I’ll never be slave to anybody –Wike

From Okey Sampson, Umuahia

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike,  has vowed not  to be a slave to anybody in Nigeria.

He stated this at the Umuobikwa in Obingwa Local Government Area, home town of Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, during a leadership colloquium to mark his 58th birthday.

“Nigerians will hear why some people think some of us are not Nigerians; why some people think that some of us are slaves, we will never be slaves. I will never be a slave to anybody. You people will see, it will clear your eyes, you will know what we are telling you.”

He was apparently referring to the feud in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) between him and four other governors, known as G5 group, and the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubarkar, which led to the demand for the resignation of the national chairman of the party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu. The Rivers governor also threatened to expose those who had surreptitiously stopped the release of loans from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to Abia and Benue States. He said the motive was to punish the two states’ governors for  standing with him to demand Ayu’s resignation.

“I will tell you soon how money that was supposed to come to Abia State for my friend to use to develop Abia State was stopped recently by those who think that they own this country, because Ikpeazu didn’t support them. Because Ikpeazu supported me, they went and stopped Abia State from getting the money that they were supposed to get to develop Ariaria market. Anybody who fights Abia State is not fighting Okezie, but the people of Abia State.

“They denied Abia and Benue States of the money that every state has gotten from the Central Bank (CBN). I got it (CBN loan). I told them that Ikpeazu is a quiet man; he is a born-again Christian; I am a Christian, but not a born-again Christian…I am just giving you a hint, you will hear it soon. People are not in the office yet and they are fighting people, stopping state money. Even as we have criticised Buhari, Buhari has not stopped our money any day.”

Governor Ikpeazu, expressed joy that on the occasion of his 58th birthday, he was able to formally inaugurate a library in honour of his late father.

Former governor of Ekiti State,  Peter Fayose, noted how enduring the library built by Ikpeazu is because it would stock records of knowledge of the past and serve as centre for research, while also  connecting people across generations.