Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Governor Nyesom Wike has said he and his colleagues in the G5 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Governors’ Forum are not playing God on the issue of who will become the next president of Nigeria.
The Rivers Governor who spoke at the flag-off of Ogbo- Ihugbodo Road in Ahoada East Local Government Area of the state on Saturday was obviously responding to a statement by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who is also the running mate to Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of PDP.
Okowa spoke while responding to claims that Wike and his allies in the G5 had agreed to work for the success of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC presidential candidate at a campaign stop in Delta State on Friday.
The Delta State Governor had said God will help the PDP win the presidential election without the support of the G5 governors.
But while responding, Wike said the person behind the statement should have known that even if God gives power, it should not be given to the wicked.
“Don’t be treacherous in life because you want power. God will never give power to the wicked. Our hands are clean we have not done anything wrong.
“All we are saying is, do things in a way all of us will have sense of belonging, that all of us will believe that we are together.
“That is all we are saying. If saying so is wrong, then let it be to God. But we know that it is good as right takes, let left take also.”
Wike explained that members of the G5 believe in God and always align their various affairs to such, which is why they keep getting stronger by the day.
He pointed out that the person who said that it only God and not G5 governors who can decide who will be president seemed not to understand the background of members of the group.
“We are alive today, we are where we are because of God. Nobody can even breathe air if not God, not to talk of holding position. So, nobody can tell us that it is only God, we know that it is only God that gives power.
“But our prayer is that God, don’t allow those who will sell off Nigeria in the next one second to be in power. Our prayer is God, don’t allow anybody that you (people) will have an agreement with and in the next two minutes, the person will change.
“Our prayer is that almighty God will not allow those who will betray their brothers when they have agreed with their brothers to do something. God, may you never allow such people.”
Governor Wike also noted that the person said that there will be division among the G5, an expectation that he said had long been frustrated since May/June 2022.
“It has never worked and it will never work in Jesus name. By sitting down to say that there will be division, I send back that prayer to you.
“I don’t want to discuss them. I have told people, allow the sleeping dog to lie. If you don’t allow sleeping dog to lie, you too will not sleep.”
The Rivers State governor also pointed to another person saying that they will handle members of the G5 when they have decided where to throw their support.
“These are the things that annoy us. Who is this person saying this? I heard them say that PDP is a responsible party. I agree. But when they left PDP in 2014 against 2015.
“When they left and made PDP to lose our election. Today, we are struggling to take over power from APC. Who are those who made us to lose this power.”
Commenting on the project, Governor Wike the Ogbo -Ihugbodo road is one of the many projects his administration has continued to deliver to restore Ahoada Town and the surrounding communities to what it used to be when it was a divisional headquarters.
The governor emphasized that it is already established that he is creating an unbeatable record as an administration in Nigeria that will continue to deliver democratic dividend until the last day of his tenure.
Wike stated that the jealousy expressed by some detractors is because of the capacity he has continued to demonstrate in governance, combining delivery of projects and attending to issues of governance with none suffering.
He threw a challenge to those who feel jealous to also show capacity and combine project flag-off, inauguration and governance simultaneously if they can.
Providing the project description, Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Dr. George -Kelly Dakorinima Alabo said the Ogbo -Ihugbodo road is 6.1KM long, with about 4.1KM cutting through fresh vegetation.
He stated that the road is 7.3 meters wide, has 4KM length of drains on both sides and should be delivered within five months.
