Rivers state governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike says the next President of the
\ncountry will spend his tenure fixing the ethnic, religious and
\nsocio-economic\u00a0 problems created by the All Progressives Congress (APC).<\/p>\n
The governor noted that since the APC administration assumed office in
\n2015,\u00a0 religious intolerance and ethnic division have deepened. And
\nworst still, is the politicisation of security.<\/p>\n
He stated during the official presentation of letter of nomination to
\nhim for the ” 2020 Extra Ordinary Personality of the Year Award” by the
\nmanagement of Silverbird Group at the Government House, Port Harcourt,
\non Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Governor Wike said\u00a0 despite the glaring\u00a0 insecurity, religious and
\nethnic\u00a0 division in the country, the officials of the federal government
\nhave continue to live denial that Nigeria is now more united and secure
\nthan ever.<\/p>\n
The Rivers State governor maintained that whoever becomes President in
\n2023 will spend his entire reign trying to resolve the various
\nsocio-economic crisis caused by the present administration.<\/p>\n
Governor Wike expressed his appreciation on behalf of the government and
\npeople of the State to the management of Silverbird for the recognition.
\nBut, said it was disturbing that the Nigerian Media has failed in its
\nresponsibility to hold the present administration accountable for
\nfailure to provide much desired good governance.<\/p>\n
“The problem in Nigeria which I have always said is that the press, the
\nmedia is part of our headache. The media have lost their voice. I
\nremember when Goodluck Jonathan was the President, it was as if the
\nmedia want to pull down the whole of Nigeria.”<\/p>\n
Speaking on the issue of insecurity, the governor attributed the seeming
\ninability of the military to end insurgency in the North East and other
\npart of the country to the involvement of sacked Service Chiefs,
\nparticularly former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Yusuf Buratai in
\npolitics.<\/p>\n
“You were witnesses to how under Buratai, the army was exposed to
\npolitics, which have never happened in the history of this country. Army
\nbegan to carry ballot boxes. I have never seen that. Before we used to
\ntalk about police, now it’s no longer the police.<\/p>\n
“Professionalism is no longer there and that is why it is difficult to
\nfight insecurity. Instead of then to concentrate and map out strategy,
\nwhat they are interested is Rivers State. Who will we send there to make
\nsure the election is rigged. The former Chief of Army Staff will even
\ncall INEC to cancel Rivers State election because of his interest. I
\nhave never seen this kind of thing in my life.”<\/p>\n
The governor said it was regrettable the former Chief of Army Staff
\nfailed to condemn his personnel who invaded INEC office in Port Harcourt
\na day after the Rivers State governorship election in 2019 in an attempt
\nto subvert the wishes of the people, instead, he chose to shield\u00a0 them
\nfrom prosecution.<\/p>\n
“If there is a country that really means well for its citizens, the
\nformer GOC in Rivers State would have been dismissed from the Army, but
\nbecause he was sent by his so called leaders, they have to protect him.
\nThat is the country that we are in, and that is why we think the media
\nshould come up and tell the world some of these stories.”<\/p>\n
The governor noted that the inability of the media to scrutinise those
\nin authority\u00a0 is partly responsible for lack of accountable by those in
\noffice.\u00a0 For instance, he stated that the President had promised to
\nfight corruption and bring to book who he accused of killing the
\neconomy. But, ironically who he accused of killing the economy are now
\nmembers of his political party and free from prosecution.<\/p>\n
Governor Wike\u00a0 thanked the management of Silverbird for the honour
\nbestowed on him and the people of Rivers State.\u00a0 He stated that his
\nadministration will continue to deliver developmental projects and
\nimprove the wellbeing of Rivers State people, particularly, pensioners,
\ntill the very last day of his tenure.<\/p>\n
“Our State pays not less than 1.8Billion Naira every month for
\npensioners. People told me that there are news that the government do
\nnot pay pensioners. I cannot spend 1.8Billion Naira every month to pay
\npensioners and you will say I don’t pay pensioners, is not true.”<\/p>\n
He further continued: “from 10th of February, we are trying to do the
\nsecond round of commissioning.\u00a0 It’s not just flagging off, come and see
\nif we have done the projects. I have just approved the 8th flyover as at
\nyesterday.”<\/p>\n
Silverbird Creative Development General Manager, Jacob Akinyemi Johnson,
\nsaid the\u00a0 award is to let the governor know that he is doing a fantastic
\njob for the people of Rivers State and it has not gone unnoticed.<\/p>\n
He explained that Governor Wike was nominated as the\u00a0 Silverbird Extra
\nOrdinary Personality of the Year 2020 because of the projects\u00a0 he has
\nembarked upon and his fearlessness.<\/p>\n
“Your boldness made you the first prominent Nigerian to raise the alarm
\nover the atrocities of the now disbanded SARS. And you also spoke
\nagainst the politicisation of security.\u00a0 Now your forthrightness in
\ntelling the truth to\u00a0 power including the presidency when you think
\nthings are going wrong, is worthy of emulation. You did not hesitate to
\ncommend when necessary also. And on political issues,\u00a0 you are not
\nafraid to tell even your own party, the PDP the whole truth when
\nnecessary. ”<\/p>\n
“There are very few Governors like you who work the work and talk the
\ntalk and there are very few Governors like you who have the passion and
\nnot sentimental. You say thing the way they are and you also say the
\nthings that you believed in.\u00a0 So we sat back and we said the person we
\ncan think of this year is your Excellency Nyesom Ezenwo Wike. Also in
\nthe area of projects,\u00a0 the last time I was here, you were referred to as
\nMr. Projects. Now you been elevated to Mr. Quality Projects.<\/p>\n
“You promised on the day you were sworn in for second term that you will
\nwork for Rivers State people to the very last day and you are living up
\nto that task. Seven bridges in a record period of time and all these are
\nembarked upon in 2020 when the country and indeed the entire world were
\ngreatly impacted by the COVID 19 pandemic, but you still delivered
\ndespite all these things.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Rivers state governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike says the next President of the country will spend his tenure fixing the ethnic, religious and socio-economic\u00a0 problems created by the All Progressives Congress…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":78173,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-78165","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n