The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has declared himself a believer in the rule of law who would not engage in political violence in the forthcoming 2023 general election.
Wike said that despite political provocation, unfounded allegations and outright disregard to statutory laws by unruly political actors, his administration could not resort to political violence.
According to a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, the Rivers governor made the assertion at the inauguration of the 17.2-kilometre long Bori-Kono Road that held at Methodist Comprehensive High School Premises in Baen community of Khana Local Government Area on Friday.
Wike’s comment was made the same day that the PDP presidential campaign office in Rivers State accused him of sealing its office.
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The governor said his administration had done so well for Rivers people in terms of project delivery and ensuring security and promoting good governance, which have earned political goodwill of Rivers electorate.
Wike stressed that Rivers people were at home to listen to his political counsel on who to vote in the 2023 election, adding that there was no need to recourse to political violence against anybody.
The governor accused prominent Rivers politicians, Senator Lee Maeba and Dr Abiye Sekibo, of trying to instigate violence in the state by deliberately violating the state law prohibits the location of political offices in residential areas of the state.
“Few days ago, you (Maeba) and Abiye went to Igboukwu Street, D-Line (Port Harcourt) without the approval of government to site a political office.
“We are talking about Executive Orders 21 and 22 that has now been taken over by the law passed by the State House of Assembly. We did not send the chairman of Port Harcourt council to go and bring it (the building) down. We have the powers.
Wike added, “But we say, no, let’s take a step further. We went to court to say, look, this is in violation of the provisions of the law. It is the count that has placed the seal-off.
“If we are violent, since you want to try to see whether we are violent or not, we would have shown it. But you’ve been defeated. We have always followed due process and we cannot be violent.”
Wike stressed that nobody was harassing anybody and preventing them from their political campaigns but such must be done in line with statutory laws of the state.