Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State went agog on Sunday as massive defections hit the camp of the former Governor of Rivers State and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike following the decampment of over 400 members of his supporters in Nonwa into the Simplified Movement group of the incumbent Governor of the State, Sir Siminilayi Fubara.
Speaking at the event held at the Nonwa community, the Executive Chairman of the Council, Hon. Mathew Dike expressed delight at the massive return of the people into the fold of the Simplified movement in the area describing their actions as an acknowledgement of the efforts of the Governor Fubara administration to bring dividends of democracy to the people of the Local Government Area.
Hon. Dike who regretted that the defecting members were blindly misled and deceived by those he said had over years stole the commonwealth of area however assured all indigenes of equal benefits in the distribution of resources accruing to the Council.
He frowned at the attitude of some members of the Movement who he said have not demonstrated genuine support for the group adding that his administration will continue to recognize genuine and hard-working members in the local government area. “Tai local government will continue to provide dividends of democracy to it’s people. We have a development plan that will transform Tai in the next 10 years. We are prepared to do more projects that will touch the lives of the people,” the Chairman declared.
The council boss announced the plan of his administration to raise and empower at least seven millionaires monthly adding ‘we would kick out hunger out of Tai’. He therefore charged the returnees to rekindle their support for the development efforts of Governor Fubara and the Tai Council administration.
In his address, the State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Prof. Peter Mede who received the defected members into the fold, expressed commendations to the group for their decision to join what he described as the liberation train in the local government area and called on the remaining supporters of the FCT Minister in the area to follow suit.
Prof Mede assured the people that the Rivers State Government under Governor Fubara have good plans for the people of the area pointing out that Tai local government has been properly recognized under the Governor Fubara administration. “For the first time in the history of our State, Tai can be proud of holding important appointments in the administration in the State. We have a commissioner who is equally a member of the National Economic Council. I am an Economist but I was appointed by the immediate past administration in the state, to pursue tankers in the Ministry of Energy Resources in the State,” Prof. Mede stated.
The Commissioner regretted that past leaders of the council destroyed and massively looted the resources of the people for their personal gains adding that the current administration in the area was engaged in the rebuilding Tai to create wealth for the people.
Chief Mede therefore called on the Tai Council Chairman to consider instituting a probe into how those he described as criminals in power in the area mismanaged the multi billion funds voted for the development of a world class Motor Park and Market for Tai alledging that part of funds was used by the senator representing the area to build a personal house in Port Harcourt worth over N70m.
“I have the figures and the names of the company that was paid the money. He is a criminal in power. From 2007, a contract worth N12m was awarded for the disposal of wastes in Tai to a company and the money was paid to the Senator but the job was not done.
I have the records of those among them who stole the resources of Tai from 2007-2015. Only two people has been sharing the money meant for Tai people,” the Commissioner revealed.
He assured Tai residents of even distribution of the wealth of the council stressing that the Council now has a responsible Chairman that has the welfare of the people at heart. Prof. Mede explained that the implementation of the 2025 budget of the state Government will showcase the contributions of indigenes of Tai local government in the Governor Fubara administration for the area.
Leaders of the decamped group, Stephen Mene Nkiane, Chief Gabriel Okaukwa who is the Onowu of Ndi Igbo in Tai Local Government Area and Barr. Tambari Yeghene, a former Legal Adviser to the Council who all spoke on behalf of the decamped members at the event said they decided to return to the Simplified Movement in appreciation of the developmental strides of Governor Fubara in the State and commended the Council Chairman, Hon Dike for the numerous projects being executed in the area. The leaders who narrated the deprivations suffered while in the opposing camp assured that their defection to the Simplified Movement has ended all forms of opposition from Wike’s supporters in the area.
Also speaking, former Vice Chairman of the council and a leader of the Simplified Movement in the area, Hon. Jolly Mgbo charged the defected group to ensure that the remaining members in the opposition join the movement adding that Tai has been fully liberated with the good works of the Council Chairman in the areas of Infrastructural and human capacity development.
Highlight of the event attended by political stalwarts and other leaders in the local government, was the reappointment of Barr. Tambari Yeghene to his former position as the Legal Adviser to the Council by the Council Chairman.
