The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, says Nigerians now know clearly that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has their best interest at heart, with the commitment it has shown in fulfilling every promise made in ensuring an enduring improvement in their socio-economic situation.
Wike stated this at the commissioning of the dualised Forces Avenue, Olumeni and Harvey streets in Old Government Residential Area (GRA), Port Harcourt by the Sokoto State Governor, Hon Aminu Tambuwal, last Friday night.
The Rivers State governor, said the administration of his predecessor under the All Progressives Congress (APC) deliberately ignored the roads in the Old GRA of Port Harcourt, thereby leaving the area in blighted condition.
Wike said that his conviction in developing the city and building it into world-class status that will market the entire state stems from the fact that it was the first point of contact to every visitor that comes to the state.
He revealed that the former Rivers State Governor, Sir Celestine Omehia, before leaving office in October, 2007, had awarded contract for the dualisation of Forces Avenue, but his successor, Governor Chibuike Amaechi, for inexplicable reasons, stopped the contractor from executing the project.
He stated that the reason why he would spend the entire next week commissioning more projects across the state was to remind Nigerians that PDP offers the only hope to emancipate the country from the appalling poor governance that has characterised the APC-led government since 2015.
To buttress the fact that PDP governors were excelling in their respective states, Wike said in November, he was in Sokoto State where he commissioned a major water project that would serve nine local governments, and also laid the foundation of a university teaching hospital.
Wike pointed out that the APC has been unable to keep its promises to Nigerians, and has also not confidently executed development projects in the states that they control, which have emboldened Nigerians to reject them.
Speaking further, Wike said the success of his development efforts has silenced the opposition, and they were overwhelmed that he has surpassed their expectations.
“I told you that the only way you can silence the opposition is to do what people would see. You don’t need to join issues with them on the pages of newspapers.
“All of them live here. They will see the streetlights shining, and the beautiful road. That is the party that has the interest of the people.”
Inaugurating the road projects, the Sokoto State Governor, Hon Aminu Tambuwal, asserted that the performance of Wike has justified the confidence reposed in him by Rivers people who had re-elected him to serve a second term.
Tambuwal, who affirmed that PDP governors were doing well in their respective states, described Wike, as a bridge builder, and a special gift to the country.
Also speaking, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, said since the roads were first built by the colonial masters, no government had given them serious attention until this intervention by Wike.
“You are one of the shining lights of our party because your good works speak for itself. I don’t think another governor or governors of the other party can really compete with the governors of PDP. Your Excellency, the chairman of governors forum, you see that our governors are making us very proud, and we are very proud of them and waiting on the line to takeover in 2023.”
In his remarks, the Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Hon. Elloka Tasie-Amadi said the roads were previously between 6.5 meters and 7 metres without drains, and streetlights.
He added that as suitable as they were for the times in which they were built, they ceased to adequately cater for current needs, and would not provide for the near or distant future.
“Forces Avenue is now 12 meters wide, Olumeni Street is 15.3metres wide. Harley Street is 15.3meters wide. All the roads are all dual carriageway, complete with streetlights, drainages and sidewalks”, he added.