Some All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders in Rivers State have started to shift from their antagonistic politics against the Governor Nyesom Wike administration for the overall interest of the big oil state.
This is coming as Governor Wike in a seeming veiled message to Transportation Minister, Chibuike Amaechi, called on Rivers politicians and political office holders to always place the state first in all their dealings.
Since he left office in 2015, Amaechi has been fighting his successor as a wounded lion. Their political acrimony has been telling harshly on the security of lives and property.
Wike was speaking during a thanksgiving service in honour of elected APC National and state Assembly members in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
Driving home his message, Governor Wike said all political office holders should ensure the rapid social and economic development of the state.
Apparently persuaded, Senator Magnus Abe who is representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District said as Rivers people, they have a common destiny and a common heritage.
Abe served the Amaechi administration as Secretary to the State Government while Wike was the Chief of Staff on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He, however, followed Amaechi to defect to the APC.
The Ogoni senator who is locked in a battle for the APC governorship ticket for the 2019 polls, said that Rivers people reserve the right to determine who their leaders would be, stressing that the state must come first.
‘’Now is the time to put the interest of the state ahead of anything else. We must work together, so that the people can benefit from the politics we play ‘’, Abe said, adding, ‘’this is the time to cooperate as leaders of Rivers and build the state for the benefit of her people’’.
Impressed, Governor Wike said Rivers should be the first to be considered at all times, insisting that the interest of the state is paramount.
According to him, ‘’when we come together, all we should preach is how Rivers should be the number one state in the country. When the time for election comes, politicians can jostle for positions, pointing out that the APC members emerged victorious because God ordained their victories.
In his address, Senate President Bukola Saraki urged the APC in Rivers to reconcile, stressing that they will have challenges if their internal conflict persists.
Saraki said, ‘’without peace and reconciliation, victory will not be easy. There should be only one APC in Rivers State. What is happening is wrong. Let us have unity and let us work together.”
