Wike Bemoans Lack Of Effective Wike Bemoans Lack Of Effective

Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has again decried the dearth of effective political leadership in Nigeria.
Such effective leadership, when identified, Wike said, should place service above self and work to secure enduring development for the people and the country.
Wike made the observation at the inauguration of the dualised Ogbunuabali-Eastern Bypass Road that was performed by the former Governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aliyu Wamakko, yesterday.
The governor noted how wrong it is for people to think that leadership is a function of political party, when it is actually about the mind-set of the individual.
“Leadership is not about party, leadership is about individual. Party is only a vehicle to actualise your ambition, to be able to tell your people I have this capacity, I have this quality to render services to you. If take me away today from PDP to another party, I will still perform. So, it is not because I’m in PDP that I’m performing.
“It is because I have that passion for my people. It is because I have the commitment to serve my people. Take me to YPP, allow me to become whatever I will become there, I will perform. Take me to any party, I will perform. So, it is not party that makes you to perform.”
Wike stated that his undying love, passion and commitment to render effective service to Rivers people have sufficiently differentiated him from other politicians.
That is why, he asserted, there was a sustained commitment to add value to life, impact change with the infrastructure revolution and make the state better.
Wike said while others had used the economic hardship as excuse not to render leadership and service to their people, he found a more rewarding way to sustain the delivery of projects in Rivers.
He took a swipe at certain misguided politicians of the state extraction who misconceived his assertion on Monday that he was in charge of the state.
“Because some people went to school late, they don’t understand when somebody says I am in charge of this state. I never said I am in charge of votes in this state. But I know I can talk to my people and my people will listen to me. Some people say, I have only one vote, I agree. I can’t vote two times. I will only vote once. But because of the services I have rendered to the people of this state, the state will listen to me.
“Someone called me last night and said people are complaining that Nigerian economy is dying, the hardship is becoming too much, but every day we are commissioning projects and flagging-off new ones in Rivers State, am I not in this same Nigeria? I told him that the amount of money you have is not important, what is important is your passion to serve and your love for your people because leadership is about the passion to serve your people.
“If you are committed to the job and you love your people, no matter the small money you are getting, you would be able to do something for people to see and appreciate.
The governor took a swipe at some politicians in Rivers State who he described as scavengers for their inability to use their closeness to the seat of power to attract government projects and programmes to their people.
“Some people claimed that they are close to those in government, there is nothing wrong in being close those in authority, but the question is, what have your people benefited from your closeness to those in government? Let them tell us.
“May God forgive me that I will be close to a president or vice president and my people cannot boast of anything to show for it, I don’t want to be close to any president or vice president that my people would not benefit from,” the governor stated.
The governor stated that he had remained a consistent politician, not playing double game, and urged Rivers people to be happy that they have a governor who will always defend the state.
Wike thanked the people of Ogbunuabali for their cooperation while the project lasted even if they had initially rejected it.
He used the occasion to lift the ban on youths’ activities in Ogbunuabali community, and announced the release of N2billion he promised the community.
In inaugurating the Ogbunuabali-Eastern Bypass Road, former Governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aliyu Wamakko noted with delight the leadership capacity that Wike has demonstrated in serving Rivers people.
Wamakko said any well-meaning government should serve to satisfy the yearnings and aspirations of the governed.
“I want to thank you for giving me the honour to be part of your success story, may God encourage you to do more.
“When you asked me to come and commission this project, it was really a welcome development for my community and the people I represent because to me, leadership is about meeting the yearnings and aspirations of the people you govern, and that you have done very well, I commend you for that,” the senator said.
He noted that as a talk and do governor, Wike has done adequately well for his people.
On his part, Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Dr Dakorinama George-Kelly said the Ogbunuabali-Eastern Bypass Road was a single carriage way of 7.3meters wide but it was totally scarified and completely rebuilt.
Today, he noted, the 2.19km long road which has been dualised, has 4.38km width on each side of the lane, 650meters median on the Ogbunuabali axis, 1.5meters median on the Eastern By-pass axis and has 4.38km of drainage length.
“The total length of Ogbunabali dualized road with extension to Eastern Bypass is 2.19km with drainages on both sides up to 4.38km.
“On the Ogbunabali axis, we have median stripe of 750m and at the Eastern Bypass axis we have median strip of 1.5m.
“Sub-structurally, this road was a single carriageway, it was totally rebuilt. 6mm thickness of sand-filling was done, 150mm thickness of cement soil stabilisation was done, and 150mm thickness of stone base was done.
“This road project was completed within the specified time and quality”, the commissioner said.
In his address, the South-South Regional Manager of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Juergen Fischer, said they started with the first project of the Wike’s administration, operation zero potholes which culminated into the ongoing urban renewal programme.
According to him, they were delighted working with Wike to achieve his development dreams for Rivers, and thanked him for the opportunity.