By Seyi Odewale
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Eznwo Wike has tasked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to treat the South-South geopolitical zone with fairness, justice, and equity.

The governor, who noted that having consistently voted for the PDP since 1999, the party cannot at this crucial moment ignore the South-South’s constructions to its success, gave the admonition yesterday during the meeting of PDP stakeholders in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

He said: “The South-South is the pillar of the PDP. If the South-South is the pillar of the PDP, they must be treated with fairness, justice, and equity. It is not only when it comes to work, it is not only when it comes to giving votes, that we will all remember that the South-South is the pillar. When it also comes in terms of sharing, they should remember that this is the pillar of the party.”

In a statement by his media aide, Kelvin Ebiri, Governor Wike, who charged his colleagues, the National Assembly members, and other stakeholders from the South-South zone to set aside their differences in the overall interest of the PDP, said: “We have all said that Nigerians are waiting for PDP to takeover in 2023. That is true. But we cannot take over if we are not united. We cannot take over if we don’t work together.”

He stressed that the only way the PDP could wrest political power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government in 2023 is to remain united, adding that Nigerians were already disenchanted with the APC led Federal Government that had through its anti-people economic policies inflicted hardship on the masses.

According to Wike, the APC’s poor governance has clearly manifested in the widespread of poverty, insecurity, poor electricity supply, scarcity of petroleum products in Nigeria. “It is for us to put our house together and make Nigerians proud. Because if we don’t take over in 2023, Nigerians will never forgive PDP. All the opportunity abounds and so we must take this opportunity and make Nigerians happy,” he said.

The governor said the PDP has realised its past mistakes, and when given another opportunity will not take Nigerians for granted as the ruling APC is presently doing.

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He said: “Now that Nigerians have opened the door for us, we must make Nigerians happy. This (APC) government is a government of excuses. Every morning, one excuse. Every afternoon, one excuse, and in the night, one excuse. I’ve never seen a party that makes a promise without fulfilling the promise.”

According to Wike said the Federal Government declaration that it has deleted Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act is a smack of corruption.

Present at the meeting were Governors Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom; Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta); Douye Diri (Bayelsa).

Other dignitaries in attendance included the PDP national vice chairman (South-South), Chief Dan Orbih; Senator George Sekibo; House of Representatives Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu; former Deputy Speaker House of Representatives, Austin Opara; former governors of Cross River and Rivers states, Senator Liyel Imoke and Sir Celestine Omehia.