The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state has tongue-lashed Governor Nyesom Wike for allegedly spending a whooping N1 billion to hire two different groups recently to endorse him for his second term bid.
In a statement made available to NAIJ.com by Dr Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, the party’s spokesperson in the state, the APC said Wike spent N500 million to hire the non-indigenes from Abia, Imo and Akwa Ibom states to march to the Rivers Government House in order to endorse him for an “unmerited” second term in office while he has refused to pay the six months salary owed to civil servants and arrears to pensioners.
The party also alleged that the governor wasted another N500 million to hire women from Bayelsa and Delta states, and presented them as Rivers women “to endorse him to continue to exhibit his mediocrity in governance.”
The APC said it hinged its own statement on an earlier one released by the Hausa community which dissociated itself from the alleged endorsement of Wike.
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The party said the statement of the Hausa community was signed by its leader, Alhaji Saidu Musa and partly read: “The Hausa community in Rivers state has political and administrative structures headed by both traditional institutions and other leaders of thought and that none of the bodies were consulted to mobilise their community to endorse Wike.
“So we have not endorsed Governor Wike for 2019. If there is any need for that the entire leadership of Hausa community will meet and take decision accordingly.
“We therefore called on the public to disregard such endorsement saying that Hausa community in Rivers State is yet to take decision on who to support in 2019.”
The party said the Igbos, the Akwa Ibomites and Cross Riverians, the Igalas, the Tivs, the Ibibios, the Yoruba's and other ethnic nationalities residing in Rivers state have jointly and separately denounced Wike for linking them with his ambition.
According to the party, on assumption of office, Wike deluded the non-indigenes in Rivers and stopped the scholarship scheme initiated by Rotimi Amaechi because it contained names of people not originally from the state.
“Wike in demonstration of his deep hatred for the non-indigenes in Rivers state terminated the appointment of 13,200 teachers employed during the Amaechi's administration stating that some non-indigenes were employed during the exercise.
“This may have occasioned the mass rejection of his second term bid by the indigenes and non-indigenes in Rivers state,” the party said.
The party further alleged that Wike has earmarked N5 billion to woo some PDP governors, notable emirs and obas to visit Rivers state from February, 2017 to endorse him for a second term bid
“We wish to appeal to some of these people already contacted for this evil act that their actions are not for the good of Rivers state and her people as Wike has only succeeded to ruin our economy and plunge Rivers state into ceaseless insecurity and laughing stock among other states of our country," the party alleged.
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The party reassured Wike that no matter the amount of Rivers state money that he intends to waste on his second term tenure project, he will not succeed for the following reasons:
1. For aborting the scholarship scheme and free education initiated by Amaechi
2. For aborting the free medicals for infants and the aged initiated and executed by Amaechi
3. For turning Ambassador Ine Korubo Model Secondary School described by many as university to forest
4. For aborting the Greater Port Harcourt City project aimed to decongest Port Harcourt and positioned Rivers state as one of best states in Nigeria
5. For running Rivers state for the past two years plus as a chiefdom without budgetary provisions
6. For turning Rivers state to 'Rivers of dustbin and blood' where security of lives and properties no longer make any meaning.
7. For aborting the monthly town hall meetings where communities make inputs in governance initiated by the administration of Amaechi
8. For destroying the Agricultural sector of Rivers State through ruining the Songhai farm, the Buguma fish farm etc
9. For killing local government system in Rivers state
10. For ensuring that developmental deliberations in the Rivers state House of Assembly no longer exist.
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11. For stopping and destroying the future of our youths on scholarship in foreign countries and refusal to pay the Civil servants their salaries when due and numerous other sins Wike has committed against Rivers State and her people.
At the time of this report, efforts to get the response of the governor’s spokesperson, Simeon Nwakaudu, were not successful.
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Source: Naija.ng