The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, yesterday vowed to resist any form of intimidation and threat from any quarters in the December 10 Rivers rerun.
He promised the All Progressive Congress (APC) will match whatever antics and strategies deployed by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor Nyesom Wike during the exercise.
He also said all candidates of the APC must win at all costs, urging supporters never to succumb to the threats and intimidation of Wike.
The former Rivers governor said the APC will not take security for granted like it did in previous elections in the state.
Wike, according to him, is a thug who is not fit for governance.
Amaechi spoke at a rally in Bera in Gokana local government area, the hometown of APC Rivers South East Senatorial candidate, Magnus Abe.
He said the APC cannot afford to lose any seat in the senatorial district, especially the four Ogoni councils of Khana, Gokana, Eleme and Tai.
Amaechi said: “If there is one place APC that shouldn’t campaign, it is Ogoniland but Wike said he must win here.
“It is not as if he is God. Only God can say that but since he is not God, he will fail.
“Wike can never be God. The battle is not in Ogoniland but in the Ikwerre and Ahoada axis.
“So he had better forget here (Ogoniland). He said he will deploy everything.
“Anything he wants to deploy let him deploy, we will deploy our own.”
Charging APC supporters to square up to Wike and the PDP, Amaechi said: “Do not behave like democrats who went to sleep. Come out and vote.
“The past elections, we took security for granted. This time, we will not take security for granted.
“If Wike likes, let him come out. At all times he had come out I used to ask does this man remember that he is a governor?
“It is only a thug that can stand in front of a Judge’s gate to be struggling with security men, only a thug.
“A governor will go back to his house and call the President. When SSS invaded the presidential lounge of Akwa Ibom state government, what the governor did was to call the President.
“Instead of Wike to call the President, he was struggling with security men.
“In all the fight I had with the federal government under former President Jonathan, nobody saw me physically battling with anybody.
“When I became governor, there were many people appointed by Dr. Peter Odili.
“There were so many businesses by Odili people. I didn’t stop any. Wike is indeed a thug, not a governor.
“He doesn’t know what it takes to govern. The only way to show him that is in this election.
“After this election, he will not come this way again.”
He condemned the appointments of people with questionable character, including alleged cultists and killers into leadership positions across the state, stating they will be answerable to God one day.
“I will urge all of you if anybody threaten you, please threaten back because all Wike does is to come on the radio and you are scared.
“What are you scared of? ‘Oh they are rigging, oh I will you kill John,‘ ‘I will kill you this and that’. He will kill nobody,
“Wike ran away when armed robbers came to attack him at Garrison sometimes back, meaning that he loves his life. He loves live and is killing people.”
Speaking on behalf of all the candidates in the senatorial district, Abe noted that the APC government at the federal level has favoured the people of Ogoni in no small measure.
He pointed out the area has been seeking and demanding without results since creation of the state nearly 50 years ago.
In the shortest period APC assumed office, Abe said Ogoniland has been favoured, asking voters to reciprocate the gestures.
THE NATION
