Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has revealed that more projects being delivered by his administration are an unbeatable strategy to secure winning votes for all candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state in the 2023 general election.
Wike made the revelation at the inauguration of the Ahoada-Omoku Dual Carriage-way, yesterday, which held at the Ahoada State School in Ahoada East Local Government Area.
The governor said while people are talking about vote buying and using money to induce electorate, his administration has remained committed to do more work for Rivers people and to make them feel happier.
“Our own campaign is to do work. When you are talking about vote buying, this is the vote buying. We are using work to make the people to support us. So, people should not bother themselves thinking people are going to carry money.
“See our own here, we are using the Ahoada-Omoku road dualisation, we are using Ahoada-Ekpena Road, we are using the university campus, we are using Ochigba/Ogbologbolo/Ozochi Road. What will they (opposition) come here and tell you again.”
Wike also said that his administration would use the instrumentality of the law to jail politicians who want to disobey the Executive Orders 21 and 22.
The Executive Orders prohibit political parties, including the ruling PDP in the state, from using public school premises for their political rallies without requisite approval and payment of N5million non-refundable security fee.
The governor noted that some politicians were already boasting that with the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Police on their side, the Executive Orders were inconsequential, and therefore, they would disobey them.
Wike dared such politicians to disobey the Executive Orders if they can, and see if they would not be jailed.
“I didn’t say nobody should use primary and secondary schools for campaigns. All I have said is: if you want to use primary and secondary schools for your campaigns, you deposit money.
“So, that when you’ve used the place and spoil anything in the school, government will use the money to repair those things you spoilt and clean up the school. And there are those who say that they would disobey and no person will do anything. If you do disobey, you know where you will be.”
Wike explained that the Executive Orders seek to regulate the conduct of political activities to curb nuisance and promote public peace.
“Some people put their campaign offices in where people are living. Somebody is coming back to his house, he can’t enter his house. Why, because they are holding political meetings. We say this thing has to be regulated. It has to be in a non-residential area. They say they will not, I say you will. If you dare it without approval, you’ll go to jail.”
Commenting on the Ahoada-Omokudualised road, Wike said the phase one has been completed to add to the several projects that has transformed Ahoada into a modern city.
He said the phase two of the project has been approved and it will extend to Omoku, the headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area.
He said the phase two of the project has been approved and would extend to Omoku, the headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area.
He warned owners of land property who were duly compensated before the road project commenced not to return to build structures on the space left for future expansion work.
Wike said the space now belongs to the state government and directed the commissioner for works to demolish all structures that have already been erected on such land space.
The governor at the event formally recognised Kelvin NgoziAnugwo as the EzeEkpeyeLogbo 111, and said his staff of office and certificate of recognition would be issued to him in Port Harcourt.
Wike also gave a brand new Prado SUV to the Bishop of Diocese of Ahoada Anglican Communion, Rt. Ven. Clement Ekpeye, and said other bishops of the Anglican Church had received theirs.
He stated that before his assumption of office in 2015, there was only one first class traditional ruler in Ekpeye land, but explained that he had reversed this as there were presently not less than six first class traditional rulers in Ekpeye land.
Providing the description of the Project, Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Dr.DakorinimaAlaboGeorge-Kelly, said despite some minor difficulties at commencement of work, the project was completed in good time.
George-Kelly said the administration of Governor NyesomWike has succeeded in transforming Ahoada Main Town to a satellite city through various projects in the area.
He said the administration’s road projects in Ahoada are not just to link it with Omoku Town and create access to neighbouring communities, but also to urbanise Ahoada and make it a municipal in line with the state’s original masterplan of creating new cities.
George-Kelly made the assertion at the commissioning ceremony of the 1st phase of Ahoada-Omoku Dual Carriageway at St. Paul’s State School, Ahoada East Local Government Area, on Wednesday 21 December, 2022.
“The construction of Ahoada-Omoku Road was flagged off last year, there were some minor difficulties at the inaugural stage of the project due to the terrain, topography, and flooding, but all those challenges were eventually surmounted.
“This dualised road is 6.2kilometres long, it has a total of 11.2kilometres drains of various sizes, there are drains of 1,200millimetres by 1,200millimetres, 1,000 millimetres by 1,000millimetres, 750millimetres by 750millimetres, and 600millimetres by 600millimetres. They all have a common wall thickness and base thickness of 150millimetres each.
“For the pavement, we have soil replacement of between 400 and 750millimetres thickness. Then we have 150millimetres thickness of soil cement stabilisation, 5percent soil cement stabilisation, specifically. We have an average of 250millimetres stone base thickness, 60millimetres thickness of binder course, and 40millimetres thickness of wearing course.
“The purpose of this project is not just to create access from Ahoada to Omoku or to create access for the neighbouring communities, it is also to transform Ahoada from a rural status to an urban status, or to a municipal if you like, in line with the original masterplan of the state. The Ahoada we saw yesterday is not the Ahoada we are seeing today,” he added.
According to him, the purpose of the project was not only to create access to neighbouring communities and other local government areas but to transform a rural town into an urban status whose residents can enjoy the trappings of city life.
In his address, the South-South Regional Manager of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Juergen Fischer, commended the Rivers State Government for granting the company the opportunity to part of its urban renewal programme.