By Simeon Nwakaudu
Personally, I have never taken the Lagos State Publicity Secretary of APC, Mr Joe Igbokwe seriously. This is because he has no respect for facts and has zero-integrity. Like most APC leaders, he lies for a living.
A friend drew my attention to his Facebook Post after President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned a few projects in Borno. I do not want to water down the efforts of another State Governor, but it is uncharitable to drag Rivers State into the Projects Challenge.
I say it with facts and figures, Rivers State under the leadership of Governor Wike is the Headquarters of Projects in Nigeria. In terms of numbers and quality, there is no State that compares to Rivers State. No state, at all.
In about four years, Governor Wike has rolled out over 500 key projects in Education, Health, Road Infrastructure, Water Supply, Security Infrastructure, Civil Service Welfare, Justice Sector Development, Tourism, Sports, Commerce, Rural Development and Empowerment.
During the third year anniversary, Leaders from the six geo-political zones of the country commissioned key Rivers State Government Projects for three months. This was a daily routine. Of course, we don’t expect APC leaders to remember this fact. Their self-inflicted amnesia is the horrible feature of this era. Nobody expects them to be aware of the positive happenings in Rivers State.
It is imperative that I remind Joe Igbokwe and his APC liars that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo confirmed Governor Wike as Mr Projects after experiencing first hand the projects initiatives of the Rivers State Governor.
I refer Joe Igbokwe to the Factional Rivers APC Press Statement wherein they begged Acting President Osinbajo not to commission key projects of Governor Wike because they weakened the propaganda machinery of the APC.
Sacked Publicity Secretary of Rivers APC, Chris Finebone in 2017 wrote , “The feedback we are getting from our numerous members in Rivers State is that Gov. Nyesom Wike has invited the Ag. President to commission some low projects just to score cheap political points. Governor Wike cannot always resort to using APC leaders to ridicule APC members in Rivers State. The reference to the Governor as ‘Mr. Project’ jokingly by the Ag. President the last time he was in the state is still being used by Governor Wike “to taunt, ridicule and insult APC and its members in Rivers State to this day. We cannot encourage him with further materials to continue his anti-APC propaganda against us. “
Since Governor Wike celebrated his first 100days, he has made projects delivery a regular feature. All 23 Local Government Areas have been positively impacted with key projects. We are not talking about a flash in the pan. This is sustained delivery.
As we head to the end of the governor’s first term, several key projects will be commissioned for the use of Rivers people. The International Cinema at the Port Harcourt Pleasure Park, the Mile One Market, The Fruit Garden Market , the Mother and Child Hospital, Sakpenwa-Bori Road , Bonny/Bille/Nembe Jetty, Zonal Hospitals in Degema, Bori, Etche, Western Ahoada County Grammar School, Odiokwu Internal Roads, Odiokwu-Anwuigboko, Odiokwu-Oyigba Roads, Odufor-Akpoku-Omnoye Road in Etche LGA, Abonnema Ring Road, Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo Unity Road, among other projects.
In Rivers State, Governor Wike has gone beyond State Projects, he intervenes in Federal Responsibilities. He has constructed the Federal High Court Complex, the National Industrial Court and has reconstructed the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division. This is a State where the Governor directly funds security agencies through logistics and operational financing .
Here, Governor Wike has made project execution for the good of Rivers people a way of life. Developmental activities have become natural and they cut across all areas.
Igbokwe should restrict his justification of the total failure of the APC as a party and government to non-performing APC States. There is no relationship between light and darkness.
Rivers State under the leadership of Governor Wike represents the light of this dark era of national regret and wailing. Rivers State is a shining light, a projects icon and the construction destination of Nigeria. This fact cannot be wished away by the needless falsehood of the APC.
