Nigeria: Full text of Deputy Governor, Rivers State, Tele Ikuru’s defection speech
By CHINYERE Ogbonna
A CALL ON THE CONSCIENCE OF THE PEOPLE OF RIVERS STATE AN ADDRESS DELIVERED BY ENGR TELE IKURU. DEPUTY GOVERNOR OF RIVERS STATE IN RESPECT OF 2015 GENERAL ELECTIONS :
My dear People of Rivers State, I bring you honest and sincere greetings. Today, I address you out of the fullness of my heart. Recall that in December 2013, out of extreme loyalty to my Boss and friend, I joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) along with other then disillusioned Rivers People.
Ever since, as the true nature and motives of APC are unveiled, I have continued to twist and turn in extreme mental and emotional agony.
The more I struggle to belong, the more the Rivers man in me rejects the APC. After carefully studying, interacting and analysing the leadership of the party, I have come to the sad conclusion that the APC is a party of rebels, insurgents and anarchists, clothed in robes of pretence and deceit.
APC is a party founded on deception and it thrives on unholy propaganda and falsehood.
I therefore, on behalf of my teaming supporters and my humble self-denounce the APC and we all jointly and severally resign our membership of the APC. My dear people of Rivers State, we of this generation will not in good conscience expect forgiveness and compassion from our forebears, posterity, and the spirit of our unborn generations if it is recorded in the annals of history that after forty-eight years of Rivers people supporting leaders from all other parts of this country with our votes and resources, we were the same that witch hunted and hounded down the very first ever President from this region, granted us by providence.
I wash my hands off this treachery.
In the light of the above, I wish to urge all My Supporters, the Good People of Rivers State to join hands with other well-meaning Nigerians to massively vote for President GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN (GCFR) and the Transformation Agenda that has brought so much relief and succour to the greatest number of Nigerians.
I also urge all Rivers People to vote for Chief Barr Nyesom Wike (CON), who has shown by his antecedents, track records and boundless capabilities that he will deliver good governance to the People of Rivers State.
Thank You and God Bless You All Abundantly. Engr Tele Ikuru
