Sheriff says his chairmanship won’t last

• As Wike threatens INEC against rerun in Rivers

PDP’s National Chairman Ali Modu Sheriff has dismissed insinuation he wants to remain in seat till 2019. He told a gathering in Port Harcourt Saturday that whoever occupies the seat does so to take the party to the promise land. That is its come-back to power in 2019.
“What I am saying is that the generality of Nigerians are ready to give PDP a chance again in 2019,” said Sheriff when addressing participants at Governor Nyesom Wike’s thanksgiving service for his Supreme Court victory.

Sheriff said the apex court judgement confirmed the will of Rivers people, a statement Ekiti Gov. Ayo Fayose, among other party stalwarts present, also emphasised.

According to him, the Supreme Court verdict cleared the mess of the process, and planted the rule of law. Fayose also described Wike as a man of destiny who liberated Rivers from the shackles of political bondage.

Rivers has remained a flash point since the run-up to the 2015 general elections in which no fewer than 90 people died as a result of violence in the state. Just last Monday and Tuesday, some soldiers were said to have invaded the Ogoniland, killing people.

Speaking after a-minute silence for the dead victims, Wike said while he would do everything to support security agencies in the state, he wouldn’t allow them to intimidate the citizens for political reasons.

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“Let no man be intimidated by what will happen on March 19,” he said. “If they like let them come with all the submarines. You stand to protect your votes.”

According to him, freedom doesn’t come by word of mouth even in a democratic rule. “It comes with sacrifice. And you must stand firm to defend what belongs to you,” he told the crowd.

For the March rerun election, the governor has been campaigning against APC candidate Magnus Abe, who he called his friend. “But the people of Rivers South-east Senatorial District should vote Senator Olaka Nwogu. We have a duty to make sure that the APC does not win a single seat during the March 19rerun elections,” the governor said.

He added that popularity is tested on the election groundnot by carrying soldiers around. He also warned INEC officers that will want to rig election for the APC to prepare to pay the ultimate price.

“I will continue to threaten political armed robbers. I will stand firm against those who use guns to steal votes,” he said.

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Saturday’s was the second thanksgiving service Rivers government would after the Supreme Court verdict that dismissed the Appeal Court judgement which nullified Wike’s election.

The governor said that the state will never be tired of thanksgiving because it was delivered from the evil machinations of the enemies of Rivers people.