Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has said the time of reckoning was coming for those who continue to insist that they can take everything to themselves in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The governor maintained that nobody could silence him from speaking against such injustice and the demand for the right thing to be done.
Governor Wike spoke at the inauguration of Emohua campus of Rivers State University, and the flag-off of staff quarters, performed by Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo State on Wednesday.
The governor said such persons would definitely account for every wrong thing that they had done when the day of reckoning comes.
He said: “That is why I am telling the people there, look, it cannot work. You can’t take everything. If you take everything, it will purge you. So, better do the right thing now.
“Don’t sit there and think that you can muscle me and you can do everything, you can manipulate anything. You can think you have the number to make sure you take everything, but the time is coming when you will account for it.”
Governor Wike insisted that the delivery of quality projects by him and his colleague governors would serve the PDP well in their respective States.
According to him, it would be erroneous for PDP States that had failed to provide good governance to solicit for votes from the electorate.
“If any PDP State is not doing well, don’t think you will be voted for because APC is not doing well. If PDP state, for example, if in Rivers State we didn’t do well, then, you’ll say because APC did not do well at the national, then, the people will vote for us. They’ll tell you PDP, you didn’t do well in Rivers State. People don’t understand that. And that is why the party should respect us and know that we are the ones campaigning for the party because we have what to use to campaign.”
The governor explained that his administration has avoided the pitfall most governments suffered because they did not set aside requisite budget for projects they conceptualised, and they ended up littering the places with uncompleted projects.
He said when projects were conceptualised, his administration provided adequate budget to complete them, which was why no project awarded by him would be abandoned.
Governor Wike pointed out that the establishment of multi-campus for RSU was strategic in increasing access to education, providing more space for effective teaching and learning to take place and, grow the economy of rural communities.
“I told the pro-chancellor and chairman of governing council they we have to establish satellite campuses so that the main campus will leverage on other facilities that have been occupied by some of these faculties.
“Secondly, it will have to bring development to these areas. I do not believe in establishing so many universities for establishment sake. Yes, there is need for access to education, having created this campus, you are also creating access.”
The governor informed that it was his administration that began the release of capital funds for all the state own tertiary institutions.
He said his administration had approved employment of academic and non-academic staff in all tertiary institutions in the State.
The governor directed the chairman of Emohua Local Government Area, Chidi Lloyd, to within the next three months, build a police station that will provide security to the new campus.
Governor Wike also assured that the promise of reconstructing the Government Secondary School Emohua would be fulfilled and directed the Commissioner for Education to do site inspection and report back to his office.
Performing the inauguration of the campus and flag-off of the staff quarters, Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, noted such multi-campus of a university promote quality education, expand the scope of learning, and open up access to tertiary education.
Makinde noted the endeavour by governor Wike as evidence of his vision and commitment to the good of the people of Rivers State.
“If children are doing all of these, I think what Nigeria needs are children. So, my brother (Wike) you can be rest assured that Nigeria appreciates you.
“Even the fight that we lost, we did not lose with our heads bowed. We stood for the truth and for what is good for the country. We will continue to fight for our space within PDP. We will fight for what is good for our people.”
On his part, Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Chinedu Mmom, said governor Wike has continued to give premium attention to the need for improvement in the quality of education by approving the recruitment of teaching staff for the various State owned tertiary institutions in the state.
Also speaking, Rivers State Commissioner for Special Projects, Deinma Iyalla said the staff quarters will have a total of 12 flats; six units of three bedroom and six units of two bedroom of two blocks of one storey building.
On his part, the vice chancellor of Rivers State University, Prof Nlerum Okogbule, described Governor Wike as a special gift to the institution and the State because his support has propelled RSU to an enviable height.
In his address, Emohua Local Government chairman, Chidi Lloyd, noted that the campus had put Emohua on the global map and would open up future development opportunities for the people.
Credit: Daily Sun