Supreme Court Victory: Wike Declares January 27 Public Holiday
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has declared January 27 of every year as a public holiday in the state to mark his victory at the Supreme Court.
The governor, while giving the approval in Port Harcourt, on Tuesday, said the public holiday would mark the survival of the state from the forces of political conspiracy who, he said, attempted to subvert the mandate of the people.
Wike, in a statement issued by his special assistant on electronic media, Simon Nwakaudu, also warned those he said were planning to rig the national and state assembly rerun election in the state.
The governor said whoever was caught rigging the exercise, to be conducted on Saturday, would be treated as armed robbers by the people.
Addressing hundreds of civil servants in Port Harcourt, he said
the public holiday would signify God’s intervention in the affairs of Rivers State.
“Every January 27 will be observed as a public holiday in this state because that is the day God came down to save Rivers State. What people must understand is that power comes from God. We know God speaks last and he has spoken”, he said.
The governor also announced that Friday, February 5, would be observed as a public holiday to enable the people of the state prepare for the rerun elections.
He urged civil servants and Rivers people to ensure they vote for PDP candidates in the re-run elections to promote harmony in governance and sustain the development agenda of his administration.
The governor alleged that the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) planned “to use the rerun elections to enter the political arena in the state through the window having been shut out by the people and the Supreme Court.
“When someone cannot come through the door, he may want to come through the window. Rivers people must not allow them. Our people must stop them from entering through the window to obstruct the good works of this administration.”
He however assured that the will of the people would prevail in the rerun exercise, adding that the use of security forces and other electoral officials to rig the process would fail woefully.
He said the people believe in the transformational leadership of PDP, stressing that it was exhibited in Bayelsa State, where the alleged use of force by security agents failed to deliver electoral victory.
“Anyone who plans to rig an election is an armed robber and should be treated as such. If you are coming to rig an election in the state, first prepare your will before embarking on the journey. Inform your wife or husband and go ahead to say your last prayer.
“When they used the security forces in Bayelsa State, it didn’t work. It will also not work here in Rivers State. Rivers State is a peaceful state and our people are peace-loving. We want to remain so”, he said.
