The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared Chief Nyesom Wike the worst Governor in the history of the state, even as it dismissed his excuse for poor performance as untenable. Governor Wike had recently blamed the current economic recession in the country for his administration’s failure to live up to expectation and INEC and Police for the misfortunes of PDP in Rivers State but Rivers APC said Monday in a statement signed by its State Chairman, Chief (Dr.) Davies Ibiamu Ikanya:

“Wike blaming the Police and INEC for PDP’s current misfortune in Rivers State and loss of most of her National and State Assembly members in the Appeal Court as not only unfortunate but a calculated attempt to excuse himself as the main culprit for PDP’s misfortune in the State. The Party also described Wike’s excuse for his failure to develop the State as unfortunate, sad and unacceptable because many other states have been recording great achievements despite also experiencing economic recession. A few examples would suffice: Governor Atiku Baguda of Kebbi has achieved stable power supply in 16 LGAs and also established the Rice Pyramid (Lake Rice) in partnership with Lagos. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos s set to launch 5,000 new buses in Lagos, in addition to numerous other feats.

“On his part, Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River can boast of setting up the biggest Garment Factory in Africa, the Rice City Project and Calabar Monorail, while Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom has set up the First Pencil Factory in Nigeria, Led Factory and Automobile Assembly Plant.

“In 2015, the Kebbi State Government secured a loan from the CBN for rice production. Today, Kebbi has the biggest rice mill in Africa but sadly the over 130 Billion Naira so far borrowed by Wike was wasted on sponsoring his cronies and cohorts to watch European matches and sponsoring the unfruitful activities of PDP instead of developing the State.

“Also in 2015, the Lagos State Government partnered with Kebbi State to have the Kebbi farmers grow the rice and sell it back to Lagos for final processing. Today, Lake Rice is the beautiful testimony of a visionary leader,

“Still in 2015, the Taraba State Government partnered with CBN to secure a loan of N2 billion for the first greenhouse project in the entire north east sub region. Today, Taraba has a brand new green house farm and the largest in Nigeria. The project was initiated with an initial capacity to produce four exotic crops- cucumber, lettuce, pepper and tomatoes but on Wike’s side, what did he achieve but to destroy all the agricultural initiatives of the Amaechi’s administration.

“Instead of emulating these great leaders, our noisy and unprepared Governor Wike is celebrating the construction of Motor Park, Pleasure Park, Market, and Ecumenical Center. These were some of the projects which he wanted a whole Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to commission for him.”

Rivers APC berated Wike “for his visionlessness”, saying that “his excuse is nothing but the admission of a man who accidentally found himself in the seat of power without any blueprint for governance.” The party said: “The whole world can now better understand why Wike has turned the Garden City into the Garbage City. We can now understand why Wike has turned our once peaceful State to Rivers of Blood where killing and beheading of innocent people is now the order of the day.

“We can now understand why Wike decided to use our funds to fund his dying party, PDP, instead of paying the salaries of our civil servants and pensioners. We can now understand why Wike has decided to destroy our educational system that Amaechi put on a sound footing. Wike has stopped the scholarship scheme initiated by Amaechi to ensure that no Rivers child is left uneducated. He has stopped the use of over 350 model schools constructed by Amaechi’s Administration so that he can embark upon the construction of his 175 non-existent schools to enable him siphon public funds.

“Because of Wike has nothing to offer, he has destroyed the Banana Plantation, The Buguma Fish Industry, the Songhai Agriculture revolution and other industries set up by Amaechi to generate funds for the State and provide employment for our teeming undergraduates.

“Wike has only succeeded to turn himself into Mr. Disaster, which he has deservedly earned as the worst Governor in the annals of Rivers State. His stand contradicts the position of Dr. Dakuku Peterside, the APC candidate for the 2015 governorship election, who has a well-documented blueprint which he tagged ‘Road To Prosperity’. This roadmap by this visionary would have made Rivers State one of the most developed states in Nigeria by now. Wike is a man bereft of ideas and we hold former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, and others who imposed this incompetent man on our once flourishing State responsible for the shocking reversal of development in our beloved state.”

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