All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council and the Tinubu-Shettima Independent Campaign Council has expressed appreciation to Rivers State governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike for helping the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, to win the February 25, 2023 election in the state.
Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, the PCC and ICC coordinator in the state, Chief Tony Okocha, said Wike gave both human and material support to ensure that Tinubu won the election in the state, rating the governor’s support towards the success of the project at over 100 percent.
Okocha urged members and supporters of the party in the state, to vote for the governor’s preferred choice in the March 11, 2023 governorship election in appreciation of his support towards the emergence of Tinubu as President-elect.
He said, “We thank the Rivers electorate for trusting us when we appealed to their sensibilities and reasonableness to vote massively for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the just concluded presidential election in Rivers State.
“We note seriously and unashamedly, that in 2015, we held the rims of governance in Rivers State as members of the APC. We pulled together all efforts individually and collectively, yet we couldn’t secure 25 percent of the total votes cast for the presidential candidate of our party during the presidential election.
“It was worse in 2019, when we all still working together with a super minister, security apparatchik and malleable election personnel, we couldn’t produce the required 25% for our presidential candidate. But in 2023, against all expectations APC Rivers won and secured over 40% of the total votes cast for the presidential candidate of our party.
“Of tremendous note, is to put on records, the role of Governor Ezenwo Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, a leading member of the G5 Governors (Integrity group) who not only threw his heavy weight in Political maestro and ‘maverism ‘ in support of the APC candidate but encouraged Rivers people to vote the man who will protect the Rivers interest for president of Nigeria.
“This to say the least, was the game changer. Thank You Governor Wike. The political bulldozer. We thank and congratulate ourselves members of the PCC/ICC of Rivers state, who stood out in action even when some leaders of APC Rivers announced support for the PDP presidential candidate.
“March 11, 2023 will be another watershed in our political history. We enjoin all to be civil and rules-bound. Our state must not go into extinction because of power that is transient. We counsel that we display the spirit of sportsmanship before and after the elections.
“Let the most acceptable candidate win. As Rivers people, we take our destinies into our hands. No external/centrifugal forces must dictate for us. We have witnessed and enjoyed good governance in Rivers State under Governor E. N. Wike.
“A government that continues to inaugurate and commission projects even at her twilight, should be commended. A chip-off-the-old-block should be encouraged, supported and promoted. No need to hair-split, altercate unnecessarily or indulge in violence/blood-letting,” he said.
