Tinubu, Wike’s loyalists stage counter- protest walk in Rivers

Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt

In what could be described as a demonstration against the 10 days nationwide hunger protest by some Nigerians tagged; #EndBadGovernance, thousands of youths, men and women in Rivers State, under the auspices of the Renewed Hope Family, on Tuesday staged a mega road walk, to show solidarity for President Bola Tinubu and Federal Government of Nigeria and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
The Tinubu supporters, led by the Rivers State Representative on the 7th Board of the NDDC, and a leader of the APC in Rivers State, Chief Tony Okocha, took over major roads and streets of Port Harcourt demonstrating their unalloyed support for the president and the former governor of Rivers State.
Our correspondent reports that members of the Renewed Hope Family, from the 23 local government areas of the state, including non-indigenes took off from the Port Harcourt Polo Club in GRA, and marched through Port Harcourt – Aba Road, to Nnamdi Azikiwe road, crossing the State Government House, Port Harcourt, causing heavy traffic congestion and carrying banners with inscriptions showing their support for Tinubu, Senate President and the FCT Minister.
The carnival-like rally terminated at the Port Harcourt Club along Forces Avenue, Old GRA, where the Rivers NDDC Rep and leader of the group, Chief Tony Okocha, urged Rivers people and Nigerians not to lose hope in the President Tinubu-led Federal Government, but give him all the needed supports.
Okocha appealed to the people to be patient with President Tinubu, explaining that he has put policies in place to fix the numerous challenges, Nigerians are facing currently in the country, adding that in no distant time, the results will manifest.
He said, “This is Tinubu’s family in Rivers State. The Tinubu family in Rivers State is under the leadership of Nyesom Wike and I am the “002”. Wike is aware that his family in Rivers State are out here today to show support for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We believe that Rome was not built in a day. Many of what Mr. President is doing as we speak is for our progress and they are futuristic.
“Have you seen that in this country the president recognises what education can do for the people? Are you not aware of the students loan? You have students loan. If you are going to the university before four years, you will see all those things manifest,” he said.
Speaking further, Okocha said President Tinubu is not to be blamed for the nation’s economy, and the hardship being experienced by the people, noting that he (Tinubu) took a very tough decision on the issue of fuel subsidy for the interest of the country.
He said, “Some have talked about fuel subsidy, gentlemen, even at the point when other candidates were in the field, they said that fuel subsidy will not last one day, and the president was bold to say to that regime that only benefitted few burgeosis, that regime that syphoned Nigerian funds so much so that Nigeria was borrowing monies to pay salaries, that regime was over and we are seeing the results of it as much more monies now accrues to the system and they are shared between the federal, states and local governments.
“Have we asked our governors, have we asked our local government chairmen what they are doing with the huge amounts of monies that accrues to them? Why is it that it is Tinubu that has just been on the rostrum for fourteen months that is the problem? We know that he is the game changer, we know and trust he knows what to do at the fullness of time”.
Chief Tony Okocha also condemned the flying of Russian flagg during the 10 days nationwide hardship protest in some parts of the country.
He accused the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara of sponsoring the protest against Tinubu in Rivers State and the federal government, stating that he alone benefitted from the inactivity in the country and in the state.
“We saw people flying the flags of Russia, we in Rivers State, we flew the Nigerian flag. Our business today, I am sure you are witness to the mammoth crowd, I do not know how to thank them enough. At their own volition, with their freeness of hearts they came in this large number and you saw how successful and peaceful the procession was.
This is what we call protest or whatever you call it. We are marching for Mr President. We want to clean the rot that was typical of August 1st to 10th. Rivers State has never been an epicenter for any protest or demonstration.
The man who sponsored and held midnight meetings with the youths is the only person that benefitted from the ten days of inactivity in Nigeria, particularly in Rivers State.
“On the first day of the protest, the governor, has the boldness of mind to tell them that he would pass their message to the president, assuming and absolving himself from the situation and you also saw when the governor said that he would give them something for pure water and bread.
“When other governors in other states are circumspect, when other governors are busy meeting with all manner of people in their states, our governor rode freely to attend the burial of somebody’s mother in Khana and he drove deliberately through the crowd that he mobilised to protest against Tinubu and he tells the world that he’s a supporter of Tinubu. It is a fat lie. He hates President Tinubu,” he said.
Also speaking, a PDP Chieftain and former Commissioner who resigned from Governor Fubara’s cabinet, Dr. Gift Worlu, called on the people to support President Tinubu and Nyesom Wike for their commitment to transform the country.
He said, “Before now Nigeria was moving in a wrong direction with a lot of speed, what President Bola Tinubu is doing is to redirect Nigeria on the right path. I want to assure you that in a couple of months, Nigeria will gather momentum and on the right part and Nigeria would be that great nation that all of us dream of.
“Before him, we never saw this kind of protest in Nigeria, but the Tinubu that I know is ready to put down his life for his countrymen and that’s why you must support him. I want to tell you that history will judge President Tinubu right. The decisions that he’s making today are the kind of decisions only true leaders make.
“All those who couldn’t take the right decisions before him are the ones who put Nigeria where it is today, we must make this decision and the time is now, so we must support our president for the right decisions that he’s making,” he said.
Worlu also described the FCT Minister, Wike as a transformer who also needs the support of the people. “Nyesom Wike when he became governor of Rivers State, he never left it the way he met it and the opposition APC recognised him as the best governor.
“In the FCT where he is serving as FCT Minister, he has been voted as the best Minister of Nigeria. You should be proud of him and encourage him, that’s why we are here and I want to tell you as the leader of the Renewed Hope Family in Rivers State, Nyesom Wike puts the people first and he’s responsible. I can tell you that as you continue to support him, all the things that’s he’s already doing for Rivers people, he will do more,” Worlu said.
Speaking for the non-indigenes in Rivers State, a grassroot mobiliser, Dr. Adeleke-Jones Prince-Adewole reaffirmed the support of non-indigenes in Rivers State for President Tinubu and promised that they will continue to stand by him, while expressing confidence in the president’s ability to fix Nigeria.