Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has dismissed former Minister of Transport, Dr. Abiye Precious Sekibo’s leadership claims, saying that he does not fill such position to speak on behalf of the state.
Wike said Sekibo was a self-seeking politician who was unable to attract democratic dividends, of whatever kind, to the state while he served as minister and also to his home town, Okrika.
The governor spoke during the inauguration 319 Ward and 32 Constituency Liaison Officers in Government House, Port Harcourt, last Monday.
The governor said, “I watched a video where one Dr. Abiye Sekibo, while he was addressing people in his house yesterday (Sunday), said he is the director of Atiku’s Supporters in Rivers. I have no problem about that. But he does not have that capacity to speak on behalf of Rivers State.
“In that video, he said that Rivers State has been having close relationship with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and that Rivers State has always benefitted from Atiku Abubakar. I want to correct one impression: Dr. Abiye Sekibo has a personal relationship with Alhaji Atiku, not Rivers State.
“Dr. Abiye Sekibo was minister of transport when Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was the vice president of Nigeria. Can you people mention one project in Okrika, in Ogu/Bolo, I don’t even want to talk about Rivers State, that he brought?”
The Rivers State governor said leadership was not about personal aggrandisement, but serving the people, protecting their interests, while building up others as competent successors.
Wike stated that people like Sekibo number among those who were never satisfied with the fortunes they have enjoyed in life, otherwise, he should have been silent in the public sphere for his failure in leadership.
“I was a minister, junior minister in that matter. But I am proud to say anywhere I go to in this state (Rivers), I brought dividends of democracy to Rivers State.
“As a junior minister, I brought the Oil and Gas Polytechnic to Rivers State that is sited in Bonny. There was no Faculty of Law at the University of Port Harcourt since the creation of that institution, but I brought it.
“As a minister, I made sure Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, and the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni, even if they are state’s institutions, I made sure they got grant of N500million each.”
Wike also mentioned his several education interventions at the primary and secondary school levels, which depict what true leadership should be.
The governor stressed that Sekibo as secretary to the Rivers State Government did not also execute any project of note in Okrika, while he, as chief of staff, delivered several road projects in Rumuepirikom.
Wike also listed a number of projects his administration awarded that were handled by Sekibo, which, today, in Sekibo’s estimation, has become something wrong.
The governor explained that the N2.1billion Okrika sand-filling project and N2billion Okochiri internal road, for which the sum of N1.3billion and N1.6billion had been paid, respectively, were awarded to Sekibo, including the N1.4billion contract for the Okujaku Street, and Danjuma Drive in TransAmadi Industrial Layout, Port Harcourt.
He urged the Constituency and Ward Liaison Officers to do their work in getting reports on the feelings and expectations of the people about his administration’s performance.
The governor noted that it was not too late to make amends, should there be such need to do so in response to the aspirations of Rivers people.
“Your business, those of you who are liaison officers, is to co-ordinate the special assistants who will give you feedback of what the people at the unit levels are talking about us; where they want us to go:Are we doing well politically?Are we doing well on the economy?
“What are the things they expect that we should be doing that we are not doing so that we can make amends? It is not too late to make amends!”
Wike declared that PDP governorship candidate, Sir Siminialayi Fubara; all the House of Representatives, Senate and State House of Assembly candidates would win in the 2023 general election.
He, however, disclosed that the state was yet to determine what to do concerning the presidential election.
“PDP will win our state. I am not hiding it as far as the governorship; House of Reps; Senate; and State Assembly;are concerned. The other one: we have not decided, until the right thing is done!”