Rivers PDP primary: Nyesom Wike crowned governorship candidate

Rivers PDP primary: Nyesom Wike crowned governorship candidate

Monday, December 8, 2014 4:37 pm


Nyesom Wike: now PDP governorship candidate in Rivers State

Nyesom Wike: now PDP governorship candidate in Rivers State

Just as expected, Chief Nyesom Wike, former Minister of State for Education, on Monday emerged the governorship candidate of the PDP in Rivers state winning 1,083 votes out of the 1,108 cast.

One of his challengers, Chief Dimpka Dumbari got 21 votes.The other contestants at the venue were Emmanuel Georgewill, and Senator Lee Maeba.

Sixteen other aspirants that planned to contest the primary with him, boycotted the election, held at the Community girls secondary school, Mile 3, Port Harcourt, under heavy security.

The Chairman of the Electoral Panel, Mr Bekeakpor Etifa, declared Wike winner.

Etifa said that 1,150 delegates were accredited from the 319 electoral wards of the state while 1,108 voted in the election.

After being declared the winner, Wike thanked the delegates for finding him worthy of flying the flag of the party in the 2015 general elections.

He promised to reposition the state to the path of prosperity and harmonious relationship with the Federal Government.

“’Today, Rivers State has carried a banner of isolation and rebellion in Nigeria; for the first time a government has put the judiciary under lock and keys.

‘’The new Rivers vision must put a stop to this madness and restore sanity back for a more united and economic blossoming state,’’ the former minister said.

Wike said his victory was a victory for democracy, and assured Rivers people of strengthening democracy in the state.

According to him, “we shall recover the stolen mandate from APC which is ours through a purposeful vision and reconciliation.

Wike’s candidacy was a forgone conclusion as he enjoyed the backing of President Goodluck Jonathan and Dame Patience Jonathan. In the run-up to the election, Wike had hijacked all the party structures and gotten a delegates list that would rubber stamp his ambition.

The sixteen governorship aspirants who have been agitating against the emergence of Wike are all insisting the party had been hijacked by members of Grassroots Development Initiative, GDI,who are footsoldiers of Wike,their national sponsor and patron.

Speaking on behalf of other aggrieved Aspirants, former Governor of Rivers state, Pawariso Samuel Horsfall said

“Everything about the governorships primaries was flawed. From the delegate election and to today’s primaries.

“I have never seen where Governorship primary of a national party is held in the bedroom of a particular Aspirant, a community school”

In a similar vein,another Aspirant, Dumo Lulu-Briggs described the primary as sham exercise as no other Aspirant except Wike,knew the delegates who were reposed with the power to vote for the flagbearer of the choice.

On the eve of the governorship primaries, Chief Albert Samuel Horsfall, former Direct-General of the State Security Service, SSS had cautioned other aggrieved Aspirants not to boycott the primaries or employ violence to pursue their political struggle.

Meanwhile, it was learnt the former governor of the state, Dr. Peter Odili was also at the venue.

Security personnel ensured there was no case of violence throughout the exercise.

In his first official reaction, the chairman of Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Bro. Felix Obuah congratulated all delegates and members of the Party for a peaceful Governorship Primary in the State.

Impressed by the large turn-out for the Primary election, orderly conduct by both delegates and aspirants, Prince Obuah said the party has once more asserted its readiness and unity of purpose for the crucial 2015 general elections in the State.


Join The Conversation

One Comment

  • OKIDIM SAMUEL AKEUPHEL. says:

    First and foremost I said congratulation, for the winning, and I pray that the almighty GOD should give you more wisdom so can retrieve our mandate WISHES GOOLUCK come general election.

  • What do you think?

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.