By Ayo Kehinde
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike has boosted that he has the votes to determine who becomes governor of Rivers State, daring those who say otherwise to wait till 2027.
The Minister who made this declaration on Sunday during a “thank you” visit to his Local Government Area, Obio-Akpor, in Rivers, said that since 1999, the people had not disappointed him.
He told people calling for his sack as powerless to do so, saying, “it is” within the right of President Bola Tinubu to do so if he so wished.
According to him, there is no sentiment or emotion in politics, what matters is interest; the interest of the people.
He added that “power is not given but taken” saying, “for the people of Obio/Akpor, we have the power to dictate who becomes a governor in Rivers.
“Nobody has become governor in this state without Obio/Akpor making a pronouncement; nobody has become a senator of Rivers East without Obio/Akpor making a decision.
“So, if you like, abuse us, after abusing us, come and look for our votes and we will punish you with the votes. “There is no sentiment, there is no emotion. Politics is an interest; the interest of your people. Power is not given; we struggle for it. After all, if Donald Trump did not have power, would he go to Venezuela to pick a president? He wouldn’t. Because he has power, that’s why he can act,” Wike said, adding that, “So for the people of Obio/Akpor, we have the power to dictate who becomes governor. All these people commenting from the sidelines, ask them if their local government, which produced only 5,000 votes, can challenge one that produced 40 per cent of the votes? Let us see how it will work.”
“Don’t bother about people who say ‘sack him.’ If my appointor believes that I cannot offer anything again, he has the right; it is not in your place to tell him what to do,” he revealed.
He said that Tinubu knows his worth and as such, does not need anybody to tell him what to do.
The minister said that Tinubu had done so much for Rivers people, stressing that the people would return the favour in 2027.
To his distractors, the minister explained that he chose to be a politician and not a pastor, a trader, a public commentator or journalist, urging them to allow him to play his politics.
Earlier, Mr Kingsley Chinda, Minority Leader of the House of Representative, pointed out that Obio/Akpor has over 684, 000 votes out of the 3.5 million registered voters in Rivers.
Chinda, who represents the LGA in Green Chamber, said that with such voting strength, nobody would challenge the political power of the LGA in the state.
“Just go home. Tell us what you want us to do and we will do it,” he told the minister.
Chairman of the Council, Dr Gift Worlu, described Wike as a “gift” to the LGA, the state and the country, due to his outstanding performance in public service at the local, state and national levels.
Worlu thanked the minister for the many things he had done for the people of the LGA, adding that supporting the election of Tinubu in 2023 had led to the harvest upon harvest of benefits to the people.
He assured the minister that the people know where to go in the 2027 presidential election in the state.
Speaking on the gubernatorial election, the chairman said, “we do not know where to go yet, but we know where not to go”.
Also, Speaker of the Rivers House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, reassured the minister of the full support of people in the local government area.
Amaewhule added that members of the State Assembly would continue to pray for him and support his call for the reelection of Tinubu for a second term.
“Tell Mr President that what we did for him in 2023, we will do even better in 2027,” he said, adding that, “On behalf of the RSHA, we assure you of our prayers and support as you continue to support Mr President. Don’t bother about detractors. The real people of Nigeria know your worth. They know you are helping the President deliver on the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Amaewhule said.
