Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike said he congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari after the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal affirmed his election because it was “better to offer public congratulations than visit the President at night”.
Wike said unlike some Governors of the People’s Democratic Party ( PDP) who visit the President at night, he made his declaration public because it came from his heart.
He spoke on Thursday at the Funeral Service in honour of the late Madam Blessing Awuse, Mother of Chief Sergeant Chidi Awuse, at the St Luke’s Anglican Church, Emohua, Rivers State.
He said, ” I am sure all of you are surprised that I congratulated Buhari. Is it not good for me to congratulate him than to go to his house in the night?
“So many PDP Governors go to see him in his house in the night. I have never gone and I will not go. I won’t go.
“We are the only state that the Federal Government refused to pay us our money used to execute Federal projects because I don’t go to see him in the night and I won’t go. He is not my friend, he is not doing well, but he won in court, should I say that the court did wrong, no.”
For the umpteenth time, Wike congratulated the President and urged him to unite the country.
“President Buhari, congratulations and carry Nigerians along. Unify the country, the country is too divided. I am saying what is right. What I will do, I will do; what I will not do, I will not do,” he said.
The Governor said politics was a game of interest, stressing that Rivers people in the All Progressives Congress (APC) were under obligation to attract Federal benefits to the state.
“Politics is a game of interest. And my only interest is Rivers State . Anything that is against the interest of Rivers State, I will not agree.
“These people sold us out, thinking that they are doing Governor Wike. It is the state that you are offending, because I am just one person,” he said.
Wike lamented the condition of the East West Road, the seaports and other Federal projects in spite of the fact that notable personalities from Rivers State are close to the President.
He said there was nothing to show that Rivers State has prominent APC members working with the President.
He maintained that Rivers State is a Christian state, a fact, he said, cannot not be changed by negative propaganda and falsehood targeted at his person.
He said he never demolished a mosque as was falsely circulated by some mischief makers.
He said Rivers State is a major oil producing state that deserves major projects from the Federal Government.
“We produce oil. They should not punish Rivers State because of me. I am just one individual. We have not benefitted anything from the Federal Government.The only thing we have benefitted is the abuse they heap on me.
“They turned the NDDC into a cash cow to sponsor elections against us. Nobody protested that anomaly. Now, they want us to protest because someone did not nominate the management of NDDC this time.
“Since 2015, NDDC has not had its governing board, but nobody protested. I will not be dragged into such protests,” he said.
On the passage of the late Mrs Blessing Awuse, Mother of Chief Sergeant Awuse, Wike said she lived a fulfilled life and raised disciplined and trustworthy children.
He described her burial as a celebration of life.
Awuse thanked Wike for his love and friendship, adding that he (the Governor) always intervened at the most critical time.
Anglican Bishop of Ikwerre Diocese Rt. Rev Blessing Enyindah praised Wike for his commitment to the development of the state.
He urged him to continue with his “good works”, adding that the Governor should make the people the focus of his programmes.
