…Warns Against More Attacks On Integrity Govs ….Tells Atiku To Call PDP PCC To Order Wike’s Projects Laced With Poverty …Reduction Contents -Mimiko

Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has urged the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to call to order members of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the party, and stop them from attacking the G5 governors.
Wike warned that any further attack would attract the wrath of the Integrity Group, threatening that together with the G5; they would not hesitate to strike back.
The Rivers State governor gave the warning, last Monday, at the flag-off of the Indorama-Agbonchia-Ogale-Ebubu-East-West Link Road in Eleme Local Government Area of the state.
Former governor of Ondo State, Dr.Olusegun Mimiko, performed the flag-off.
Wike stated that the G5 governors were lovers of peace, and believe that all party members should embrace peace so that together, they can work to secure electoral victory for the party in the 2023 elections.
“Now, what I want to tell the presidential candidate of PDP is: we need peace. We want all of us to be together for the party to win election. But let me say it clearly: if your boys continue to attack the G-5 (governors), continue to attack the leaders of our party, we will strike back. If anybody, again, dares in the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, to insult the PDP governors (G-5), insult our leaders of Integrity Group, we’ll fight back. Enough is enough.”
The governor also said it was ludicrous for persons who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), and abandoned the PDP at its trying moment, to dictate to him and his associates what to do in the party.
“We want peace. All we want is equity, fairness and justice. Nobody should take us for granted. I cannot understand people who just left APC two days ago, two weeks ago, are talking about PDP that we stayed and suffered to build. Even if anybody will talk about us, not these miscreants”
Wike described the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, YakubuDogara, as a man who cannot stand by his word.
The governor remarked that soon, he would reveal content of discussion both Dogara and the former Secretary to the Federal Government,BabachirLawal, had with him at his residence when they visited.
“At the appropriate time, I will talk about how Dogara and Babachir visited me, and what we agreed. You know what I don’t like in life is people that don’t have character. I can’t stand it. At the appropriate time, I will challenge them for a debate.”
He recalled how Dogara had evaded an appointment they were to have, and surreptitiously left the PDP to join the APC.
“Dogara was to see me. Unknown to me, he gave me an excuse, and I was watching Dogara on TV being received by President MuhammaduBuhari that he has gone to APC.”
Speaking further, Wike reiterated that the Executive Order 21 was still in force in the state to protect public facilities.
He remarked that people had gone to misrepresent the intent of Order 21 before the Inspector General of Police, claiming that his administration was preventing other political parties from campaigning in the state.
Wike told political parties wanting to hold their events within government facilities and schools, to apply and meet the terms.
He said those who were threatening to disobey the Executive Order of the government should be prepared to bear the consequences.
The Rivers State governor explained that the request for the construction of the road was made by PDP political leaders from Eleme who were desirous for the development of their community.
Wike urged the people of Eleme to thwart the senatorial ambition of former Nigerian Ambassador to The Netherlands, Hon Orji Ngofa, who hails from there for his gross failure to attract any dividends of democracy to the area.
The governor assured the people that PDP governorship candidate, Sir SiminialayiFubara, and others, when elected, would move the state forward in terms of development.
Performing the flag-off, former governor of Ondo State, Dr.OlusegunMimiko, described the project delivery mantra of Wike as phenomenal.
The project in focus, he noted, was part of the different and impressive dimensions in which Wike had continued to deliver massive infrastructure to drive development both in the urban, suburban, and rural areas of the state.
Mimiko, yet again, commended the tremendous strides made by Wike in infrastructure and human capital development.
He said the projects executed by Wikewere patterned in a way that they can create jobs and reduce poverty in the state.
“I am happy to be invited for the fourth time in the last one year for project commissioning and flag-off in Rivers State. I was here on December 9, 2021, to commission the Rumuola Flyover, and again, on September 5, 2022, to flag-off the Azikiwe-Iloabuchi Road. It is interesting that project commissioning and flag-off activities have not ceased in the state since then.
“There is no question about the fact that there is poverty reduction content to Governor Wike’s road projects. Your commitment to human capital development is also commendable.
“When the commissioner for works was describing the project, he said it is 10.3kilometre-long with about 8metres wide. I asked: could this huge project be completed in six months? But I have no doubt because Wike has maintained the record of completing projects in a short time.It is also evident in the way the people are rejoicing over the project; it is obvious they have no doubt about its completion too,” he added.
“The practical manner in which Governor Wike’s focused leadership has enhanced the value of Rivers people, has earned them respect across the land.
“It is that his integrated infrastructure development one of the greatest catalysts for equitable, bottom-up economic growth. This is inclusive growth; the type of growth that addresses rural poverty in its practicality; not the type that emanates from tortured statistics and dubious metrics.”
Mimiko emphasised that agitation for responsible management of the country’s diversity, which was at the root of what Wike represents in Nigeria’s politics today, was not a North vs South issue.
He said the clamour for equity in politics brings to the fore the place of identity in a multi-ethnic polity like Nigeria.
According to him, to suggest that identity can be discounted in such a context iwas to be untruthful.
“It is actually a patriotic call for unity based on fairness. Yes, it certainly is not an end in itself, but it is a necessary route to national cohesiveness and inclusivity. It is, indeed, the ultimate destination of responsible leadership and a pan-Nigeria responsive followership – inevitable partners, as it were, in the drive towards comprehensive socio-economic development!”
Providing the project description, the Commissioner for Works, Dr.DakorinimaAlaboGeorge-Kelly, said the Indorama-Agbonchia-Ebubu-Ogale-East-West Link Road was a landmark project.
“We are here for the flag-off the construction of a landmark project. This project is 10.3kilometre-long, it will have drains on both sides, making it a total 20.6kilometres length of drains. The size of the drains is 1metre by 1.2metres cross-sectionally, 150millimetres thickness of wall, and 150millimetres base concrete.
“It will have 12 culverts at various sections; we are going to do a very serious soil replacement between 500millimetres and 1.2metres height. The road is going to have an average width of 8metres because we expect a lot of vehicular movements on the road when completed.
“We are going to have 150millimetres thickness of stone base materials, 050 compacted. 60millimetres thickness of binder course, and 40millimetres thickness of wearing course,” the commissioner stated.