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Rivers governor, Nyesom Wike has renounced the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over their support for the currency redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
PDP and Atiku had despite the hardship inflicted on Nigerians by scarcity of the new naira notes had encouraged the CBN not to extend the deadline for the withdrawal of old notes from circulation.
However, speaking after the Supreme Court judgment which halted the CBN from withdrawing the use of the old naira notes of N200, N500 and N1000 on 10th February as scheduled by the apex bank, Wike said though he is a member of PDP, he did not share the opinion of the party and Atiku on the issue.
Also Read: BREAKING: Supreme Court Bans CBN from Implementing Deadline on Old Naira Notes
The Governor said the PDP in Rivers State PDP is not part of the PDP group, if any, that has declared support for the currency redesign policy which he noted, was being poorly implemented by the CBN.
Wike spoke at the County State School, Emilaghan in Central Abua, venue of Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) organised campaign flag-off rally in Abua/Odual Local Government Area on Wednesday, according to a statement signed by Kelvin Ebiri his Special Assistant on Media.
“And I want to say, we are not part of that PDP group, if there are, who supporting this kind of action. We PDP in Rivers State, we will not support this kind of action.”
Rather, the Governor commended the Supreme Court for saving Nigeria’s democracy by halting the withdrawal of the new naira notes.
Wike said the intervention of the Supreme Court was timely because there are some elements who have been working to derail the ongoing democratic process with the anxiety and hardship inflicted on the people by the naira swap policy.
“I want to, on behalf of the Rivers State Government, commend the Nigerian Supreme Court for what they have done today (Wednesday) to save the masses of this country and to save democracy.
“Today, the Supreme Court has stopped the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from embarking on stopping the old Nigerian Naira notes from circulating.”
Wike also said the Rivers State government will join the three northern states in the suit that is already challenging what the CBN is doing.
“And let me commend my brother states like Kogi state, like Kaduna, like Zamfara state who took it upon themselves to go and challenge the federal government at the Supreme Court.
“I also want to say that the Rivers State Government will join them in that suit to challenge what the CBN is doing. We will not support anything that will go against the masses, anything that makes the masses to suffer.”
Governor Wike reiterated that the survival of the country’s democracy rests, to a large extent on critical agencies of government that expected to live up to their statutory obligations.
“I have said before, this democracy can only survive with the support of INEC, with the support of security agencies and with the support of the judiciary. With what happened today, the Supreme Court has shown that the hope of the common man lies on the judiciary.”
Commenting on the two recent projects that were flag-off in the area, governor Wike noted that the contractor, Lubrik Construction Company seemed to have slowed down the pace of work on those sites and issued a 24hours ultimatum to the Contractor, not only to return to site, but to increase the speed of work.
Campaigning for the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, governor Wike recalled that in 2014, when he visited the area to canvass for support, there were unrests and gunshot renting the air.
But since he became governor, he has restored calm and peace which has engendered development with a good number of projects started and completed in the area.
While noting the existing unity and peaceful coexistence among them, governor Wike told the Abua/ Odual people that if they continued to work in unity, optimally utilised their permanent voters cards for the PDP, they will reap bountifully when the consolidation team wins.
Rivers State governorship candidate of the PDP, Sir Siminialayi Fubara who asked the people to secure their votes for him and other PDP candidates, assured that his administration will sustain the peace in the area by working with traditional rulers and other critical stakeholders.
Fubara also gave the assurance that should there be any uncompleted project in the area that will be inherited, his administration will complete them, among other projects as may be suggested to meet their infrastructural needs.
Presenting the party’s flags to the candidates of the party, Rivers State PDP Chairman, Ambassador Desmond Akawor urged the Abua/Odual people to ensure that they delivered their votes for all PDP candidates.
Speaking on behalf of the candidates, deputy governor of Rivers State, Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, who is the candidate for Rivers West Senatorial District noted the various projects delivered in the area by governor Wike that have impacted positively on the people.
She pledged that they will speak up for their various constituents and never disappoint their expectations because they will provide quality representation.
Governor Wike had earlier paid a courtesy call at the palace of His Majesty, King Kaleh O. Obuge, to seek royal blessing for the PDP consolidation team.
