I was once charged for murder, armed robbery – Wike

 

.As Masari, Rivers Gov harp on unity of Nigeria

 

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has recalled how he was charged with murder and armed robbery before he became Obio/Akpo Council Chairman.

 

Wike said his journey to becoming the Local Government Chairman was not an easy one as he was subjected to court cases.

 

The Governor, who is contesting for the 2023 presidency on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said this when he appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

 

“I contested election to be Obio/Akpo local government Chairman In 1998/9, and by the Grace of God I won,” Wike said.

 

“Obio/Akpo LGA is…people say one of the richest but I don’t want to use the word richest, [I rather say]one of the very most popular local governments the entire country cannot even do without…

 

“A very important LG. So, you cannot preside over this important Local Government with all these major stakeholders of the economy and security of the nation…for you to preside over such then you know what Nigeria is all about.

 

“But before I became the Council Chairman it wasn’t easy because it is local government with so many interests both from Indigenes and those who are not from that area.

 

“For record purposes, I was the first person to become a Chairman that the Supreme Court had to affirm. It’s not a where anybody can be Chairman. No. It’s not

 

“Because you have several interests Indigenous and from outside …it took me to go to Supreme Court to become the Chairman of the Council and I passed a lot of hurdles.

 

“I was charged for murder …I don’t know if you understand me? I was charged for armed robbery. So it’s not something that you think, oh, he just became a local government Chairman it wasn’t easy for me…”

 

In another development, Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and his Katsina State counterpart, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, have enjoined Nigerians, irrespective of political leanings, to work cohesively together for the development of the country.

 

 

 

The governors , who met at the Government House, Katsina, Katsina State on Tuesday, maintained that sustenance of the unity in diversity of Nigeria over the years have played a vital role in the growth and development of the country.

 

 

 

Governor Wike, who is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, said he was in Katsina State to meet with the party’s leaders and delegates ahead of the PDP national convention this month. And as a mark of respect,  he also deemed it proper to personally visit Governor Masari, to formally notify him of his presidential ambition.

 

 

 

“I am formally informing you that I am making myself available to run for the office of the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, and I am here today to talk to the delegates who will make it possible on the 28th and 29th of this month, which is our national convention.”

 

 

 

“We cannot say because you don’t belong to our party and therefore we must not give you that respect, no, is not allowed. By our tradition, party cannot divide us. Party is a vehicle that conveys you to the point of destination.”

 

 

 

Governor Wike insisted that irrespective of political leanings, politicians must cultivate the virtue of prioritising national unity above their political interest at all time.

 

 

 

In his response, Governor of Katsina State, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, said it was gratifying that the Governor of Rivers State is aspiring to be the next president of Nigeria. According to him, that shows that the country is becoming one united nation,

 

 

 

“I believe you have contributed in your own way  immensely to the development of the political process in Nigeria. Really, we thank God that people like you come from that part of the country. It shows confidence in the oneness of Nigeria and the political process.

 

 

 

Governor Masari explained that he will remain eternally grateful to the people of Rivers State for the immense support given to him while he was the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

 

 

 

“During my days as Speaker of the House of Representatives, if there is any one State that you can count 100 percent support, it was Rivers State and we remain friendly up till this moment. So anybody coming from Rivers State to wherever I am, he is welcome into my personal house or official residence.”

 

 

 

The Katsina State governor also commended Governor Wike for effectively curtailing the activities of the  Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in Rivers State. He observed that if Governor Wike had not acted decisively, the nation would have been in a more precarious situation.

 

 

 

“I know what you did as a committed Nigerian. If you had allowed the situation to penetrate Rivers, only God knows where the situation would have been today.”

 

 

 

Governor Masari used the occasion to condemn the advocates of interim government in the country. According to him, ” anybody calling for an interim government is simply calling for a coup against the Constitution.”

 

 

 

The Katsina State governor implored politicians to play  politics in such a way that the nation and the political process will survive, because without the political process surviving, nobody will survive.

 

 

 

“So, I think it is important that we play according to the rules that we set for ourselves. And we should not do anything that should injure or endanger the process because it can consume all of us.”

 

 

 

Governor Wike, also visited Hajia Aya Dada Yar’Adua, the mother of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who was also an ex-Governor of Katsina State.