A former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress APC in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside has described Governor Nyesom Wike as a hypocrite, saying he lacks the moral uprightness to talk about credible polls.
Peterside who stated this in a release made available to journalists by his media office, accused Wike of pretending to be an apostle of free and fair elections in Nigeria.
Peterside, a former Director General of the Nigeria Maritime Safety Agency (NIMASA) who was reacting to statements credited to Wike, on alleged plots to rig the 2023 election, in addition to perceived excessive borrowing by the Federal Government said, “the Rivers governor is the notorious culprit of everything he accused the federal government of plotting and committing.
“Wike has gained notoriety for all manner of electoral fraud, bribery of INEC officials, willful borrowing, and stifling of the state’s legislature.
He queried Wike for condemning Federal Government’s borrowings, saying that the governor has borrowed over N300bn despite increased allocation, Paris Club refund, among others from the federation account and internally generated revenue.
“As of today, Rivers State government is owing over N300bn from different sources. This is an administration that has received N110bn from Paris Club refund, N78bn for roads constructed by his predecessor, over N2.5trn from federal allocation without commensurate works to show for it.
“Only yesterday, the state executive council approved further borrowing of N25bn without stating where the money would be borrowed from and how much is allocated to each of the items that necessitated the borrowing; things are just shrouded in secrecy due to lack of open bidding and disregard for due processes.
“Under Wike’s administration, Rivers people have not been opportune to see the state’s budget in the last six years, hence do not even know what is contained in it and be able to benchmark his claims,” he stressed.
On the independence of legislature, the former House of Representatives member said, “Rivers State House of Assembly only sits when Wike orders them to do so. Even when the National Assembly and President Buhari called for States’ Legislature autonomy, the governor told his boys to reject it.
“Only last week, the Rivers State House of Assembly members could not sit because the roof of the hallowed chamber is leaking seriously, forcing his rubber stamp legislators to scamper for safety.
“I really sympathise with the legislators, who are afraid to even debate matters concerning their own welfare on the floor of the house for fear of the emperor, who may order stoppage of their salaries.”
