Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has described as a contradiction the situation where politicians from states that depend on Rivers petroleum for survival , insist that Rivers people should be second class citizens in Nigeria.
The governor maintained that Nigeria belongs to everyone, noting that on no account should any section of the country be made to feel inferior.
He spoke at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Thursday after receiving a nomination letter as the Governor of The Year of Authority Newspaper.
He said: “I believe that this country belongs to all of us. I believe that nobody should be a second class citizen of this country.
“I come from a state that by the Special Grace of God produces the wealth of the nation. So, even those who depend on the oil noney to survive are allowed to speak. Why would somebody that produces that wealth, not speak ?”
The governor emphasized that all the people of Rivers State demand is that democracy must triumph. He wondered why the leadership of APC cannot accept that they will not win in all states, when Former President Jonathan willingly conceded defeat.
He said: “This is a government that came to power on the platform of change. We have offered ourselves to help them achieve change, instead of them to commend us, they want to eliminate us.
“I have told people who care to know, you rig election where you are popular. When you rig election where you are not popular, it leads to violence “.
He noted that the Police are investigating the concocted audio as a means of justifying their failure to deliver to their paymasters, despite the funds allocated to them to subvert the will of Rivers people.
Governor Wike said: “They are justifying the money they spent , simply to retire the money. They couldn’t deliver, so they are looking for ways to justify the money given to them”.
He said if the police authorities were serious about investigations, they would have been investigating the APC governors who threatened violence in Hausa and Yoruba Language at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium during the party’s rally. He added that the rally which was televised live also had the APC National Chairman threatening violence on Rivers people.
Commenting on the award of the Governor of The Year by the management of Authority Newspaper, Governor Wike said it will spur him to work harder.
Earlier, the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of Authority Newspaper, Mr Madu Onuorah said the governor was nominated because of his exploits in politics and infrastructural development.
The award conferment ceremony will hold on January 26, 2017.
