Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has said that his nomination as “LEADERSHIP Politician of the Year 2022,” will spur him to continue to fight for equity, fairness and justice in the country.
He also said that members of the National Assembly were under pressure to pass the N500 Billion Budget of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) because of the forthcoming general elections.
Wike spoke yesterday at Government House, Port Harcourt when the managements of LEADERSHIP Newspaper Group Limited and the Sun Publishing Limited, presented him with letters of nomination for awards.
The governor challenged the media to live up to its responsibility of holding government to account.
He said: “Let me on behalf of the government of Rivers State, most sincerely thank the two leading publishing houses who have honoured Rivers State severally, through me because for us, this honour is not for me but for the entire people of the state even though I represent the state.
“So, I will not say the honour is for me. It is to the people of Rivers State. We must have to thank you for that. I thank you and assure you that by the grace of God, this will spur us more to do what we are supposed to do. We will not say because we have few months to leave and therefore we will not do what our mandate requires. Our mandate terminates on the 29th of May, 2023.
“But let me say something clearly and that has to do with your role. To tell you the truth, in most cases, I believe that society gets better or get better because of your contributions. The press has a lot of role to play over sighting what public officers or those at the helms, when you are able to criticise them and they are able to take corrections.
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“But the problem some of us have is that instead of you taking a critical look at what is happening, some of you try to panel-beat events, even when you know that those involved are collosal failures. Your duty is not to panel-beat, your duty is to say it as it is. You don’t need to amend because that is the only way public officers can sit up and do what they are supposed to do.”
Commenting on the NDDC, for example, the governor said the budget of the Commission was fraudulent, adding that some political leaders were mounting pressure on the National Assembly to pass the budget for them to share ahead of the general elections.
The governor said: “Sometimes I say, should I not be ashamed that I come from the Niger Delta? Everyday, we are talking about exploitation. Who is exploiting who?
“Since the inception of NDDC, let them show us one regional project they have embarked upon that changed the landscape of the area. Let them mention one.
“How does NDDC come to a state and start to construct without the contribution of the state government. Do you know the blueprint of the state? How do you go to a community and start building school? Is the school your own? Who is going to run the school? Why not go to the state and ask the government; what is your priority? What do you want NDDC to do for you in your state?
“What are they doing now? NDDC is expecting N500 billion. Go and see the pressure they are mounting on the National Assembly to approve the budget of NDDC because election is on February 25. Tomorrow, if you come back, nothing is happening in Niger Delta.
“If you see the budget of 2022, ask them; which governor made input in that budget? Go and see. In the budget, you will see N4 billion for desilting of drainages. So, NDDC has now come to clean gutters in our state. What kind of system is this?”
Earlier in his speech, Senior Vice Chairman of LEADERSHIP Group Limited, Azu Ishiekwene, said Governor Wike was named Politician of the Year 2022 because of his government’s consequential politics and his achievements in infrastructure.
Ishiekwene said: “Port Harcourt was called at a certain time, the Garden City but we also watched as it deteriorated from the Garden City to the Garbage City.
“In recent times, we have seen its recovery as a Garden City and now, as the Bridge City.”
He stated that the parameter, which the board of LEADERSHIP Group Limited used in selecting the “Politician of the Year” was based on his unconventional political style and his quest for equity, fairness and justice at great personal risk”.
