Wike-‘Military Rule' is over in Rivers,

Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike

As the political crisis in Rivers State lingers, The Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, has declared that the era of 'military rule' in the state is over.

This came as a group, the Rivers Peoples Forum (RPF), has said the minister was in no position to give the state governor Chibuike Amaechi conditions on how peace should return to the state.

Wike made the declaration Sunday at the inauguration of the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI) at Egberu Ndoki in Oyigbo Local Government Area of the state.

The minister, who is the grand patron of the group, said GDI had come to liberate Rivers people from the ‘dictatorship’ that had characterised the present administration in the state.

He stressed that change had come to the state, and advised those not satisfied with the change to leave the state.

According to Wike, those opposed to the change he was bringing to the state were tenants who could leave the state.

He said: “They are tenants; their rents have expired and the landlord have taken over their houses. Six years ago, nobody remembered that they would pay you. But, in the last few months, they want to be paying you. Change has come.

"Change has come to Oyigbo local government and GDI has come to bring the change. Nobody can stop you from receiving the change. Nobody can intimidate you again.

"The era of military rule is over. GDI should not cause any trouble. Change has come. Preach that change has come. Please, put yourselves in group and preach the change.”

He called on members of GDI to intensify their mobilisation of the people in readiness for President Goodluck Jonathan when he finally decides to run for a second tenure.

“Let me say it clearly that you should mobilise the people and deliver PDP to the president in 2015. We have no choice, but to tell him to go back for all he has done for the South-south,” he said.

On the forthcoming national convention of the PDP, Wike emphasised that the state had a candidate for the Deputy National Chairman in the person of Mr. Uche Secondus, the former National Organising Secretary of the party.

"Since GDI is mobilising, we are going to PDP convention and PDP has only one person, Secondus. If there is any person who says we have another person other than Secondus, let the person say,” Wike said.

In his speech, the state Chairman of the PDP, Chief Felix Obuah, called on Rivers people, especially PDP members to support Jonathan's presidential ambition in 2015.

Obuah said the GDI represented the new order in the state and called on the people to embrace the change which the group was bringing to the state.

According to Obuah, “The GDI is the last hope of the people. GDI is doing marvellously well for the support of President Jonathan; for the transformation agenda. I want to assure you that God lives, we are going to be winners.

“We are aware of numerous attacks on us using the media. If government is tired and wants to handover, it is welcome.”

Meanwhile, the Rivers Peoples Forum (RPF) has dismissed as laughable and ridiculous reports that Wike had said for peace to return to the state, the suspended Obio-Akpor Local Government Council chairman, vice chairman and councillors must be recalled.

The group, in a statement by its President, Charles Bekwele, said the minister was in no position to give anyone conditions and insisted on its earlier call that Wike must be arrested and prosecuted for threatening the peace and people of Rivers State.

He said: “It is sad, very sad and unfortunate that Wike who has been certified to be a danger to democracy, who has openly threatened the peace and people of Rivers State is still being allowed to roam the streets and make further inciting comments. Who does he (Wike) think he is, to say the suspended Obio-Akpor Council executive must be recalled for peace to return to Rivers State?”

He noted that Wike had denied making the inciting statements but said the records were there to show that the minister actually threatened the state.

“Wike threatened the peace and people of Rivers State. He said the State will be uncomfortable, ungovernable… It is on record, on tape, the video is on the internet and many newspapers reported it. He cannot try to twist it now. Wike must be arrested and tried for threatening the peace and people of Rivers State. The Inspector General of Police must act now, this man should not be allowed to roam the streets and continue to make more inciting comments,” he said.

The RPF also dismissed claims by Wike that his campaign posters were the handiwork of his detractors.

Bekwele urged the public to disregard the minister's outcry, stating that it was no surprise to Rivers people that Wike posters were in circulation because the minister had always been campaigning to run for the governorship of the state.

“In Rivers State, it is a known fact that Wike has been going round local government areas of the state every week to fuel his campaign for governorship under the guise of inaugurating his Grassroots Democratic Initiative (GDI) group.

“It is belated for him to come out now and cry wolf over his campaign posters being faked because it is already clear to Rivers people and even the country that Wike is campaigning to be governor and he started a long time ago,” Bekwele said