The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Emma Okah has lambasted the Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside saying he cannot win councillorship or chairmanship election in his area, Opobo/ Nkoro.
Okah stated this on a live radio interview Monday while reacting to statement by the Peterside that Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike will be sacked in 2019.
He said, “ Dakuku Peterside lack what it takes to even be a local government chairman going by the kind of utterances he made and the level of enemity he has shown in Rivers State.”
He regretted that, “ instead of Dakuku Peterside playing the vibrant opposition expected in the state, he has chosen to continually insult the Rivers State governor”.
The Rivers information commissioner urge him to use his position to drag development to the state and refrain from abusing the government.
Earlier, the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside had said that Rivers people will sack Governor Nyesom Wike in the 2019 general elections.
Peterside, who stated this in Opobo shortly after the local government congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) hinged his optimism on Rivers people being tired of the Wike-led administration and would therefore not hesitate to vote him out come 2019.
According to him, “I am confident that Rivers people are done with him (Wike), he has betrayed us, he has robbed us of our dignity, he has robbed us of our resources. Enough is enough.
“Let me repeat it again, on the 29th of May next year by 12 noon, APC will be in Government House, Port Harcourt. Governor Wike will have one of two options, option number one, go back to his village in Rumueprikom; option number two, he will be in prison. If I don’t have confidence that Rivers people want him out, I will not be saying so.”
He commended the party’s electoral officers, officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), police and other security agencies and party faithful for their matured handling of the local government congress.
The NIMASA boss was particularly appreciative of women and youth in the local government area, who he says are the backbone of the party.
While congratulating the newly elected party executive at the local government level, he admonished them to hold regular meetings and place a premium on the interest of everybody and not individuals, just as he revealed that an empowerment programme will soon be unveiled for the people.
“Be chairman for all, don’t be chairman for Dakuku. We have all surrendered our powers to you; please protect the interest of everybody. Not just one person. Ensure you hold regular meetings, at least once every month with your exco,” he stressed.
In a brief response, the newly elected chairman of APC in Opobo/Nkoro local government area, Tonye Epelle assured that he would not disappoint members and would work for the electoral success of the party in the forthcoming elections.
