Why I congratulated Buhari – Wike; Reveals: Some PDP governors visit President at night; His real reasons – PDP Chief  

Governor Wike said that unlike some Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who visit President Muhammadu Buhari at night,  he made his declaration public  because  it came from the heart.

But a PDP top shot, who pleaded anonymity, said that Wike’s real reasons for congratulating Buhari is the intense pressure under which he has come lately.

The source said that, for instance, Wike’s victory at the controversial governorship election is still being contested at the Election Petition Tribunal and that he is afraid that the judiciary at the federal level could be used to kick him out of office especially as he has been seen as a major opponent of the Buhari presidency and the government’s RUGA policy.

He noted that Wike has also come under fire. especially by power brokers in the Northern part of the country over the alleged demolition of a mosque in the state, an allegation which he has vigorously denied, insisting that no mosque was demolished. He is, he said, also being attacked for declaring Rivers State a Christian State, a declaration that the governor is standing by.

Wike, the party chief said, is also unsure that he can take the pressure of another four years of Chief Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi as a super Minister in Buhari’s cabinet. The governor, our source confirmed, has had a running battle with Amaechi, his predecessor in office,  who desperately wants him out of power. He (Wike) he said, is solidly behind a campaign to diminish or knock Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation, out of favor with the Presidency so that opposition to his governorship of the state can be minimized.

Rivers State is one of the states in the South South geo-political zone that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, desperately wanted to “capture” during the last general election but Wike proved a hard nut to crack. Our source said that he (Wike), however, seems to be caving in to all the pressure, including being starved of some federal funds and projects that are available to other states, including some PDP states, pointing out that being the one who, literally, single-handedly installed the Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, he should not have been in such a hurry to congratulate Buhari when his party was so vehemently opposed to the verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, if there was nothing behind it.

But Wike, who spoke at the Funeral  Service in honour of Late Madam Blessing Awuse,  Mother of Onha Sergent Chidi Awuse,  at the St Luke’s Anglican Church,  Emohua on Thursday, said: “I am sure all of you are surprised that I congratulated Buhari. Is it not good for me to congratulate him,  than to go to his house in the night?”

“So many PDP Governors go to see him in his house in the night. I have never gone and I will not go. I won’t go.

“We are  the only state that the Federal Government refused to pay us our money used to execute  Federal  projects because I don’t go to see him in the night and I won’t go. He is not my friend, he is not doing well, but he won in court, should I say that the court did wrong, no.”

“President Buhari, congratulations and carry Nigerians along. Unify the country, the country is too divided. I am saying what is right. What I will do, I will do, what I will not do, I will not do”.

Governor Wike said politics is a game of interest,  noting that Rivers people in the All Progressives Congress are under obligation to attract Federal benefits to the state.

‘Politics is a game of interest.  And my only interest is Rivers State . Anything that is against the interest of Rivers State,  I will  not agree.

“These people sold us out, thinking that they are doing Governor Wike.  It is the State that you are offending,  because I am just one person “.

Governor Wike expressed displeasure that Rivers State has key links to President Muhammadu Buhari from the State,  yet the East West  Road, the seaports and other Federal projects have been completely neglected since 2015. He said nothing indicates that Rivers State has prominent APC members working with President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Rivers State Governor maintained that Rivers State is a Christian state.  He said that the facts of Rivers being a Christian State will not be changed by negative  propaganda and falsehood targeted at his person.  He said he never demolished a Mosque as was falsely circulated by some mischief makers.

He said Rivers State is a major oil producing State that deserves major projects from the Federal Government.

“We produce oil . They should not punish Rivers State because of me. I am just one individual.  We have not benefited anything from the Federal Government. The only thing we have benefited is the abuse they heap on me.

“They turned the NDDC  into  a cash cow to sponsor elections against us. Nobody protested that anomaly.  Now they want us to protest because someone did not nominate the management of NDDC  this time.

“Since 2015, NDDC has not had its governing board, but nobody protested.  I will not be dragged into  such protests “, he said.

On the passage of Late  Mrs Blessing Awuse, Mother of Ohna Sergeant Awuse, Governor Wike said she lived a fulfilled life and raised disciplined and trustworthy children.  He said that her burial is a celebration of life.

Chief Mourner, Ohna Sergeant  Awuse thanked the Rivers State Governor for his love and friendship.  He said the Rivers State Governor always intervenes at the most critical time.

Anglican Bishop of Ikwerre Diocese, Rt Rev  Blessing Enyindah praised the Rivers State Governor for his commitment  to the development  of the state.

He urged the Rivers State Governor to continue with his good works.  He said that Governor Wike should focus on the people in all his programmes.