• Taking PDP from Rivers difficult, says Makinde
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has called on All Progressives Congress (APC) governors to own up to the reality of the Federal Government’s failure.
Governor Wike said the APC-led Federal Government promised to offer better governance that would ensure safety of lives and property of the citizens but has failed to fulfilled its promise.
The governor made the assertion at the inauguration ceremony organised to open for public use two strategic roads – Woji and Obagi, in GRA Phase 2 in Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas, which was performed by Oyo State Governor, Oluseyi Makinde, yesterday.
He said virtually everything has collapsed in the country under the APC-led Federal Government. He said if Nigeria is truly a democratic country, nobody would be a proud member of APC anymore.
“I hear the Progressives Governors’ Forum saying there is insecurity. Who is responsible? They should come out openly and say the party in power has failed. Nigerians gave mandate to APC at the Federal Government level and, therefore, they must own up that they have failed Nigerians.
“Everything has collapsed in the country. Security has collapsed. Economy has collapsed. There is nothing working in the country. Today, all over Nigeria, there is insecurity everywhere.
“The other day, in Katsina State, they took about 400. The next day, they said they took 84. Now, again, they said they have taken a village head, the wife and 14 people in Katsina State.
“When there was problem in this state (Rivers), about the level of kidnapping, I shouted, but nobody listened to us. They said it was politics and that we were killing APC people. I said when you introduce politics to security the consequences will be great.
“Now, it is everywhere. Until they come to apologise to Rivers State that they are sorry for what they have done to us, then, God will forgive all of them,” Wike said.
The governor further said he has not disappointed Rivers people who gave him their mandate to improve the quality of living in the state, improve infrastructure, guarantee security of lives and property.
According to him, he is not tired serving the state, and when he eventually leaves office, he could confidently walk on the streets without security protection because he has served the people well.
“We are proud because we can come out and say to the people of Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor local governments this is what PDP has done for you by the projects carried out in these two local governments.
“Also, we can go to other local governments and say look, vote for us. If they ask us why do you say we should vote for you, we will show proofs.
“Very soon, we will go to them and we will be able to tell them, yes, this is what we have done, therefore, having done this, if you vote for us again, there is the likelihood we will do more,” Wike said.
He enjoined owners of business places and other investors in the state to continue to pay their tax to enable government provide more quality projects.
Makinde said with the evidence of the performance of Governor Wike, it would be difficult to convince Rivers people to abandon PDP for another party.
He said development projects were integral part of democracy because it is used to measure the level of progress a society makes under such democratic leadership and the Wike-led government has committed to the task.
“Indeed, all right-minded people like to identify with progress irrespective of their personal feeling towards the initiator. Development is a big part of our democracy and every project counts towards the overall progress of the nation.
“We are blessed to be leaders at this point of Nigeria’s history where there seems to be reawakening of political consciousness, especially among the young people,” he said.
Credit: The Sun