Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers says there will be no more banditry If he had the opportunity to command the country’s security assets.

The Rivers governor said it is unfortunate that he does not have the opportunity to tell bandits “enough is enough,” but he would serve the people and make them happy.  

In June, Mr Wike lost the bid to pick the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential ticket for the 2023 general elections.

“The only regret I have is that I don’t have the opportunity to tell bandits ‘enough is enough’,” said Mr Wike. “If I have the opportunity, the bandits know their time will be gone. It’s unfortunate I don’t have it.”

“But this one I have, I will use it and serve my people so that they will be happy and know that they deserve the best,” Mr Wike added.

The governor expressed his regrets at the inauguration of the Ogbunuabali-Eastern bypass road in Rivers state on Tuesday. He stressed that the country needs leaders that will effectively address the issues that are confronting citizens in Nigeria. 

He claimed that his commitment to serving the people is based on his “passion” for the people and not just the party performance.

The governor noted that the country is confronted with leadership problems “we don’t have people who have that passion, who want to serve their people.”

“Leadership is not about party, leadership is about the individual. Party is only a vehicle to actualise your ambition, to be able to tell your people, ‘I have this capacity; I have this quality to render services to you,” he said.

“If you take me away today from PDP to another party, I will still perform. So, it is not because I’m in PDP that I’m performing. It is because I have that passion for my people. It is because I have the commitment to serve my people,” he stressed.

Mr Wike has been vocal over the failure of the Buhari-led regime to fulfil the political manifesto made to Nigerians that he would tackle insecurity.