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From Tony John, Port Harcourt
What Nigerians need is a united nation where ethnicity, religion and politics should not determine the fate of the citizens.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, who made the assetion, ysterday, also insisted reconciliation in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would be based on equity, fairness and justice and the G-5 group would not deviate from that position.
He apologised to the former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, sayng “let bygone be bygone.”
The governor spoke at the commissioning of the Rumueprikom flyover performed by Oshiomhole in Port Harcourt.
“We need the Nigeria that all of us can be proud of; that I will know that truly I am not a second class citizen; the same right you have, is the same right I have; the same opportunities you have, would be the same opportunities I would have. No need of saying that you are not from this place, people will not vote for you. No! We would not want that.
“We want a Nigeria that everybody can say, in deed, this is the leader we have; in deed, this is the Nigeria we are looking for; in deed, the Nigeria we are looking for has come to stay. And, so, for us, all we are looking forward to is how Nigeria will progress; how people will have food on their tables. It is not about ethnicity; it is not about religion; it is not about party. It is about how Nigeria will progress. That is where we stand.
“And like I said, politics now is about interest. You must tell me what is the interest of Rivers State. You must tell me what is the interest of my community. If my state will not benefit, I will not join you. I will join anybody who does not want my state to benefit. I will not support anybody who does not like my state because, for us here, if you hate us, we hate you. If you like us, we like you. If you do for me, I do for you. If you fall for me, I fall for you.
“So, what is important about leadership is integrity. When you have lost integrity, there is nothing you can offer again. And that is the problem we are having in this country, where politicians will stand up and make a statement; and people are watching you to do that statement you have made. And when you don’t, Nigerians will say that is how politicians behave. I don’t agree to that.
“Individuals can behave that way; I will not behave that way. If I say something today, I will make sure I do it. If there is any reason I will not do it, I must make sure I back to you and let you know this is the reason. And that is is what is called integrity. “If you want to lead the people, you must lead by example. So, people should stop thinking that blackmailing people will help anybody. It will not help anybody. Rather, it would damage the people more.
“Nobody can intimidate us. Nobody can tell us what w will do. Nobody can tell who is my friend. I will choose my friend. Nobody can choose my friend for me.”
Wike apologised to Oshiomhole, but said during the last governorship election in Edo State, he was in the state to make sure the former national chairman of APC’s candidate did not win and he achieved that aim.
“Well, that assignment has been done. But, we now know who is who. I want to tell my people I sincerely apologise to you. And you know, each time, you learn. People will praise you when you do good for them. The day you say, no, you are wrong, they say all sorts of things.
“I’m sure those of them in my party, before, they cannot day anything without mentioning Wike. But, now I said let the right thing be done, let agreement be agreement, I have become nobody. I have become an enemy. These are people who were praising me morning, night everyday. But, because we said ‘look, we had an agreement, do this, do that. And some people believe that they will not. And we said it must be done.
“We stand for equity, fairness and justice. That is what we stand for and that is what G-5 will continue to preach. We have said we are not against reconciliation. But, reconciliation must be based on equity, fairness and justice.
“So, I want to apologize for all the things I said that time. But, you too, you bited me here. During the 2019, you sent all the soldiers in this world. But, the people stood firm. And resisted it. So, you did one, I did you one.
“So, now, we are friends. Let bygone be bygone. You did me, I retaliated. The Bible says, when somebody does you bad don’t retaliate. But, politically, when somebody does you bad, you retaliate because, if you do not retaliate, you don’t know whether you will survive the next one. That is what is expected. Politics is not religion at all.
He, however, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for recognizing Rivers State as a infrastructural state, taunting APC that it has nothing to campaign again.
Performing the inauguration, former governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, noted with pleasure the belief by governor Wike that in a democracy, though political parties are needed to win elections, promises made to the people must be kept and projects delivered as proof of governance.
