Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari was under intense pressure from leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.
Speaking when he granted audience to Anglican Bishops of Niger Delta Province yesterday, Wike said he learnt of the pressure on the President during his meeting with the Commander-in-Chief at the State House.
He said: “When I went to see the President, he told me that he was under pressure to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.
“Those things they planned to use in declaring state of emergency in Rivers State fell on their own states and it became difficult to do so”.
He said because of the mass insecurity across the country, the evil eyes of the plotters left Rivers State.
He said: “When you sit and plot evil against Rivers State, you will not know peace. If they don’t apologise for plotting and executing evil against Rivers State, they will never know peace “.
The governor said Rivers State survived because of the prayers of clerics and the Church.
He urged the church to take interest in the leadership that would emerge in the country at all levels, warning that a bad political leadership would affect everyone.
“If you don’t participate in what is happening through voting, the country will degenerate further. People should acquire their permanent voters’ cards to enthrone the leadership they desire”, he said.
The governor said that in other climes if 10 persons were killed, the President visits to personally assess the situation. He pointed out that the country had become a security nightmare with 73 persons killed in Benue and mass burial organised for them, with the Presidency acting as if nothing happened.
“Human lives are not respected. In fact, the lives of cows and chicken appear to be more important than human lives. This has nothing to do with politics. Let us not trivialise the catastrophe that has befallen Nigeria”, he said.
Speaking further, Wike reiterated that his administration would set up a Christian Trust Fund to cater for indigent clerics. He said that funds had been proposed in 2018 Budget for that purpose.
Earlier, the Anglican Archbishop of Niger Delta Province, Most Reverend Ignatius Kattey, said the Anglican Bishops were in the Government House to appreciate the Rivers State Governor for his roles in the success of the Anglican Synod. He lauded the governor for his outstanding developmental strides and urged him to sustain the delivery of projects throughout his administration.
The Anglican Bishops presented an award of eminent personality to the Rivers State Governor. The Bishops were accompanied by their wives.
Source: today.ng
