Rivers State Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has been urged to contest the 2015 presidential election as he has what it takes to reverse the sad state of affairs in the country.

The plea was made by Barr. Tasie Wike, cousin of Amaechi’s bitter political enemy, Chief Nyesom Wike, the Minister of State for Education. Barr. Wike, a community leader in Rumueprikom, was speaking during Amaechi’s resumed Meet-the-People Tour of Obio Akpor Local Government Area.

Presenting his community’s address, Barr. Wike said: “We are convinced that despite the huge effort put in place by our detractors to run you down, history and providence will speak volumes of your track records of infrastructural development which are unprecedented in the annals of Rivers State and indeed Nigeria. We must sincerely commend and congratulate you for putting Rumueprikom clan on the threshold of history of Rivers State – indeed Nigeria – in the elevation of our traditional stool and influencing the appointment of one of our sons as a Minister of State of Education in the person of Chief Nyesom Wike, as well as Chief Promise Onuoha and Chief Cyprian Chukwu as members of Rivers State Local Government Service Commission, not minding that none of these are members of APC and are now constituting themselves as nuisance and stumbling block to further developments of our community.

“Your other areas of intervention in our community include construction of the Ada-George Road, Epirikom/Rumuolumeni Road, Rumuepirikom Health Centre, Rumuepirikom Community Secondary School, Elioparanwo Primary School, among other great feats. All these notwithstanding, we wish to express our huge disappointment over our son, Chief Nyesom Wike, for failing to fix internal roads in our community while he was given hundred percent on the contracts by the Amaechi-led administration to execute these road projects. It is worthy to recall that Rumuepirikom internal road network was awarded to Chief Nyesom Wike. Your Excellency, after we visited D/Line area of Port Harcourt and saw the internal road network constructed there and compared them with what was done in our community by our own son we wept. Our Governor, there is need to revisit the slipshod construction done on our internal roads by Nyesom Wike and imagine what a man has unleashed on his own community. What a dastardly act.”

Responding, Governor Amaechi thanked Rumueprikom people for their support and assured them of more developmental projects, including the construction of Rumuagholu Road in Ward 7 and completion of Rumuomoi Road in Ward 12 as well construction of Eiohani/Eneka Road in Ward 1.

“I thank all of you for the opportunity to address you. It’s basically for the interest of Rivers State that we are here. There is no village in Rivers State you will go to that you won’t see either a primary or a model health centre that I built. It is our responsibility, not about politics. And if you like, you can vote APC or you can vote PDP or any other political party but to meet your needs is my responsibility. I am paid salary for it and it is the reason for which I drive a free car, use free fuel, eat free food and enjoy free sleep,” the Governor said.

The communities visited by the Governor and his team in the course of the week included Rumueprikom, Eliparanwo, Rukpokwu, Eneka, Rukpakwolusi, Eligbolo, Awalama, Rumuuagholu, Elieke, Ekinigbo, Orosi, Rumuadaolu, Rumuola, Rumuokwuta, Oroigwe, Rumunduru, Eliozu, and Elimgbu, among others. All these communities are in Wards 9, 1, 12, 7 and 13.

Chief of Staff to Governor Amaechi, Chief Tony Okocha, in a symbolic gesture led the team to walk the one kilometre route to the venue of the event from Chief Nyesom Wike’s family compound. He described the successful outing in Chief Nyesom Wike’s community as the fall of the wall of Jericho and collapse of whatever maybe the myth or political power base of the junior minister.

Other All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains who accompanied Gov. Amaechi during the tour included Chief Hon. Dakuku Peterside; Hon. Ogbo Nwuke; members of the Federal House of Reps from the State; Chief Chidi Llyod, the Majority Leader in the State House Assembly; Dr. Davies Ikanya, the Rivers State APC Chairman; Hon. Emmanuel Chinda, the Commissioner of Agriculture; Hons. Ike Chinwo and Igo Aguma, former members of the House of Representatives; Hon. Ojukaye Flag Amachree; Barr Lawrence Chukwu; Chief Ambrose Nwuzi; Hon. Weli, the Commissioner for Environment, Evangelist Carol Nagbo, the APC State Women Leader, Princess Urey Ejims, the Commissioner for Women Affairs; Mrs. Kate Ngbor; and Elder Chidi Wihoka.

News Express recalls that Governor Amaechi had suspended the tour on August 13 in honour of the erstwhile Mayor of Port Harcourt, Hon. Charles Paul Ejekwu, who died that day.

•Photo shows Governor Amaechi addressing a cross section of women during the Meet-the-People Tour of Obio Akpor.