Rivers Guber Candidates Differ On Insecurity

The three leading Governorship candidates for the April 11 elections in Rivers State have expressed different views on how to tackle the increasing insecurity in the state, even as they  blamed the Federal Government for allowing oil thieves to thrive in the country.
The Governorship candidates including that of the All Progressives Congress, Dr Dakuku Peterside, Labour Party, Prince Tonye Princewill and the People’s Democratic Party, Barrister Nyesom Wike spoke at the Rivers Debate 2015 on Monday in Port Harcourt.They said that the rising insecurity was the result of negligence on the part of the Federal Government whose duty it was to provide security to the people.
In his view, the All Progressives Congress candidate, Dakuku Peterside, said he would partner with security agencies to ensure a conducive environment for investors in the state, explaining that security is a requisite for economic growth.
Peterside promised to create a platform that would establish security funds as well as support security agencies in the country for intelligence gathering in various communities across the state.
According to him, “our government would address the issue of poverty, involve stakeholders that will monitor and gather intelligence reports .
He said his government would support zero tolerance for crime in the state, adding that he will create cluster industries around Eleme Petrochemicals Company, and involve the youth in vocational skills that would later ensure employment.
In his view, the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Prince Tonye Princewill, regretted that communities were distant from government, as he promised to decentralize some ministries.
‘’I take the courage to stand before those who have god fathers in politics because promise without capacity is calamity’’, he said.
The PDP candidate, Barrister Nyesom Wike assured that if voted,  his government  would keep the environment safe by supporting and partnering with security agencies in their operations.
 Wike also promised to implement relevant laws and make the judiciary work independently, regretting that insecurity was high in the state because it has been politicized.
On economy, the APC Governorship candidate said he would create small power farms in villages  that would generate power for industries and establish industrial parks which will promote small  and medium scale businesses.
Princewill, in his remarks, said he would promote small and medium scale businesses and check multiple taxation.
He said, he has only one agenda which is to create employment, encourage internship skills and share the cost of leadership.
Similarly, Wike promised to back industrialization and eliminate multiple taxations.
He said he will promote the manufacturing sector, adding that he will provide funds for investors to obtain capital to establish commercial farms.
The debate, organized by Stakeholders Democratic Network (SDN) and other agencies, was intended to provide a fair and balanced opportunity for each of the candidates to present their agenda for the people of the state.