Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has lambasted the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar, for hosting Rivers town hall meeting in Abuja saying he does not deserve votes from the State.
He said by such action Atiku had demarketed the State as unsafe and wondered why he should still want votes from Rivers on Saturday.
The Governor insisted that Rivers electorate would cast their votes on Saturday for the candidate trusted to be unifier and committed to the unity of Nigeria.
Wike spoke at Ogbakiri junction in Emohua Local Government Area, where he kicked off the reconstruction and dualisation of Emohua Road to Abalama/Tema Junction.
The Governor said nothing could stop him and Rivers voters from the decision they had already taken on their preferred presidential candidate.
He said the people summoned and addressed by Atiku in Abuja over the weekend were not true Rivers citizens.
He said if such people claimed otherwise they should return home and be addressed by the presidential candidate.
Wike described as unacceptable such summoning of people, who had made themselves non-indigenes in Abuja.
He said it was an insult to Rivers and its people for anyone seeking for their votes to summon them for a meeting outside of the state .
He said if the PDP presidential candidate could not come to Rivers State and address the people because he had labelled the place as unsafe, it would be morally wrong to seek votes from the state.
The Governor said: “You are addressing Rivers people in Abuja, is that not an insult? You cannot come to Rivers State and talk to us. You say Rivers State is not safe, but you want their vote. Rivers people will you allow that? Those who declared our state to be unsafe are those who are seeking for your vote. It is unfortunate. No right thinking Rivers will take that insult.
“And I challenge all of you here to behave like true Rivers people to say nobody can buy you, nobody can summon you outside Rivers State. if you want to talk to us come to Rivers state and talk to us . no amount of blackmail, no amount of intimidation can change our position. We want the unity of Nigeria.”
Wike said that they were prepared for the Saturday’s election and Rivers electorate would teach those opposed to the stance of the state for equity, fairness and justice, that they were the real owners of the state.
He emphasised that Rivers people would vote for the candidate, who had the welfare of the state at heart, and interested in Nigeria moving forward.
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