The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed criticisms over his role in the recently concluded local government elections in Rivers State, insisting that he only influenced the outcome in his own local government, Obio/Akpor, where the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emerged victorious.
Speaking during his monthly media chat in Abuja on Monday, Wike took a swipe at his critics who accused him of not extending his influence to other areas where the All Progressives Congress recorded victories.
“So, Wike is very popular today. Is it not the same people I hear on Arise, AIT, and Channels saying Wike cannot determine what happens in other areas, that he can only influence his local government?
“Now you are angry that APC won in other local governments. That means you are questioning why I did not extend my influence to areas where I had none. The local government determines who wins what in the state. Every election has its own perception. Are people happy with what is happening in the PDP? Did PDP even contest in those local governments where APC won?” he queried.
The former Rivers governor maintained that his duty as a loyal PDP member was to deliver his base, which he did successfully.
“I influenced and campaigned for my people to vote for PDP, and they did. Now you are angry that APC won elsewhere. But I have said it before, my influence is in my own local government,” Wike stated.
According to him, the PDP won Obio-Akpor with 328,823 votes, adding that residents take local elections more seriously than general elections.
Wike argued that voter turnout during council polls is traditionally higher because communities see them as closer to home than governorship or presidential elections.
“That’s the problem I have with you people (press). Go and study the history of election in Obio-Akpor LGA.
“In local government election, you know that the turnout will be more. Councilorship is like community or family affairs, people come out. People even take councilorship more seriously than governorship because it has to do with family or communities.
“I don’t know what your worry is. Is their worry that it is illegal, or your worries that you don’t believe that this number of people turned out?” he asked.
The Minister reminded critics of his political track record in the local government, stressing that his influence there was rooted in history.
“I was chairman of that local government, the record was very clear. Nobody had had two terms in that local government, but I broke that history. I was governor of that area. You can’t take my record.
“We won. And my people believe, whether you like it or not, it’s not by coming out, like I’ve always said. You have always preferred those who come on TV, people who don’t have facts. They don’t have the facts,” Wike said.
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