Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has replied to a former Governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Makarfi on comments he made on him, asking him to deliver his State to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Wike spoke Tuesday at the inauguration of the sand-filled area and estate layout in Ogbum-Nu-Abali, Port Harcourt, which was performed by Enugu State governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

The Governor advised that it was better for Makarfi, who was the former national acting chairman of the PDP, to focus on the 2023 general election and how he will ensure victory for the PDP in Kaduna State, instead of saying uncanny things about him.

 “This morning, I was watching Channels, I saw the former national acting chairman of the party, PDP, Makarfi, and he said he is very close to me. I don’t know how close he is to me.

“Somebody who is close to me, I don’t know when last we spoke. I have never spoken to him for the past five months.

“So, if you’re close to somebody politically, there is no way in five months you won’t have spoken to the person. Is it not?

“He said, ‘Wike, you’re sabotaging other people’. I don’t know who says the other people have not.

“What I want to advise Makarfi is that he has a job; to make sure PDP wins in Kaduna State. That is your job, leave Wike alone.

“Take it upon yourself that Kaduna falls to PDP. I don’t want to hear excuses that they rigged elections or they didn’t rig elections.

“That is what I’ve told everybody. In Kano, make sure PDP wins. In Niger, make PDP wins, in Jigawa, make sure PDP wins. If you win, then see whether PDP wins here or not. It’s an operation to deliver your State. Don’t use anybody’s state to add up.”

Governor Wike also urged some Rivers politicians who delight in joining the company of politicians of other states to receive their defectors into PDP to return home and work to increase the numerical strength of the party in Rivers State.

According to him, the best way to show capacity to deliver votes for the party will be to deliver votes from the polling units, wards and the State.

He said, “It’s not to go to Abuja and begin to gossip and say all kinds of things. Come home and mobilise, let us see the capacity you have.

“It’s operation deliver your poling units, operation deliver your ward, operation deliver your local government. That is what politics is all about.”

Speaking about the project, governor Wike said his administration has created a new city within the State capital out of a swampy mangrove that was once a hideout for criminals and kidnappers.

Governor Wike recalled that even if the people of Ogbum-Nu-Abali fought against the project and one of them dragged the government to court, they are now happy with how the place has been transformed.

“We have created a new city where people will live, provided them with water, electricity, sewage, everything. This place can take at least, not less than 160 families if allocated.”

Performing the inauguration of the project, Governor Ífeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State expressed delight to be invited for the third time to inaugurate a project provided by Governor Wike for Rivers people.

The Enugu State governor described Governor Wike as an intense leader who leads from the front, and was famed for his legendary knack for project execution and unrelenting crusade for the fundamental liberties as well as the economic interest of the people of Rivers State.