Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared that the state is safe for productive economic activities for the empowerment of the people.
He described as unfortunate attempt by a former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, to de-market the state on NTA Tuesday live, where the former Rivers State governor claimed that the Buhari’s administration could not extend railway to Rivers due to alleged insecurity.
Wike spoke at a second term inauguration banquet at the Government House Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
He said: “Amaechi claimed on NTA Tuesday live that he did not bring the railway to Rivers State because of insecurity; what about Kaduna and Daura with very high level of insecurity, yet they took railway there.
“Just this week, the president met with the governors of 19 northern states and they discussed how to stem the tide of insecurity in the region. Yet they were not denied projects.
“For how long will Amaechi continue to de-market Rivers State? Was it insecurity that made him not to give the president 25 per cent during the last elections? You claim Rivers State is insecure, but you came to the state to hold your birthday. Every Rivers indigene owes it a duty to protect the state”.
He said contrary to the false propaganda about insecurity, Rivers State has continued to grow her internally generated Revenue since 2015.
“When I came on board as governor in 2015, we met an Internally Generated Revenue of N4.5 billion. But now, it has grown to N8 to N9 billion . If the state is not safe, our Internally Generated Revenue will not be on the increase.
“Let nobody de-market Rivers State. This ugly politics will not work. We have not benefited anything from the APC-led federal government since 2015. They are refunding money for federal projects, but they delisted Rivers State. But I will not bow to anyone; I will only continue to respect constituted authority, “ he said.
Former Rivers State governor, Dr. Peter Odili, said Wike had surpassed all former governors in terms of performance in the last four years.
He called on the governor to use his second term to promote the unity of Rivers people for the development of the state.
“Every inch of the journey from now on must be devoted to thanking God ceaselessly for what he did for our state. You have done so much, but there is still work to be done,” he said
Odili urged Wike to devote more resources to empowering the less-privileged during his second term. He said the governor must find a way of reaching the poor without passing through middlemen.
He advised Wike not to be distracted by political intrigue, as the race for 2023 has already started.
United States Consul-General in Nigeria, Mr. John Bray, said he was very proud of Rivers people because of the role they played during the last elections.
He said that during the last elections Rivers people won despite the challenges of the period.
He said: “As I come from a democratic country, I am very proud of the Rivers people. During the last difficult elections, the people won. So, I raise my glass to you the people of Rivers”.
PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, said Amaechi, came with army generals to overrun the state, but was defeated by Rivers people.
Senator Dino Melaye commended the people for voting a man of courage who believes in the defence of the Niger Delta. He said that Rivers people voted for a man who has conquered fear.
On his part, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, praised Wike for his outstanding performance in his first
term. He conferred on the governor the title of “Pride of Nigeria “.
