ETCHE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND OUR VISION – FUBARA SAYS IN OKEHI
The New Rivers Vision Consolidation Campaign trail landed in Okehi, Etche Local Government Area on Monday, 30 January 2023 for the Day 9 of the Rivers PDP state-level electioneering rally.
Addressing party faithful and supporters at the rally, the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State for the 2023 general elections, Sir Siminalayi Fubara said he is confident that he will win in Etche Local Area because Etche people understand the New Rivers Vision.
Sir Fubara futher asserted that Governor Nyesom Wike has performed very well in Etche Local Government Area. He listed some of the achievements of Governor Wike’s administration in the LGA and promised to build on them for more development for the people of Etche.
“A question was asked, what are we consolidating? We are consolidating on ensuring that our courts will not be closed again. We are consolidating on regular and prompt payments of salaries and pensions. We are consolidating on infrastructural revolution. We are consolidating on ensuring that state assets are not being sold by friends and business partners again. We are consolidating on good governance.
“His Excellency Nyesom Wike has laid a solid foundation for onward growth of every sector and every part of the state. Our own job is to continue, build, and improve on it. This is what we mean by consolidation and continuity.
“The testimonies of Etche people here are wonderful. A journey they spend hours on before due to bad road, they now spend less than 45 minutes because of Governor Wike’s magic on your roads. This is dividend of democracy and good governance, it is evidence of right leadership,” he said.
Sir Siminalayi Fubara seized the opportunity to urge Etche people to utilise the extension of the deadline for collection of permanent voter cards (PVC) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“Please ensure that this remaining few days that INEC has provided for us for collection of PVC are used to collect yours if you are yet to do so. Sensitise your people to do so because our PVC is our weapon, it is our instrument, and our power, without it, we are powerless.
“With our PVC, we will ensure that PDP wins the governorship election in Rivers State. I know I will win, I am not desperate but I know I will win because of my competence and Governor Wike’s performance.
“With our PVC we will ensure that PDP wins all the senatorial seats, all the house of representatives seats, and all the state house of assembly seats in Rivers State.
“We have done very well in Etche Local Government Area because you understand the New Rivers Vision. When you understand a vision, it becomes easy for you to key into it. We expect you to support us again so that we will do more for you and bring more development to Etche,” the guber candidate added.
In his address, Governor Nyesom Wike condemned the attempt of the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party to frustrate the suit filed by the Rivers State chapter of the party against opposition parties in the state.
The Governor also boasted that he has fulfilled the electioneering promises he made to the people of Etche in 2015 and 2019. He urged them not to listen to politicians who have penchant for failing on their campaign promises.
“You must differentiate politicians who are known for not keeping their campaign promises from those who keep to their promises. When I came to you in 2014/2015, I made several promises to you, to the glory of God, I have fulfilled those promises made to you.
“I have constructed several roads in this local government area. I sited one of the campuses of Rivers State University here. In fact, Igwuruta-Chokocho Dual Carriageway was one of my first projects when I came on board.
“Our own is not to lie to you, when we tell you we will do something for you, we go ahead to do it. Do not vote those parties that will promise you and fail to fulfil it.
“Those of them in Abuja who are talking about anti-party have been caught red-handed in the act. They are the first to play anti-party that they accused us of.
“We challenged the illegal conduct of primaries by some opposition parties in Rivers State in court, and we were hoping on the court to do the right thing. We have just been told that the national chairman of the party has written to the party’s lawyer to hands off the case to frustrate our suit.
“No problem at all, let them frustrate the case. We will hit them back because anti-party begets anti-party, the Governor stated.
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State, Amb. Desmond Akawor presented flags to the two candidates for Etche Constituencies in Rivers State House of Assembly, he also introduced the senatorial candidate and the house of representatives candidate to the mammoth crowd.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Director-General of the New Rivers Vision Consolidation Campaign Council, Bro Felix Obuah said the best way the people of Etche Local Government Area will appreciate Governor Nyesom Wike for what he has done in the area is to vote Sir Siminalayi Fubara for governor, the senatorial candidate of the PDP, house of reps candidate of the PDP, as well as the two state assembly candidates of the party come February 25 and March 11.