A fast which was declared through a Press Conference by the All Progressive Congress (APC) slated to begin Yesterday Tuesday, March 25, 2014 against the governorship candidate Nyesome Wike of the People Democratic Party (PDP).
PDP reacting to the press statement by the APC says the fast is an act of blasphemy and also showing disrespect towards what is supposed to be held sacred.
Vanguard reports:
The Rivers State All Progressive Congress APC, have called for a seven day fasting and prayers session against Chief Nyesome Wike, the Peoples Democratic Party PDP governorship candidate in the state.
The APC in the press statement stated that the fasting and prayer program will commence on 25th March, 2014 and ends on 1st April, 2014 at the APC State Secretariat. Expected to conduct the programme are Evangelist Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya the Interim State Chairman of APC, Evangelist Mrs. Carol Nagbo the APC State Women Leader and other great men and women of God.
Reacting to the APC statement the PDP in said that ”such action by the APC is not only a waste of time and our People’s resources, but apparently, a blasphemy and sacrilegious as the APC has never shown any disposition to the things of the Most High God, but has over the period exhibited high rate of recklessness, violence, insensitivity to the plights of the people, misappropriation of public funds and peddling of lies and blackmails.’
The APC statement signed by Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, SSA Media and Public Affairs to the Interim State Chairman, APC Rivers State read thus
”We have read with profound gratitude reports of the adoption by the leadership of the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, of Chief Nyesome Wike, the Supervising Minister of Education, as the party’s candidate for the 2015 gubernatorial election in the State. We are aware of the opposition of some camps in the disunited party to the choice of Wike and it is our prayer for these dissenters to sheathe their sword and support Wike’s candidature if they are really interested in saving Rivers State from the diabolical influence of PDP come 2015.
To ensure the emergence of Chief Nyesome Wike as the PDP Flag-bearer that will formally dismantle and bury PDP as a political party in Rivers State; the APC leadership in Rivers State has declared seven days fasting and prayer for all members of APC and those who true love democracy in Rivers State in this regard.
The fasting and prayer program will commence on 25th March, 2014 and ends on 1st April, 2014 at the APC State Secretariat, old GRA Port Harcourt during the normal period of the weekly prayer and thanksgiving of APC Women.
Evangelist Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya the Interim State Chairman of APC, Evangelist Mrs. Carol Nagbo the APC State Women Leader and other great men and women of God are expected to conduct the end of the fasting event.
According to Evangelist Nagbo, APC is a miracle party whose mission is to dismantle every element of evil and undemocratic acts from the psyche of our nation and Rivers State in particular.
We should not forget so soon that PDP is a party whose hatred for Rivers State is legendary and anything that is lawful and spiritual to stop such an undemocratic party from Brick House is an effort in the right direction and allowing an unsellable candidate like Chief Wike as the party’s flag-bearer is one of the ploys we will exploit as a party to achieve this.
PDP has ensured that the State’s funds dwindle by ceding our Soku oil wells to Bayelsa and others to Abia State. It has also ensured that the State lacks any sign of Federal Government presence by way of projects, besides promoting insecurity in the State.
Anything that would contribute to see to the total annihilation of such an evil party from Rivers State is a welcome development and one of the quickest ways to ensure the quick death of the party in the State is to allow Chief Wike to clinch the party’s ticket for the 2015 guber election.
The fact remains that Chief Wike, who has spearheaded PDP-led Federal Government’s onslaught against Rivers State, has lost political value in the State. Most of the people that made him tick politically have since deserted him to APC while some hungry loafers are massaging his ego just to enable them have a meal at his expense.
Apart from Wike’s political baggage, another major factor counting against him is that he comes from the Ikwerre axis where the current Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, also comes from.
With Governor Amaechi spending eight years as Executive Governor of Rivers State by 2015, it will amount to political slavery of other sections of Rivers State to allow another Ikwerre man to be elected Governor come 2015 and as a just political party we will not allow such blunder to happen no matter the odds.
We wish to reassure the good people of Rivers State that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is a party founded on equity, justice and fair play that came on board to effect the much-needed change both in the State and in the entire Nigeria. In this regard, we have told our Ikwerre brothers interested in contesting the 2015 gubernatorial election to sacrifice their ambition in the spirit of equity, justice and fair play and allow other sections of the State to have a shot at the Brick House.
In this regard, we intend to present to the State, at the appropriate time, a well qualified candidate that will not only improve on the wonderful works that Governor Amaechi has been doing in the State but, indeed, surpass it!
PDP’s reaction
The PDP’s statement signed by Jerry Needam SA, on Media to State PDP Chairman, Bro. Felix Obuah read thus:
”The attention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Rivers State Chapter has been alerted on the purported declaration of seven days fasting by the All Progressives Congress, APC, in which the party says it would be used to pray against the honourable Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike’s alleged emergence as Rivers PDP guber candidate.
The Peoples Democratic Party’s only concern is the fact that such action by the APC is not only a waste of time and our People’s resources, but apparently, a blasphemy and sacrilegious as the APC has never shown any disposition to the things of the Most High God, but has over the period exhibited high rate of recklessness, violence, insensitivity to the plights of the people, misappropriation of public funds and peddling of lies and blackmails.
To set the records straight, the great party, the PDP, has not endorsed anybody as its governorship candidate and at the same time shut its door, which is a winning platform, against any of its many qualified members, believing that, and as a respecter of the rule of law and fundamental rights of the citizens, everyone, no matter his or her ethnic extraction, has the right to contest and become anything he or she aspires to be at all levels of elections. In this regard, the Honorable Minister, Nyesom Wike, like any other member, could aspire or called upon to fly the party flag as long as it is the consensus opinion of majority of party faithful
It is also instructive to, in the interest of our most cherished democracy, urge the APC to strive to be focused rather than meddling in the PDP internal issues for which the Party (PDP) believes take the least of its efforts to address and come tops and victorious in all elections.
To us, as a responsible, most democratic and united Party, we will not be distracted by the childish politics played by a bunch of ill-fated fetish, irresponsible and obstinate elements. It is a known fact that the APC is a Can of acid and combustible solutions, almost at the brink of destroying themselves as incompatible elements.
It is gratifying however, that the APC could not hide its understandable fears for the possible emergence of a better and suitable candidate like Chief Nyesom Wike. So rather than deceiving the public on the obvious motive for the prayer declaration, the APC should come out plainly and inform the potential prayer “warriors” of threat such candidature poses to the APC candidate to avoid praying amiss.
Again, on the APC’s position on Amaechi’s successor, to us, is a vindication our sustained advocacy on the kind of leadership we expect in the State. the PDP totally agrees with the APC that Governor Amaechi should be succeeded by a more efficient, pragmatic, focused, and honourable person, who will not mortgage the interest of the people and continue with his (Amaechi) failed projects and (bad) governance that lacks direction; someone who will ‘surpass it’ and truly deliver the dividends of democracy to the people. And that is what the mega Party (the PDP) is up to.
The PDP observes that rather than focusing on how to enrich its membership based on shaky structure in the State, the APC allows itself to be distracted by its members, whose interest is to milk-dry others and the resources of the State and to see how they would recuperate from their wasteful years. It is too late for them and the APC.
How can, therefore, APC claim to be fair, just and equitable when its leadership structure is skewed, with all its national officers coming from a particular religious and ethnic divide? To us, this is a more serious issue the APC should first address before calling for fasting and prayer, so that those of other faith who have been deliberately denied leadership status in the APC could actively participate in the supposedly very important activity of the emerging party, the APC.
