The governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has declared that contrary to widely held beliefs about him, politics of violence is alien to him because he is a staunch believer in the rule of law.
The governor maintained that even in the face of political provocation, unfounded allegations and outright disregard to statutory laws by unruly political actors, his administration could not resort to political violence.
Governor Wike made the assertion at the inauguration of the 17.2 kilometres long Bori-Kono Road that held at Methodist Comprehensive High School Premises in Baen community of Khana Local Government Area on Friday.
The governor said his administration has done so well for Rivers people in terms of project delivery, ensuring security and promoting good governance, which have earned political goodwill of Rivers electorate.
Governor Wike stressed that already Rivers people were at home to listen to his political counsel on who to vote in the 2023 election, and there is no need to recourse to political violence against anybody.
The governor noted that Senator Lee Maeba and Abiye Sekibo had been trying to instigate violence in the State by deliberately violating a State law that prohibits the location of political offices in residential areas of the State.
“Few days ago, you (Maeba) and Abiye went to Igboukwu Street, D-Line (Port Harcourt) without the approval of government to site a political office.
“We are talking about Executive Orders 21and 22 that have now been taken over by the law passed by the State House of Assembly. We did not send the chairman of Port Harcourt council to go and bring it (the building ) down. We have the powers.
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Governor Wike spoke further insisting that, “But, we say, no, let’s take a step further. We went to court to say, look, this is in violation of the provisions of the law. It is the count that has placed the seal-off.
“If we are violent, since you want to try to see whether we are violent or not, we would have shown it. But, you’ve been defeated. We have always followed due process and we cannot be violent.”
The governor stressed that nobody was harassing anybody and preventing them from their political campaigns, but such must be done in line with statutory laws of the State.
Governor Wike explained that his administration and other State governors challenged the Executive Order 10 that President Muhammadu Buhari signed in the court and won at the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
On the illegal deductions of State fund to support the Police Trust fund, governor Wike explained that it was also challenged in court and the Federal Government was directed to refund Rivers State.
Governor Wike informed that the State is already in court over VAT collection and remittance and another collection of fund by the Federal Government for one of its agencies without resorting to violence.
The governor said instead of politicians daring to disobey the Executive Orders 21 and 22, they should test the position of those regulations and laws in court.
Governor Wike said under the prevailing system, nobody would dare disobey and not face the full wrath of the law.
Governor Wike also took time to dismiss the alleged assassination attempt levelled against him by Senator Lee Maeba.
The governor said he had never contemplated sending people to kill the senator because he is not his style of politics.
Governor Wike stressed that his explanation has become necessary to set the record straight for posterity.