Too Much Politics Killing Rivers, Says APC Chieftain

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Kingsley Wali, has decried what he described as the continuous backwardness of the state and ascribed the situation to too much politics by leaders.

He also declared that leaders who claimed to be "grassroots politicians" have failed  the state and said it was time for a change.

Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt on Sunday, Wali said what Rivers State needs now since governors are people who are not from the grassroots but people who will see governance of the state as a challenge.

He said the biggest problem in Rivers State is the involvement of so many people in politics without a corresponding interest in governance.

He said: "The biggest problem we have in Rivers State is too much politics. We have too many people who have nothing else to do apart from politics.

"We have had grassroot people in office; where have they taken us to? They have taken us down. We have so many grassroots people in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), we have so many of them in the All Progressives Congress (APC). How has that  changed our lives and those of the rural folks."

Wali, who is the leader of Rivers Unity House (RUH), an advocacy group within the APC, said governance is about service and not battles or hatred, saying that the group is out to sensitise the youths on non-violent approach to politics.

The APC chieftain said: "Principally, we are trying to reorient people. We can be likened to the national orientation arm of the APC, even if we are not officially commissioned. We started with Rivers State because we have seen the biggest victims of negative politics. Our primary target is the youths of Rivers State."

Wali said he has fears of violence for the state in the run up to the 2019 elections and said it should be the interest of all people of goodwill to take steps to avoid violence and bloodshed before, during and after the elections.