choice of candidates to occupy the highest office in the state.

The aggrieved elders led by Chief Albert Horsfall stated that if the PDP refuses to address the issue and drop Chief (Barr) Ezenwo Nyesom Wike as its governorship candidate, they will ‘do the needful’. They called on all indigenes of the state to ‘join hands and defeat the PDP’ for the collective interest of the state.

Reaction
The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state has released a statement in reaction to the request for the governorship ticket to be zoned to the riverine area. Describing the request as baseless, the party noted that “any opinion or view demanding that the governorship candidate in the 2015 election, Chief Nyesom Wike to step down as the party’s governorship candidate amounts to day-dreaming as such is not only nonsensical but also against democratic principles.”

Chief Nyesom Wike was declared the winner of the governorship primaries with a total of 1083 votes. The PDP described this as “a great and commendable feat" noting that the Party "will continue to uphold the winner of the Primary, Barr. Wike, until the final victory is achieved in 2015 general elections.

“It is therefore, unthinkable and malicious of any one particularly, Chief Horsfall, who claims to be interested in the peace, security and development of Rivers State, to contemplate acting against the popular choice and judgement of the people. This latest action of Chief Horsfall however is not received by the Party as a bolt from the blue, as he has over the period, conducted himself as a paid agent of the All Progressives Congress, APC."

“The Party is optimistic however, that Chief Horsfall does not have the capacity or ability to control or dictate any political, social or economic line of action to the Riverine People not to talk of the entire State. He also has no authority to speak for the Party or take any decision on behalf of the Party. Chief Horsfall’s claim of planning to substitute the Rivers State PDP Governorship flag-bearer is therefore, mere exposition of his short-sightedness, naivety, disconnect from the masses, and lack of relevance in the Kalabari region and the State.

“Chief Horsfall’s threat to mobilize Riverrine votes for APC to justify the money Amaechi gave to him is an empty threat. PDP will surely be victorious in the next elections in the State at all levels” the PDP said.

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