Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, says his administration will implement ban on open grazing as resolved recently by all Southern State governors in Asaba, Delta State.
Wike vowed that no one can cow him, stressing that there is no going back on the decision to ban open grazing in Rivers State.
The governor stated this at a grand reception in his honour by the people of the Ogoni ethnic nationality in Bori, Khana Local Government Area of the state on Saturday.
He was also conferred with a chieftaincy title by the Ogoni people led by the Chairman, Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, HRM King Godwin Giniwa.
Wike said Rivers belonged to people from every part of the state, urging the Ogoni people to resist any form of intimidation by anyone who wanted them to take the back seat in the scheme of things.
He noted that militarisation of election in the state would not work, warning incoming council chairmen in the state to sit up as the State House of Assembly would not hesitate to suspend non-performing chairmen.
The governor said, “Nobody should play God. We will flog them again. Militarization of election will not work. Didn’t they bring Army before? Did it work? We will flog them again.
“Nobody can cow me. The government cannot cow me. I will say my mind and I will do what is right for my people. Nobody can kill me before my time. I will die the day God wants me to die.
“Let me also tell those who are criticizing Southern Governors’ ban on open grazing, let me inform them that I have taken further steps to enforce what the southern governors resolved in Asaba.
“If anyone wants to die, let him go and die and hang himself on an electric pole. We (Southern Governors) have taken a decision and there is no going back. Enough is enough. We are not second-class citizens of this country. We also own this country and we must partake in what is happening in this country.”
The governor said he has directed security agencies in the state to arrest prominent personalities in the state, who flout the curfew imposed in the state to check the spate of insecurity.
Governor Wike said any prominent person caught should be thoroughly dealt with, to serve as a deterrence to others.
“Obey the curfew time. It is very important. I have instructed the security agencies to arrest prominent personalities who flout the curfew time and use them as examples. I am looking for prominent people that I will use as examples,” Wike said.