‘Amaechi Didn’t Disparage Dakuku Peterside’ …Lambasts Newspaper For Misinforming Rivers People …Assures On Completion Of Projects

The Rivers State Government has debunked insinuations that it any way disparaged the character, integrity and leadership qualities of the member representing Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Dakuku Adol Peterside.

A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Godswill Ene, said the reaction was meant to correct impressions created by some mischief makers who may want to mislead the citizenry by spreading outright falsehoods and distorted information.

According to the statement, the government said that its “attention has been drawn to a publication in the Hard Truth Newspaper of March 20-26, 2014, with the caption, ‘Amaechi Discredits Dakuku, Others’, on the front page and page 10. Ordinarily we would not have suffered them a response but in order not to allow mischief makers have a field day in misleading gullible members of the public with distorted information, we wish to clarify the issues raised in the said publication.

“The statement credited to the Rivers State Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Engr. Tele Ikuru, would best be described as a desperate attempt by mischief makers to turn facts upside down in their efforts at truncating democracy and good governance in the state and drive a wedge between brothers, all in the name of politics”.

The statement indicated that “the Deputy Governor, Engr. Tele Ikuru, in his remarks on behalf of the Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi, never disparaged the character, integrity and leadership qualities of his representative in the National Assembly, Hon. Dakuku Peterside, with whom he continues to share a warm and cordial relationship not just politically but as brothers coming from communities that share age-long ancestral affinity.

“The trio: the Deputy Governor, Engr. Ikuru, the member representing Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Dakuku Peterside, and the Commissioner for Works, Chief Victor Giadom, all hail from the same senatorial district. They do not and have never had issues to deal with in the course of their relationship as politicians, as mutual constituents, and as Rivers men. It becomes clear that the publishers of the said story had an agenda to drive a wedge between them.

“In his capacity as the state Deputy Governor, Engr. Ikuru knows that Chief Giadom is the successor to Hon. Dakuku Peterside in the office of commissioner for works. Like everyone else, he knows that Chief Giadom is consolidating on the standards set by Hon. Peterside in terms of transparency, accountability, and due process in managing government business with regards to the formulation, implementation and evaluation of projects in the Ministry of Works, and cannot call that into question or cast aspersion on a legacy mutually achieved by the combined efforts of every member of the Governor Amaechi-led cabinet both in his first and second tenure,” the statement noted.

It further added that “Chief Giadom, at the moment, still consults with Hon. Peterside in the deployment of expertise and implementation of projects with a view to ensure continuity and mainstreaming of the ideals of good governance and best development practices entrenched by the Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi-led administration in the state since 2007”.

According to the government, “by mixing up issues related to Chief Giadom’s birthday bash in Bera, Gokana Local Government Area of the state, the Hard Truth Newspaper wittingly or unwittingly tried to confuse the people of the state by thresholding every issue in the state in the arena of 2015 politics. The governor has neither discredited any of his men nor has the deputy governor. If anyone has performed well with respect to Governor Amaechi’s efforts at transforming the state, particularly in his first tenure, even the owners of the said tabloid, politics aside, would agree that it is Hon. Dakuku Peterside. He should be left alone”.

The statement stressed “categorically that Engr. Tele Ikuru, at various fora, has stated unambiguously that he is not contesting for any position come 2015, and should be left alone. It is important everyone notes this. If God wants him to go beyond the office he is occupying today, He (God) will make a way. He has advised his supporters and kinsmen in particular to be wary of mischief makers who come in his name to propagate one propaganda or the other, and avoid them.

It cautioned that “the general public has been inundated with efforts by certain politicians to drag the name of the deputy governor into all kinds of issues all in their banal and futile attempts at either discrediting him before his boss, Governor Amaechi, or causing disaffection between him and his peers in the State Executive Council. These puerile efforts have continued to fail and will continue to do so. We therefore urge those behind this drag-him-down campaign to rest their oars and rest awhile.”

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government has reaffirmed its determination to complete all on-going projects before the expiration of its tenure.

The Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi, who disclosed this during the golden jubilee anniversary of Faith Baptist Church, Port Harcourt, said that despite the shortfalls in revenue to the state, the administration will not leave any project uncompleted.

The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr Nabbs Inegwu, said what the  administration requires from the church was continuous prayers, noting that the government was satisfied with the church’s involvement in educational programme, as it was in line with the vision of the administration.

While congratulating the church for the golden jubilee, he assured that the government would partner with them in all areas of human endeavour.

Also speaking, the member representing Asari-Toru/Akuku-Toru Federal Constituency, Dr Dawari George, thanked God for what he is using the church to do to bring people out of darkness into light.

In his sermon, Rev Emiola Mihinlola said that God wants to be exemplary in conduct, preach the gospel as well as help the society to solve some of its problems.

Dr Mihinlola said the church must help in strengthening democratic institutions, stressing that the church must be relevant in finding solution to the yearnings and aspirations of the people.

Resident Pastor of Faith Baptist Church, Rev Nkem Osuigwe described the celebration as very timely as it marks a fresh start for the church.

Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon. Chibuike Amaechi (left) receiving a prize from out-going Captain of Ikeja Golf Club, Wole Sowole during the Ikeja Golf Club Captain’s Day 2014 celebration in Lagos at the weekend