Dr. Dakuku PetersideGov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers State
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has cried out that his state’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is mounting an orchestrated media campaign to “denigrate” his government.
Wike, in a statement by Paulinus Nsirim, his Commissioner for Information and Communications, said that the APC campaign, led by former governorship candidate and immediate past Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, is as a result of his “intimidating sterling performance” in office so far.
In a swift response, however, the APC in the state said that Wike has, contrary to his claim of superlative performance, been running “a failed government that loathes accountability and transparency.”
The statement, by Chief Ogbonna Nwuke , Spokesman, Rivers APC, stressed that “Wike runs a government that is out to punish and impoverish” Rivers people; a government marked by deception, “greed, maladministration , incompetence , garrulousness, hatred for accountability and lies,” a government that is enriching a few Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) henchmen at the expense of the people, and a government that has donated N200 billion to unworthy causes.
Full text of the two statements:
RSG SENDS ALERT ON ORCHESTRATED MEDIA CAMPAIGN
Rivers State Government is aware of clandestine plans by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State to use selected media houses in the State to denigrate the government of Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
This is as a result of the intimidating sterling performance of Governor Wike in infrastructure, healthcare, education, agriculture, rural transformation, housing development, administration of justice, social welfare and Sports development.
This orchestrated campaign spearheaded by a defeated and dumped governorship aspirant of the APC, Dr. Dakuku Peterside is designed to portray the government of Governor Wike as one that is not meeting the developmental aspirations of Rivers people.
However, the uncommon transformation of the 23 Local Government Areas as witnessed during the last six years of projects commissioning and flag off shows clearly that Governor Wike is actually meeting the yearnings of the people.
The fact that Rivers people that turn out en mass at the various projects sites to heartily welcome their beloved Governor and his guests drawn from all political divides is a clear indication that Rivers people can no longer be swayed by cheap politically induced blackmail.
The truth of the matter is that the APC government that boasted that Governor Wike will not see money to pay workers’ salaries and execute projects has been humbled by the revolution in governance currently witnessed in the State.
Instead of people like Dr. Dakuku Peterside and his acolytes to eat the humble pie, they are busy looking for cheap popularity through sponsored appearances in the media.
No matter how hard these detractors push their propaganda, Governor Wike will never be distracted in executing his social contract with the people of Rivers State.
In the next few weeks, more projects that have direct bearing to the lives of Rivers people will be unveiled.
Governor Wike’s promise to continue working as if this is his first tenure and not abandon any project remains sacrosanct.
Rivers people are watching those whose stock in trade is to dance naked and pray that they continue as merchants of mischief, falsehood and baseless allegations.
The people of Rivers State love Governor Wike whose outstanding achievements in salvaging the State from the dearth of basic infrastructural development required for speedy socioeconomic transformation has received national and international applause.
Therefore, no amount of negative propaganda by the failed APC can diminish the legacy of Governor Wike in Rivers state.
Rather than launder the thoroughly battered image of the APC, such media appearances by Dr. Dakuku Peterside and his cohorts will further expose APC’s penchant for lies and deception which is now a public knowledge.
Dr. Peter Odili, former governor of Rivers State has confirmed that Governor Wike is the best Rivers State has produced.
“I have been there. And I make bold to say Governor Nyesom Wike, you are the best,” Dr. Odili said.
Dr. Odili’s comment serves as an answer to those masquerading as informed commentators with puerile and suffocating commentaries.
The attention of Rivers State Chapter of All Progressives Congress ( APC) has been drawn to a poorly scripted media release by the Government of Rivers State titled “ RSG sends alert on orchestrated media campaign”.
In the said press release issued under the instruction of Gov Wike , the PDP led Rivers State government alleges that APC plans to use selected media houses in the State to denigrate the government of Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
The Government claims that the imaginary media campaign is as a result of “ the intimidating sterling performance of Governor Wike in infrastructure, healthcare, education, agriculture, rural transformation, housing development, administration of justice, social welfare and Sports development( Sic)”
Ordinarily our party would not bother to respond to the weak defence mechanism of a failed government that loathes accountability and transparency.
But, for record purposes and especially outsiders who may be gullible to the media campaign of Governor Wike and his team, which is intended to deceive Nigerians, the APC has not concocted any plan to sponsor any media campaign.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Rivers people are well aware that Governor Wike runs a government that is out to punish and impoverish them for the benefit and sustenance of a few party lords who feed fat on our commonwealth .
Wike’s greed, maladministration , incompetence , garrulousness, hatred for accountability and lies is enough media campaign for Rivers people to reject Wike and his cult of brigands who are out to milk Rivers State dry .
The truth of the matter is that Dr Dakuku Peterside , a leading light in Rivers State , celebrated columnist and a major stakeholder in APC has been invited by different media organizations in Rivers State to X-ray state and national development issues in line with his regular weekly column that commands wide followership.
Dr Peterside , a well known national figure who has earned his place in national discourse was invited as an individual and not as representative or spokesman of the APC .
The question agitating the minds of Rivers people is why is Gov Wike jittery? It is obvious Gov Wike and the government he leads hates to be asked to account for their financial transactions .
To fully understand Wike’s fear is to appreciate that no government in the history of Rivers State has dished out so much lies as the present government has done, with a clear intent to deceive all and sundry .
Wike has embarked on building bridges that have no impact on the local economy or the welfare of the people. While Wike and a tiny clique of party lords are getting rich from the common purse, majority of Rivers people, including PDP members are being impoverished .
Rivers State Government under Governor Nyesom Wike can only boast of their record of
renovation of schools and a handful of hospitals as legacy projects for a state that earned more that N2.4 Trillion in six years.
Out of a homogous sum of N2.4 trillion, it is on record that a total of N200billion was donated to unworthy causes while pensioners are being owed, workers denied their promotion and other entitlements while the state Secretariat stinks and depreciates.
Wike’s personal legacy includes buying up all the available land in Port Harcourt and forcefully recruiting young people to join his “group “. It is unfortunate that Governor Wike has taken Rivers State ten years back from where he met her .
The APC will respond at the appropriate time but for now let the government wait for the seasoned and reasoned comments of the cerebral minded Progressive, Dr Dakuku Peterside .
While the APC which is gathering statistics on the expenditure pattern of Governor remains committed to its historic mission, our take, there is absolutely no need for the Government to be consumed by imaginary illusions that are obviously making it jittery at this time.
