Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC)
governorship candidate Dr. Dakuku Peterside has urged the people of the state
to take advantage of a new dawn created by the emergence of president-elect
Muhammadu Buhari by voting massively for the APC.
Peterside, who spoke in Port Harcourt, the state
capital, during a campaign stop, warned that Rivers State could not afford to
play opposition politics at the centre, especially at this time because of the
dire consequences.
He added that everybody, including his opponents,
agree on the futility of opposition politics because of the danger it portents
for the state. He urged the people to leverage on Gen. Buhari's victory for a
greater and more prosperous Rivers State.
Peterside said:
“As Rivers people, we are minority. Other people can find their ways around
things but ours is a bit challenging. My friend, Nyesom Wike, when he was
campaigning said the last thing that can happen to Rivers State is for it to be
in the party that is in opposition. I am sure many of you heard him when he
said Rivers State should never be in opposition. According to him, opposition
is bad because we will lose out completely in the power equation.
”Now the party in power at the centre is APC. Do we
now use our own leg and walk into opposition? This is the time to align with
the centre and ensure we reap maximum benefits from the center.
”And if you put
the two governorship candidates on a scale and look up to God for direction
regarding choice, when you eventually make that choice, I know you will never
choose PDP. And there are many reasons why your choice will never be PDP. You
know between us the person who is a tout and the person who is decent. You
cannot also vote for a man who will bind you and throw you into a raging fire.
So make a wise decision.
”Therefore, on
Saturday go out early, make sure you are accredited and ensure you vote for APC.
There is nothing more to campaign, you know what the issues are, you also know
the person who will protect your interest. There is nothing more to say.
”They may give
you the impression that your vote will not count, just like the Presidential
and National Assembly elections but tell them it will not work this time. I
promise you that this time around, from INEC office, people will monitor result
sheets to the local government, ward level and to your unit.
”Nobody has
written any result, nobody can write any result so come out and vote because
your vote will count. Come out and vote for APC, we cannot afford to give our
state to hooligans, touts and thugs. If we were looking for a tout, a man who
can fight very well, we would have gone for them. But now we are looking for
governor.
”A man who is
competent, honest, God-fearing, that is what I will offer you. We don't believe
in rigging, we believe in law and order. They believe in killing people, we
believe in protecting the people. They believe in hatred, we believe in love.
They believe that by force, they can get whatever they want; we believe that by
placing reason before the people, they will go with us. And as you vote for me,
also remember to vote for our Assembly members.”
Also speaking at a town hall meeting in Abuloma,
Peterside assured every adult of voting age of maximum protection during the
April 11 elections.
He said that those who unleashed violence and mayhem
on the people during the March 28 Presidential and National Assembly elections
are already aware of a new Nigeria that abhors lawlessness and impunity.
He said: “I am sure everybody remembered what happened
on March 28. They used the army, police, SSS and militants, seized result
sheets and hijacked ballot boxes. They also arrested many people all to favour
PDP.
”But God had a different plan. Despite the
intimidation and stuffing of ballot boxes, God said it was not time for
Goodluck Jonathan to continue in office. God said he wanted Buhari; can any of
us challenge God?
”After that election, the spirit of Commander-in-Chief
changed. Everybody now looks forward to a new Commander-in-Chief, a new person
who will command the Army, Navy, Air force, SSS and Police. If anybody today
calls the Army and gives instructions to intimidate innocent people, there are
chances that they will not obey because if they obey, in two months time, they
will answer questions.
”If anybody calls the police now to arrest you
unjustly, the police will not obey because they know that there will be
consequences in two months. This is so because we have a new president who will
protect every Nigerian. So, be rest assured that nobody can harass or
intimidate you again.”
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