Some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in the National Assembly have been accused of betraying the party’s position in the election of principal officers because of pending corruption cases.The accusation was made by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike when the Anglican Bishop of the Province of Niger Delta, Most Rev Tunde Adeleye, visited him at the Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Wike said he remains focused in his defence of the interest of Rivers State because politicians are easily swayed by circumstances.This was as the PDP made a passionate appeal to the international community not to abandon Nigeria, noting that its next generation may not witness democracy should the failing systems in Nigeria subsist.
PDP chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, who stated this when the European Union Election Observer delegation paid a visit to the party headquarters in Abuja, said the country was drifting into a military dictatorship.
Secondus, who was represented by the Deputy National Chairman, Elder Yemi Akinwonmi, said the party invited the mission because it had lost confidence in the Nigerian electoral process.
According to Governor Wike, it was difficult to trust any politician totally because circumstances determine their positions on issues.“As a politician, one group you must watch very carefully are the politicians. They are easily swayed. Some believe. When they believe, they believe. Something can entice politicians and they can change. If you watch what happened at the National Assembly, you can see that this is the attitude of politicians. “You see the party has a position, before you know it, they are selling out themselves for one plate of porridge. Some have cases and want the cases withdrawn,” he said.
He noted that some persons in politics don’t have principles and they simply use politics as a cover-up for their unprincipled acts.These things we know and we are guided about it. I will never let my guard down to say everybody is with me. The only person I can be comfortable with at all times is God. I don’t trust any human being. It is difficult for me to give 100 per cent trust that a man will continue to be like this or like that,” he said. Wike reiterated that he would remain unrepentant in protecting the interest of Rivers State and would never in any circumstance bow to anybody.
“I will not bow to anybody. I will defend the interest of our State. As far as God lives, this state will remain a Christian State. As a human being, you must have challenges. When those challenges come, with your belief in God, those challenges will be surmounted,” he said. Adeleye urged the governor to remain vigilant, as the battle against him was not yet over. According to him, it has become incumbent on the church to warn him to be mindful of the political forces against him.
“When you are winning a battle and the people are drumming and you are dancing, my people say look back from time to time whether the drummers are following you or you are just hearing the sound of the drum. The battle is not complete until it is completed,” he added.
Meanwhile, while assuring the EU delegation that the PDP would study and implement its recommendations, Secondus stressed that it was imperative for the international community not to abandon the nation.The PDP called on the EU not to give up its election monitoring duties, saying doing so could mean that future generations would not witness democracy in Nigeria.
Secondus noted that in spite of the role played by the PDP in deepening democracy in the land, the present has failed to build on those successes. “Nigeria is moving closely to a failed state. You should continue to monitor happenings here because whatever happens to Nigeria will affect the whole of Africa.”
He lamented what he called the use of the anti-corruption agencies to intimidate opposition members, adding that it was a PDP administration that established strong institutions to wage war against corruption in the first place. Earlier in her opening remark, the EU chief observer, Marrie Arena said the delegation was at the party’s headquarters ahead of today’s (Saturday) submission of its report on the 2019 elections, noting that the report contains 20 recommendations on how best to deepen democracy in Nigeria.
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