The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has warned the Governor of the State, Chief Nyesom Wike, to abandon his plan to crack down on non-indigenes in the state for their loyalty to the immediate past Governor of the State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and for voting for President Muhammadu Buhari in the March 28 elections.

Rivers APC Chairman, Dr. Davis Ibiamu Ikanya, in a statement issued on Thursday in Port Harcourt, described Wike’s threatened crackdown on the non-indigenes as illegal, unconstitutional and likely to boomerang on Rivers citizens staying and doing business in other parts of the country.

“The cries of non-indigenes in Rivers State under the umbrella of Endangered Non Indigenes Forum in Rivers State (EINFRS) as contained in their recent SOS to President Muhammadu Buhari have reached our ears. We are deeply distressed by this development and hereby caution Chief Wike to desist from carrying out his threat to sack the non-indigenes from the Rivers State Civil Service or close down their businesses.

“Wike has always been known for his vindictiveness but expelling non-indigenes from the State Civil Service or closing down their businesses as he once did during his days as Obio-Akpor Local Government Chairman is vendetta taken too far.

“We expect Wike, as a lawyer, to know that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees freedom of choice and of political association. It would, therefore, amount to setting a bad precedent if he goes ahead to crack down on the non-indigenes for supporting Amaechi and voting for President Buhari as alleged in EINFRS’ petition signed by its Secretary General, Dr. Ndubuisi Nwakadibia,” Dr. Ikanya said.

He added, “The party supports the petition by the Rivers non-indigenes to President Buhari and passionately appeals to Mr. President and the security agencies to call Chief Wike to order before he truncates our nascent democracy.”

•Photo shows Governor Wike.