Wike’s Only Bond To Rivers People Is
To Siphon Their Resources -Peterside
By Ayo Balogun – The Rivers state APC
governorship candidate for the April 2015
election, Dr Dakuku Peterside has taken a
swipe at Governor Nyesom Wike, saying his
government is full of vendetta and “brazen
impunity against the long-term interest of the
state.”
At a press conference held over the weekend,
Dr Peterside noted that the Wike’s
government was forced down the throat of
the Rivers people by the “sheer pleasure of a
lady, mindless impunity and brute force”
His words: “Unfortunately, they have taken
the silence and peaceful disposition of our
people as a sign of weakness and licence to
behave irresponsibly.
“The average politician will expect me to keep
quiet and focus on the legal process of
addressing the wrong done to the moral of
the democratic fibre of Rivers people. I have
given deep thought to this and have chosen
to discard the path of comfort and to speak
up whenever the need arises.
“To ignore what is going on will be a great
disservice to Rivers people whom I have
volunteered to serve and who gave their all
despite the fact that they were, with
associated violence, denied the basic right of
casting their votes.”
According to him “no government has
contaminated our political and moral
environment like the Wike-led government has
done, starting from the campaign era to the
present. Nor has any government been
characterized by dishonesty, self-inflicted
credibility problems, violence and vendetta,
like this one.”
Even as he noted that “no government that
chooses this path can earn the trust of the
people. This is the reason why no responsible
elder or founding father of the state wants to
be associated with this government.”
Peterside also rolled out his concerns for
Wike’s government, which he said are: “Too
much dishonesty on the path of the
government to hoodwink Rivers people. For
instance, allegations of empty coffers a
spurious tale as even Mr. Wike by his own
admission has been announcing various funds
that he located in different government
accounts.
“His false claim of using Julius Berger for the
refilling of potholes when what he has been
using local contractors and paying them
peanuts. His use of the Berger name was
simply a red herring to enable him to loot
public funds.
“Six weeks after assuming office, the
government has not made one single policy
statement, rather it appointed the Nimi
Walson Jack committee to design a blueprint
for the running of government after it had
taken off. A move that suggests we have the
case of a rudderless state manned by persons
whose only bond to the state is to siphon
away our resources.
“The mindless pursuit of vendetta against
individuals, chasing of shadows and brazen
impunity against the long-term interest of the
state.
“Obvious lack of commitment to the
development of Rivers State. A case in point
is the security situation, which has continued
to deteriorate with criminality promoted at
the expense of the safety of our people.
Kidnapping and armed robbery are now rooted
and government is doing nothing.
“Poor understanding of public finance and
questionable management of public funds as
is evidenced in the borrowing of N30bn
(Thirty billion Naira in 30 days).
“Elevation of impunity to a new level and
crass manipulation of institutions as
exemplified by the needless local government
council crises being orchestrated by the
government.
“Illegal dissolution of state institutions
created by the constitution with tenured
security. Ready examples include the Rivers
State Independent Electoral Commission,
Local Government Service Commission, Civil
Service Commission and the Rivers State
House of Assembly Commission.
“Proliferation of arms. Too many guns and
small arms in the state with Government
looking on and doing nothing, giving criminals
a free rein.”
He therefore advised the Wike led government
to take a cue from the Buhari’s
administration even as he added that it is
becoming obvious by the day that Wike does
not intend to tow the path of honour and
statesmanship and therefore does not deserve
the trust of Rivers people.
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