Former Rivers lawmakers divided over Wike’s second term bid

The endorsement of Rivers state Governor Nyesom Wike for a second tenure by some former lawmakers is not going down well with critical stakeholders in the legislature.
This is as former Deputy Speaker of the Rivers state House of Assembly, Leyii Kwanee, dissociated members of the Seventh Assembly from the development.

The leader of the Forum of ex-Legislators led by Senator Adawari Pepple had endorsed Wike for a second term during a solidarity visit to the Governor in Port Harcourt.
Pepple at a meeting with Wike in Government House said, “We are convinced by the Governor’s excellent performance and that he should continue to lead Rivers State beyond 2019,”.
Reacting, Kwanee said the endorsement of Governor Wike was a charade put together by Senator Adawari Pepple and his friends.
Kwanee at a media briefing in Port Harcourt said the only known and acceptable Forum of Former Lawmakers is headed by Stephen Ezekwem.

Kwanee also said it is shameful that those who endorsed the Governor ignored important issues like the black soot which he said is badly affecting the health of Rivers people.
“Is it not shameful that people are already talking of 2019 when there is a black soot that is silently killing Rivers people?”
“If the so called ex Lawmakers had gathered to call the attention of Governor Wike or the Federal Government to the soot we are breathing we can as well join them in the campaign.
“But no. They didn’t think in that direction because they were busy gathering signatures for a Governor that has failed.

“Let me just say that there was no endorsement of any kind of the Governor. Senator Adawari Pepple and a selected group of friends just went to visit the Governor.
“There is only one Forum of Former Lawmakers and it is led by Rt. Hon. Stephen Ezekwem,” Kwanee said.