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We’ve Redefined Governance, Wike Affirms …Again, Dares Those Threatening To Expel Him From PDP …Accuses Atiku Of Meeting APC Govs, Denies Granting BBC Interview
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has challenged those threatening to expel him from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to go ahead and try it, if they can.
Wike gave the challenge at the Eneka Road Roundabout, venue of the flag-off ceremony for the construction of Eneka-Igbo-Etche Road dualisation project.
The governor, who insisted that he was unperturbed about the threat of expulsion, however, wondered why those desiring to expel him were displaying anxiety instead of acting out their threat, and see if they will survive it.
According to him, “When the time comes, we will know who has capacity, and who does not have capacity.”
The Rivers State governor also reiterated the minimum demand of the members of the G5 group, which was the resignation of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as national chairman of PDP to allow for a southerner to occupy the office.
“We have made our demand and our demand is: the national chairman must come to the South. It’s non-negotiable. If you say you don’t care, no problem. Let’s go to the field. No need to begin to threaten people: you will do this, you will do that.”
In retrospect, Wike recalled how between 2002 and 2003, former President,Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, knelt down to beg his then vice, now PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to support his second term bid, and the conditions the latter gave to him.
“You (HO1) say we are giving condition, but you forget history. In 2002-2003, when President Olusegun Obasanjo wanted to run for second tenure, he knelt down before his vice president, and said, my vice, please allow me to run. You know one of the conditions he gave him: Tony Anenih must be sacked as the minister of works; and Tony Anenih must not be in the presidential campaign council. Obasanjo obliged, and sacked Tony Anenih as minister of works, and removed him from the presidential campaign council.”
He expressed surprise over the undying interest by those who said they have moved ahead and do not need the G5 to win the 2023 election.
He wondered why those antagonistic to the G5 were always sniffing around to uncover any latest move made by the group.
Wike queried why they were bothering themselves about where the G5 goes, what it says, and which person they chose to speak with.
The governor noted that even as G5 travelled recently to Europe, some people, including the Arise TV and other media outfits speculated and insinuated so many unfounded things without a proof of any picture or audio, to affirm their claims that the G5 met with a presidential candidate in Europe.
“They said I had conversation with BBC, where is the picture, where is the video? You know these days, we don’t have journalists again, and we have press men. You can see people not being able to give out correct information. You see newspaper houses that are now running election. You see television houses standing for election.
“Wike had interview with BBC. Wike said we had a deal with so, so and so. Meanwhile, no video, no audio! And some of you waste your time to listen to such things. Don’t you know that when I want to do something, I’ll do it? Don’t you know? Do you need to speculate? You don’t need to speculate! They say there is trouble, there is no trouble. What we have is introduction to trouble that will come.”
In any case, Wike wondered why the worry, that he had to, if true, meet with any person, including the APC presidential candidate, whereas the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who had been meeting with APC governors was not questioned.
“What is your problem assuming that there was a meeting? Has Atiku not been holding meetings with governors of APC? Ask him. As he is in Dubai, don’t we know what is going on? So, why do you bother about us, G-5 that you say you can win without us. Leave us alone.”
The Rivers State governor took on the former national chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, who claimed that he was his benefactor, and said it was a lie.
He stated that at no point in his political career did Prince Uche Secondus sponsor him to any political office, except for the fact that he accompanied him on some lobbying trips.
Wike insisted that he was rather the benefactor to Prince Uche Secondus because against fierce opposition and rejection from the likes of Sule Lamido, Hon Austin Opara, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, Sir Celestine Omehia, and Senator Lee Maeba, he sponsored him to become the national chairman of PDP, and removed him later when he wanted to make his nephew governor of Rivers State.
“You wanted to be national chairman: first to impose your nephew or your cousin as you may call him to become governorship candidate of PDP in Rivers State. I said not here, it won’t work. We had to kick him out first, and we did, and you are out.”
He listed the Nsirim, Senator John Mbata, and Dr. Peter Odili’s families as sponsors at various times of his political dreams that had made him what he has become.
The governor emphasised that Prince Uche Secondus was awarded several contracts worth about N50billion in Rivers State, and had been paid a total sum of N43.9billion, but he has never completed any of the projects, and can also not account for money received.
Providing a description of the project, the state Commissioner for Works, Dr. Dakorinima Alabo George-Kelly, said the Eneka-Igbo-Etche Road was going to be dualised, and would be 5-kilometre long.
He explained that already, the contractor, Monier Construction Company (MCC) had been mobilised to site, adding that the project was expected to be completed in five months’ period.
George-Kelly said the project could be completed in two months’ time because of the incredible pace of work brought to bear by the contractor handling the construction works.
“This road is approximately 5kilometres long, the wearing course width will be 8.3metres while the binder course width will be 11.3metres.
“We are going to have drains on both sides of the road, the total length of the drains is going to be 9.24kilometres. The size of the drains will be 900millimetres by 900millimetres, 150millimetres wall and 150millimetres base concrete thickness.
“The completion time for this project is five months but with the speed the contractor is going, I am optimistic that in another two months, this project will be ready for commissioning,” he said.
The project, which is being constructed by Wike’s administration, was previously awarded by the immediate past administration but it was not executed.
This led the present administration to re-award the project to alleviate the sufferings of the people living in that area.
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.