Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, the governor of Rivers state, has lambasted Prof Ben Ayade, his Cross River counterpart, and the police for trying to prevent the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rally in Calabar on Saturday.

It will be noted that the police surrounded the Calabar Sports Club in the early hours of Saturday, preventing the PDP from launching its campaigns for the Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency and the Akpabuyo State Constituency bye elections.

Governor Wike spoke to a throng of PDP supporters at the rally location in Calabar, describing Governor Ayade’s and the police’s attempt to prevent PDP from having its rally for the Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency and Akpabuyo State constituency bye elections as “disgusting.”

“When I was told that they don’t want you to hold this rally, I said this rally must hold today and I must come. Whatever will happen let it happen today. I told your leader that if you did not hold this rally today, then that would have been the end of PDP. But I thank God, all of you resisted it and you said enough is enough. Let me tell you now, I have come here today to let you know I’m going to give you every support. Don’t be afraid. They tried it in Rivers State, we resisted them. They are trying to instigate fear in you. Don’t be afraid at all. Whatever Cross River government can do, PDP can do it better,” Governor Wike said.

The governor added;

“I don’t understand how a governor would for ordinary federal constituency election, ordinary state election, you’re stopping them to hold rally. When it comes to governorship what will happen?”

Governor Wike implored people to mobilise PDP loyal and supporters for the vital Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency and Akpabuyo State constituency elections, which were attended by former Cross River State governor Liyel Imoke, Senator Sandy Onor, and other party chieftains.

Governor Wike accused APC governors and vested interests of pressuring President Muhammadu Buhari not to sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law because they fear losing the general elections in 2023.

“Why they have not signed electoral act is because they are afraid of the results to be transmitted electronically. So, your governor here is one of those pushing for that amendment act not to be signed so they can use security to carry results. 2023 no be 2019,” says Wike

Governor Wike stated that the PDP must free Cross River State from the shackles of the APC-led state government’s bad governance and mismanagement.

“Mobilise our people for the state constituency election and the federal constituency election. We must defeat APC,” he said.

He asked voters to safeguard their votes both during and after the election.

𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕?
𝑾𝒆’𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑷𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒙 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒘!