The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress APC has denied setting up pre-conditions for accepting the olive branch offered by state governor Nyesom Wike to all aggrieved persons and groups in the state.
The party in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, on Monday said it did not issue such pre-conditions “in whatever form, publicly or privately”.
It, however, declared that it solidly stands by the suggestions of one of its chieftains, Senator Andrew Uchendu who had at a press conference after the governor made the offer stated that the party would want the governor to complete some of the uncompleted projects left behind by the Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi administration.
Sen. Uchendu, representing Rivers East Senatorial District, at the conference pointed four areas the APC considered critical for the Wike administration to pay urgent attention to include; revitalization of the C4i Security architecture of the previous administration and rehabilitation of Rivers sons and daughters that are roaming the streets of foreign lands because of the cancellation or stoppage of their scholarship awards.
Others are re-activation of the Greater Port Harcourt Project and Completion of some of the laudable pro-people projects embarked upon by the administration of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. The party expressed optimism that with those things done, “we can expect to begin to see some changes”
He had stated: “On April 17, 2019, the world woke up to a live broadcast by His Excellency, Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike, CON, Governor, Rivers State in which he extended his hand of fellowship to Rivers people, including all political parties which have been engaged in the struggle for power to guarantee a better life for the people of Rivers State.
He explained that Happily Rotimi Amaechi, had in his Easter Message re-echoed Gov. Wike’s position on the fact that Rivers State has suffered enough and that every true son and daughter should be prepared to make the necessary sacrifice for the return of peace in the land.
“His clarion call we hope is one that should signal the end of politicking and the beginning of governance. It is our considered opinion that Rivers people must now become the center of all politics and governance. We cannot continue to toy with the lives of our people or take them for granted any longer.
A key indicator of good governance is the return of peace and security in the State,” the Senator further stated.
The APC in its latest statement argued: “We have no doubt that if the Wike government had not abandoned, but improved upon the security architecture put on ground by the Amaechi administration including the C4i infrastructure; if the various human capital development projects and programmes such as foreign scholarships were not abandoned/discontinued but continued, and consolidated upon by the Wike government; if the various projects such as RSSDA, Songhai Farm, Banana Farm, Buguma Fish Farm and many others that provided employment for our people were not abandoned or destroyed by the present government; the present killings and large-scale insecurity would have been stamped out or, at least, stemmed significantly.”
It added that the widespread hopelessness and despondency bedeviling youths are, to a high degree, the cause of the present insecurity pervading our land.
The statement went on: “We unequivocally insist that these suggestions freely offered remain suggestions and not pre-conditions in any way. Our interest remains the wellbeing of the people and all residents of our dear state.
“Rather than the APC give pre-conditions, it is the governor that has given the acceptance of his olive branch as a pre-condition for taking definite, concrete and altruistic steps to ensure political harmony in the state.
“We accepted the olive branch in the belief that such political harmony will engender peace, security, and development in the state. The inaction following our acceptance and the recent twist of facts by the governor tend to confirm the cynicism of some APC members who questioned the sincerity of the offer.
“We would like to assure the people of Rivers State and Nigerians that we will continue to exercise utmost restraint in our conversations and actions, regardless of the seeming public flip-flops by the Governor.
“We believe that we have shown sufficient good faith and selfless determination to contribute to the kind of peaceful political atmosphere on which security of lives and property can be built in Rivers State. No sacrifice will be too much to make in this regard. It is up to Gov. Wike and his government to acknowledge and reciprocate our good intentions and prove cynics wrong”.
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