Politics

You can’t become President without Rivers votes – Wike

Published

5 years ago

April 16, 2021

Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, said on Thursday that anybody jostling to be president of Nigeria would need to secure votes in Rivers to combine with either Kano or Lagos to emerge victorious.

Such pivotal position, he said, established the importance of Rivers State in the political scheme of the country.

Wike spoke at the grand finale of the Peoples Democratic Party Local Government Election Campaign at Ulakwo in the Etche Local Government Area.

“I keep telling the Peoples Democratic Party that no state has given more votes to the party than Rivers; and it is only in Rivers, in the whole of South-South, that the All Progressives Congress didn’t get 25 per cent votes in 2019 general elections.

“In Nigeria, nobody wins presidency if you didn’t win either Rivers and Lagos or Kano and Lagos together. Rivers is not a state anybody can joke with. Some states went to negotiate with them. Rivers didn’t do it,” the governor said.

Wike in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri took a swipe at Senator Andrew Uchendu for his uncanny comments in the media, and wondered what courage he spoke against PDP administration that is ending the suffering he inflicted on his people.

“I was watching Arise Television the other day, and I heard Senator Andrew Uchendu and the Chief Medical Director of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. The CMD said I asked him to indict the former governor. I don’t know that he has such judicial power.

“He (CMD) set up a target. The man was lobbying to be a commissioner where our former party chairman comes from without even doing due consultation. Because I didn’t give him Commissioner, he ran and started to abuse me,” Wike stated.

Politics

Anambra Communities Boil As Group Carpets Traditional Rulers Over Zoning

Published

2 days ago

May 8, 2026

Everydaynewsngr

By Okey Maduforo, Awka

Ten communities that make up Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State are set for a showdown with their traditional rulers following the alleged suspension of the zoning arrangement for the Anambra State House of Assembly elections.

Recall that on April 7, 2022, the traditional rulers, in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), resolved that the House of Assembly seats for Anaocha I and Anaocha II constituencies would rotate among the ten communities, with each town occupying the seat for two terms.

The traditional rulers further resolved that the rotation would subsist irrespective of the political party through which lawmakers emerge, noting that the arrangement was aimed at ensuring that all ten communities have the opportunity to produce members of the State Assembly in the interest of equity and fairness.

However, the Anaocha Equity Forum, shortly after its meeting, expressed concern over the alleged suspension of the zoning arrangement.

Speaking, the Convener of the Anaocha Equity Forum, Mr. Valentine Okoye, said the forum would not take kindly to what it described as acts capable of destabilising the council area, adding that any such move would be resisted.

“This is a Memorandum of Understanding signed by our traditional rulers, and it has been respected until now. We in the Anaocha Equity Forum see this as a slap on the sensibilities of the ten communities that make up the area,” he said.

“We urge members of the public, political parties, and stakeholders to disregard the alleged position of the traditional rulers, as it does not represent the views and aspirations of our people.

“Our traditional rulers should be mindful of their roles as fathers of their respective communities. They should also understand that they would be held responsible for whatever backlash or consequences may arise from this recent position.

“We call on Governor Charles Soludo to call the traditional rulers to order so that the peace currently enjoyed in Anaocha Local Government Area will not be disrupted,” he stated.