Rivers Elders Council Seeks Withdrawal Of Wike As PDP Candidate

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The Elders and Leaders council in Rivers State has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to withdraw its governorship candidate, Mr Nyesom Wike, from the governorship race in Rivers State.

The chairman of the group and the former Chairman of Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission, (OMPADEC) now (NDDC), Mr Albert Horsfall, on Thursday requested that President Jonathan should advise Mr Wike to step down on or before January 5 in his own interest and that of others.

He said it became necessary that the PDP and the President should take the step in order to avoid losing the governorship election in the state and warned that the people would vote for only political parties that presented riverine candidates as their governorship flag bearer should Wike fail to withdraw.

The group head further stressed that the people of the state would not be bought over with money or be intimidated into succumbing to injustice and slavery for the next 50 years, as a result of the failure of the state PDP to embrace zoning of the governorship position in the state.

He also highlighted other issues that should be addressed.

They are the ongoing reconciliation between Mr Wike and other governorship aspirants and injustice that could enslave the riverine people for the next 50 years.

The riverine communities have pledged to close ranks and vote massively for the next ‘big’ party that presented a riverine candidate.

The elders and leaders are from all the 23 local government areas in Rivers State.

The problem of PDP in Rivers State had started when the sitting governor, Chibuike Amaechi, was suspended and his defection that followed which brought the emergence of the All Progressives Congress in the state.

January 5 is a few days away. Would the former supervising minister education give up his ambition?  Is it possible that president Jonathan would intervene in the case to urge the former minister to step down? Those are the questions that are waiting to be answered until the January 5 deadline.