WHY I SUPPORT AMAECHI, BY ADA-GEORGE

DESPITE his ordeal in the hands of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration in Rivers State from 2000- 2007, former Governor of the state, Chief Rufus Ada-George, says he is in support of Governor Chibuike Amaechi's administration.

Ada-George who was driven into self-exile at the time, following the mayhem that rocked Okrika, his country home, said he was very impressed with the efforts of the Amaechi administration to actualise his dream of a Greater Port Harcourt City.

Ada-George was the governor of the Old Rivers state which comprised the present day Bayelsa State with Dr. Peter Odili as his deputy then on the platform of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) during the ill-fated transition programme of the Ibrahim Babangida military regime.

''I had opportunity of going round some project sites with the Governor Amaechi for the first time, and i am deeply impressed with the efforts to decongest Port Harcourt by providing access roads to the rural communities, because it was one of the visions we had years ago”,Ada George said yesterday after his weekend project inspection tour with Amaechi.

The ex-governor on whose back the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) rose to power in Okrika in 1999, claimed that he will not blame Amaechi who was the Speaker of the state House of Assembly from 1999-2007 for his political ordeal in the hands of the PDP agents in Okrika.

According to him, ''i am satisfied with the quality of projects Governor Amaechi, is embarking upon for the peoples of Rivers''.

He has so far accompanied the state governor on an unscheduled inspection tour of some ongoing projects in Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor and Ikwerre Local Government Areas.

Ada-George however, explained that some of the roads being opened up by the Amaechi administration were abandoned by successive administrations, pointing out that they are currently being rebuilt and expanded by Amaechi, while others are being dualised to enhance free flow of traffic.

The prominent Ijaw leader who was full of praises for Amaechi's developmental initiatives also lauded him for the unannounced inspection tour of projects, which he does on regular basis, noting that the approach would keep the contractors on their toes.

“I have seen most of the projects and i am convinced that he is doing the right thing and i am happy”, he said and accordingly called on Rivers people to cooperate with the state government.