The Peoples Democratic Party has been seriously accused by the Labour Party of mismanaging resources and starving Rivers people of life changing opportunities, work and food.
“People are hungry, people need jobs and scholarships”, the Labour Party said in its worst criticism of the PDP in Rivers State.
Buoyed by what many here see as the inroads that the APC is making as a result of growing disaffection within the PDP, Labour Party strategists who have put together a caretaker committee for the time being believe it is the right moment to stake a claim in Rivers.
Labour acknowledged through its National Vice Chairman, Prince Reuben Favour that the PDP will be blown away, saying women and children who should be catered for are being grossly neglected.
“Women are supposed to be empowered”, Favour stressed, “People need jobs and scholarships.”
“Those are the things that can win you an election”, the Labour chieftain explained, chastising the PDP for thinking building roads is sufficient to take care of the welfare of the people.
“It’s only road that the Governor is concentrating on. If you check everything; what he is commissioning is only road. That’s not enough for the PDP to win an election”, Labour observed.
Governor Wike has prided himself in the last few months over the provision of flyovers.
But Labour leaders who were on hand in Port Harcourt Saturday lumped together everything the administration has done as part of its development agenda for the people under road construction.
Favour said the expectations of the ordinary Rivers man goes far beyond the construction of roads.
He stated that the job creation record of the PDP in the State is near zero while human capital development which should equip the people with requisite skills has been ignored by the Wike administration.
Labour revealed that the mere provision of infrastructure by Governor Nyesom Wike will not change the circumstances of the people or guarantee victory for the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 governorship election.
“As far as I’m concerned, the PDP is not on ground in River State. Look at what happened during the local government election, they were the only ones in the election, yet they were snatching ballot boxes everywhere.
“That’s to tell you that they are not on ground. So when there is a formidable force against them, certainly you can win”, Favour remarked
“Its easier now to win election in Rivers State with the kind of people that are coming into the party from the PDP and the APC”, the party chieftain added.
Within and outside Rivers State, the PDP has been losing quite a lot of members of late.
The APC has been a major beneficiary of PDP’s losses. But Labour which has big dreams of its own says it is already talking with two commissioners in the Wike administration.
The caretaker committee chairman of the Labour Party in Rivers State, Dienye Pepple told newsmen after his inauguration that the two serving commissioners in Rivers State were bent on ditching the PDP.
“As we speak now, two commissioners in River State are already in discussions with us. But I won’t mention names. So expect anything to happen any moment from now,” the Caretaker Chairman declared.