Rivers People Should Learn From Ekiti Election, Says Senator Uchendu

The lawmaker representing Rivers East Senatorial District, Andrew Uchendu, has said the people of Rivers State should learn from last Saturday’s Ekiti governorship election.

Uchendu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), spoke yesterday in a statement by his media aide, Solomon Okocha, while congratulating the Governor-elect of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

He said: “I must commend the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigeria Police and other security agencies, the media, and independent observers for the various roles they played to ensure a peaceful, free, fair, transparent and credible governorship election in Ekiti State last Saturday.

“It is important that APC faithful, particularly those from Rivers State, should learn some vital lessons from the governorship poll in Ekiti State. The victory from the election arose from collective efforts, teamwork and a focused leadership.

“In Rivers State, the across-the-board jubilation that greeted Dr. Fayemi’s governorship victory is a clear manifestation that the ultimate desire of Rivers people is to vote in a credible government in the state in 2019.”

The lawmaker urged members of APC in the state to support the leader of the party in Rivers and the Southsouth zone, Rotimi Amaechi, in order to win the governorship election in 2019.

He said: “It is important for all the tendencies in Rivers APC to rally round the leadership of Rt. Hon. Amaechi to give the people of Rivers State a clear option to vote out the clueless and purposeless administration of Wike.

“I am very happy that our leader (Amaechi), on many occasions, had clearly indicated that all governorship aspirants in Rivers APC would be given equal opportunity to contest the primaries, because to him, only the best is good enough for Rivers State.

“All the governorship aspirants who may feel threatened for one reason or another should be assured that nobody would be excluded from the primaries.”

Reacting to Governor Nyesom Wike’s allegation that the election in Ekiti was skewed in favour of Fayemi, Uchendu described it as laughable and frivolous.

He said: “It is quite surprising and really unfortunate that Wike always mounts the podium to comment on issues that have no bearing on the lives of Rivers people.

“I call on well-meaning Rivers people to be prepared to vote out and silence the kindergarten government currently occupying Rivers State Brick House (Government House), Port Harcourt. We must put an end to the ongoing assault on the reputation of Rivers people. We deserve a decent and responsible leadership.

“I wish to advise clerics, especially in Rivers State, to resist the temptation of being used by Wike to desecrate churches with immature politics, in order not to diminish our faith in the almightiness of God.”

The lawmaker admonished party members to be focused and not allow themselves to be intimidated by Wike and his allies.