Embattled governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, on Sunday mocked the ministerial bid of his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi, wondering why Amaechi has been so giddy about holding a federal government position he (Wike) had held before assuming duties as governor of the oil rich state.
Wike said since Amaechi was screened by the Senate for a ministerial role, he has created an impression that he has arrived, stressing; “addressing the Senate is never a bid deal.”
Wike made his latest pronouncements during a thanksgiving service held over the tribunal judgment in Port Harcourt. He stated that the Judgment has indeed raised his hopes that he will obtain victory in the end.
A tribunal sitting in Abuja annulled the election in which Wike was the ultimate beneficiary. The court also ordered for a fresh election.
Wike wasn’t done just yet. “I was a minister and I supervised the highest ministry of this land. I never knew that to become a minister, you need to print shirts. Some of us even resigned as Minister on our own, but today, people are dancing around about that.
“They are even happy that they addressed the Senate, but we have addressed the Senate before. So addressing the Senate is not an issue. Other people had addressed the Senate before, and I don’t know what is new about addressing the Senate.”
The governor who thanked his supporters for standing by him, said the tribunal judgment has ramped up the level of support for him.
He said, “What happened yesterday has indicated that victory will be ours at the end”.
“It is not in our character or training to begin to cast aspersion on Judges or Justices. It is not in our character or training. That is why if you don’t believe in their opinion, there is a higher court. And if the higher court expresses same opinion, there is a court of finality.
“I say to you, in the opinion of the tribunal, they felt what they had done is right. We don’t need to cast aspersion on them. But because we don’t believe, that is why we are going to the appellate court”.
Wike said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were new converts in having faith in the judiciary on account of recent court pronouncements. He said before now, all the APC did was cast aspersions on the judiciary.
Said Wike, “When judgment was given on the National Assembly case, they said the judgment was 419 Judgment.
“Yesterday, the judgment went in their favor and suddenly, they have faith in the judiciary. For us, whether we have judgment or not, we will continue to have faith in the judiciary because that is the last hope of the common man”.
The governor however charged his supporters to continue to pray for his eventual victory in the courts. “The court said until the Supreme Court decides, I am still the governor of Rivers State”.