Wike threatens to ‘chase away’ N-Power beneficiaries on election duties

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike on Monday said he will restrict the use of N-power beneficiaries as the ad-hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials during the 2019 general elections.

N-power is a social intervention programme of the Muhammadu Buhari led government which has employed about 500,000 Nigerian youths since inauguration in 2016.

Wike, who addressed a campaign rally of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Omagwa, Ikwerre Local Government Area, said the use of N-power beneficiaries “is concocted to favour the All Progressives Congress (APC) with a view to rigging the 2019 general elections.”

“I hear INEC wants to use N-power personnel as Ad-Hoc Staff for the elections. This is a ploy to rig the elections. N-power personnel will not be allowed to serve as INEC Ad-Hoc Staff in Rivers State. If you bring them, we will chase them away,” Wike’s media aide Simeon Nwakaudu said in a statement.

Wike, who faulted Buhari’s abilities to manage the economy and lessen unemployment, said “all Nigerians should share in the blame of allowing a man without knowledge of the economy to emerge as President of the country.”

“The mass unemployment across the country is due to the emergence of Buhari. All Nigerians should share in the blame for their suffering.”

“We took our future and mandate and handed over to people who don’t understand job creation “, Wike said.

Wike urged the people to vote for the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar “for his understanding of the economy and ability to create jobs.”

He said, “All his life, Atiku Abubakar has been involved in job creation. He is one of the highest employers of labour in Nigeria”.

While urging the people to vote for all PDP candidates, Governor Wike said that during his second term he would construct Omerelu and Omagwa Internal Roads.

Rivers State PDP chairman, Felix Obuah, while delivering flags to PDP candidates, appealed to the people of the area to support the party.