By Iliya Kure
Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike of Rivers State, says he has not selected anyone to succeed him in office, and vows to resist any attempt to impose anyone as governor on the people of the State in 2023.
“Let me say it again, I have never sat with anybody to say I will make you governor. But, as a governor, nobody from anywhere, be it in the party, in Abuja, will impose who will be the candidate of PDP in Rivers state,” Governor Wike stated at a thanksgiving church service to mark second anniversary of the second tenure of his administration in Port Harcourt.
Governor Wike said the leaders and stakeholders in the State, will meet at the appropriate time to look at the pros and cons and then collectively decide who his successor will be.
He also explained that he is aware of people presently pose as his allies but are political foes plotting evil against his administration.
He urged the leadership of the church to pray and ceaselessly seek God’s intervention for a crisis free transition in 2023, and that the next governor of Rivers State will be God fearing.
“I urge you to pray that we will have our transition very smooth. That there will be no crisis.”
The governor, declared that despite the crisis orchestrated to destabilise his administration at the inception in 2015 and subsequently in 2019, he has steadfastly continued to deliver the dividend of democracy to the people of the State.
Mr. Wike, who ascribed the sustenance and successes of his administration to God’s divine guidance and protection, said without God, there was no way he could have survived the evil machination of some All Progressives Congress governors in connivance with the presidency, that attempted to foist any atmosphere of insecurity in Rivers State in order to rig him out of power.
He explained that his administration will not relent in delivery of needed infrastructure to every part of State despite the limited time left.
And as part of effort to further address the issue of traffic gridlock experienced in some parts of Port Harcourt, the governor announced that his administration will award contract for the construction of the tenth flyover at Tank Junction at Rumukurushi in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area.
In his sermon, Rt. Rev Wisdom Budu Ihunwo, Bishop of Diocese of Niger Delta North, prayed God to grant Governor Wike, who he said has turned Rivers State to a huge construction site, the grace to finish his tenure well.
The bishop noted that amidst recession and economic crisis that has beset all the States in Nigeria, Governor Wike has not failed the people of Rivers State.
He ascribed all that the governor has achieved in the past six years to the divine grace of God.
