Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said he believes in a strong  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership, adding however that it cannot be actualized with the embattled national chairman of the party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, still in the saddle.

    Wike maintained that under Ayu, PDP became weak, lacking the leadership that should make it a strong political force to reckon with because the embattled national chairman was busy with personal gains he could grab. Wike spoke yesterday at the Rumuigbo Civic Centre, the venue of the commissioning of Rumuigbo internal roads in the Obio-Akpor local government area of the state. The governor said he cannot support Ayu, who instead of providing strong national leadership to the PDP, was busy building a private university in Benue State from the money realized from the party’s congresses.

He said: “I believe that we should have strong leadership. I can’t support people whose interest is only to amass money.

“I can’t support people where we did congresses and raised about N12.5B and within two months, that money was gone. And somebody has stayed in office for one year, he is building a university, I won’t support such.”Wike explained that it is because of such unproductive leadership style to the party that he is supporting the removal of Dr. Ayu from office. The governor said: “That is why I am in support that that bloody criminal must leave office if we want PDP to be strengthened. I owe no apology to anybody. I said it before, this is the final fight we will fight and we are going to win this fight.” Commenting on the internal roads project, Wike said in December 2022 when it was flagged off, he promised that it will be completed and inaugurated by him, which has been fulfilled.

The governor told them that he feels satisfied to have performed well in office and declared in good authority that he served Rivers people credibly without also disappointing or embarrassing his kinsmen. He assured of inaugurating more projects until the midnight of 28th May 2023 without any project already ongoing abandoned. Wike informed that he is not afraid of any visit from the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) when he leaves office, because there is nothing to hide and the numerous projects are evidence of how resources of the State have been used.

Inaugurating the project, Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed commended Wike for achieving more projects for Rivers people.

Mohammed attributed this not entirely to the money at the disposal of governor Wike, but his commitment to providing better living conditions for Rivers people. He also acknowledged the political sagacity of the Rivers State Governor demonstrated in ensuring PDP in the state won the governorship, all State Assembly, and three senatorial seats, and delivering votes that contributed to his preferred southern president.