Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, who probably for once joined other governors at a meeting with the Federal Government last week where he even embraced Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, said nobody had a right to issue quit notice to any person.
Wike was reacting to the quit notice issued by northern youths to south-east indigenes and the quit notice from some groups in the Niger Delta to the northerners to quit too, saying despite recent social challenges, Nigeria would continue to be united.
Wike, who has since denied being behind Biafra agitation in Rivers State, stated: “Nigeria must be one. All of us will live together. All of us are free to do business anywhere in the country. Whether you are from the north, you are free to stay here and do business. Nobody should threaten anybody. All of us own this country. We must be our brother’s keepers.”
The governor spoke when the Rivers State Muslim Community paid him Sallah homage at the Government House Port Harcourt, saying the unity of the country was necessary for the rapid development of Nigeria.
The governor assured the Rivers Muslim community that he would continue to sponsor them for Hajj as his administration believed in the spiritual upliftment of the people.
“Government will continue to give you support, but we cannot use state resources to build a mosque. During the Ramadan I sent items to all the mosques in the state. We are all worshipping one God, even though we serve him in different ways,” he said.
The governor said he had respect for the Muslim community as exemplified by his invitation of the Sultan of Sokoto to participate in the Rivers at 50 celebration.
Earlier, the leader of the Rivers State Muslim Community and vice president of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, Nasir Uhor, commended the governor for promoting religious tolerance in the state.
Ignatius Chukwu
