Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has said that some politicians canvassing for votes to win 2023 presidential election do not mean well for the country.
The governor maintained that he is in a privileged position to know better, and will reveal their identities at the appropriate time so that Nigerians can use their votes to reject them.
Wike spoke at the flag-off of internal roads at Rumuesara, Eneka town in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, held last Monday.
“Some other people are busy, putting themselves together on how they will take over leadership in Nigeria to loot the remaining ones this other people have already kept.
“I’m privileged to know and at the appropriate time I’ll tell you who these people are. You need to know what is happening in Nigeria. Forget about all these people running around saying they want to rescue or save you (Nigeria). Just watch to see what is going to happen next.
“All of us should be calm concerning what is happening in PDP. In fact, nothing has happened yet. But by the grace of God, something will happen.”
Wike, pointed out that while his administration continues to flag-off and inaugurate projects for Rivers people, detractors keep sponsoring negative media campaigns against him.
The governor stated that despite such negative media comments, his administration has not relented in offering good governance to strengthen the relationship with the people of Rivers State.
“Look at us concentrating in giving our people good governance. What is good governance? Good governance is making the people to be happy. Good governance is providing infrastructure for the people. Good governance is not about party. Providing good governance is about leadership. We are here every day flagging off projects, commissioning projects, even though our tenure is coming to an end.”
Wike noted how difficult it would be for seasonal politicians who have never done anything to better the lot of Rivers electorate to come to them and solicit their votes.
“Now that I have come to Eneka to provide this basic infrastructure, I can come back to Eneka and ask you to follow me, let us go there or let us stay here. Do they have what it takes to come and talk to you? Can they come and talk to you?
“It is somebody that hears from you that you have also heard from. This one you’ve not provided anything for my people, you’ve not asked them what they want, then, you want to tell them where to vote.
“So, it is us that will come and meet you and say see where you’ll vote. And I know based on our relationship, since we have not deceived you, we have not told you lies, you will follow us at the appropriate time.”
Speaking further, Wike said Eneka fills a strategic place in his educational and political success story, which was why he could not abandon its people.
“My life, my political story cannot be complete without mentioning Eneka. Those who know me very well know that Educationally, Eneka has impacted me, politically, Eneka has impacted me. Your son, Senator John AzutaMbata was the person who sponsored me first to be chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council.
“It was the Chairman of Rivers State Universal Basic Education Authority, VenFinefaceAkah, who drew my attention to the deplorable state of the roads in Rumuesara Community. I promised to construct these internal roads. Today, we are starting it, by the grace of God, we will come back to commission it in five months’ time,” the governor added.
The Rivers State governor also used the occasion to announce that Government Secondary School, Eneka would be remodelled by his administration next month.
“If there is one school that should be transformed into a standard school in this state, that school is Government Secondary School, Eneka. Just go home and sleep, what you will see in this coming month in GSS Eneka will shock you,” he said.
Wike promised that his administration will soon commence reconstruction work at the secondary school in a bid to transform it into a modern standard learning facility.
He urged those who have encroached and developed structures on the land to vacate the premises to avoid the wrath of the state government.
The governor used the occasion to rename the Igwurata-Eneka Road to Sam AzutaMbata Road, and promised that the state government would accord due recognition to the paramount ruler of Eneka before the end of his tenure in 2023.
Providing the project description, the state Commissioner for Works, Dr.DaxAlaboGeorge-Kelly, explained that the road project would be 5.3km long with approximately 9km of drains.
“This road project will be 5.3km long, out of the 5.3km, 4.7km will be purely flexible pavement with an asphaltic concrete. About 700m will be a composite pavement, that is a combination of rigid and flexible pavement because of the core geotechnical characteristics of the soil.
“The project will have approximately 9km of drains because there are areas where we will have two side drains. Where we have a minimum of 9m width, we will have two sides drains, where we have less than 8m width, we are going to have one side drains.
“The completion period for this project is 5 months and we expect that the contractor will be able to deliver as scheduled with the specified quality,” the commissioner added.
In his remarks, Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Barrister George Ariolu, thanked Wike for extending such road infrastructure to Eneka people, which will invariably boost socio-economic activities in the area.
Ariolu called on the Rivers State Government to intervene in the deplorable state of the SARS Road in Rukpokwu to further ease free flow of vehicular movement and improve economic activities in the area.
He said the rehabilitation of the road would reduce gridlock on the ongoing flyover construction along Rumuola-Rumuokwuta and Mgbuoba-Location Junction.
Ariolu said the SARS Road, when rehabilitated, would serve as a veritable link road to ease traffic for people living within the Rukpokwu and Eneka axis of Obio/Akpor.
He described the governor’s visit to Eneka as homecoming, adding that the community through the construction of the road would be enlisted as one of the beneficiaries of the dividends of democracy that the governor has given to the people of the State.
According to Ariolu, the chronicle of Governor NyesomWike’s educational attainment cannot be complete without mentioning Government Secondary School, Eneka, and entire Eneka town.
He explained further that the school in no small measure contributed to the growth of the Rivers State governor in the political affairs of Nigeria, adding that the construction of the Sam AzutaMbata link road was deserving of the Eneka people.
Ariolu, who expressed joy over the construction of the road, commended Wike for the tactical display of his wrestling prowess during his days at Government Secondary School, Eneka.
Appreciating the governor’s efforts, Ariolu explained that the road construction would boost economic activities in the area as well as ameliorate the perennial flooding that has bedevilled the community.
The managing director of L & D Nigeria Ltd, the contractor handling the project, thanked Rivers State Government for finding them worthy of such task.
He assured the governor that the project would be completed in line with the specifications.
The groundbreaking ceremony had in attendance top government functionaries, political leaders, traditional rulers and religious leaders.