The recent outburst by Simeon Nwakaudu, media aide to Governor Nyesom Wike is nothing but a mere comic series just like he tagged his piece; a comedian and media dog, who is desperate just to please his pay master. In the clearly jaundiced rag-tag piece, Wike’s attack dog tried desperately, albeit hopelessly to tar the towering image of Dr. Dakuku Peteriside with inconsistencies.
Dr. Dakuku Peterside is a renowned transformer, who has always proven his mettle with his outstanding performances in public service from his days as Special Adviser to Governor Peter Odili to his appointment as Caretaker Chairman of Opobo/Nkoro LGA in 2004, in addition to his track record of massive infrastructural development that took place under his direct supervision as Commisssioner for Works during the Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi-led administration in Rivers State.
How can Nwakaudu forget so soon that most of the roads his benefactor is claiming credit for was either started, designed or 60-70% done during Dr Dakuku Peterside’s three-year tenure as Commissioner for Works?
Can a man who supervised the completion of strategic roads such as the Rumoula Road, the completion of Eleme Junction Inter-change, NTA/Mgbouba road, the construction of Bori internal roads, the redesigning of Ogoni/Andoni/Opobo unity road and many others be tagged a failure?
Maybe, Nwakaudu isn’t aware that as at when Peterside was appointed Commissioner for Works, the design for the now Wike over-hyped Ogoni/Andoni/Opobo unity road was faulty and had to be redesigned to international best standard.
Secondly, he might have in the quest to bury truth also forgotten that as of when Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi assumed office, as Governor of Rivers State, the work done then by his predecessor, was just 26 percent.
I shall on behalf of Rivers people help school Nwakaudu, who is obviously pretending to be deformed on the authenticated and incontestable facts about the Ogoni/Andoni/Opobo road, as he lacks the locus-standi to speak on the subject matter.
The Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo Unity road was initiated by the administration of Dr Peter Odili. Before he (Odili) left office, his administration completed 2 bridges and got the road to Asarama (Andoni). During Dakuku’s tenure as works commissioner, 6 bridges were completed and 2 bridges (No 9 & 10) were at 70%and 50% completion respectively at the end of the Amaechi’s administration in 2015.
Rivers people know Governor Wike, his antics and that of his partners in political iniquity like Simeon Nwakudu. They also know how Wike won the 2015 election. It is on record that majority of Rivers people never voted Wike as their Governor.
There is a saying that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands, thus Nwakaudu acknowledges the confirmation of Wike as governor in a very suspicious manner by Supreme Court but failed to also acknowledge the same Supreme Court that classified Rivers State as a theater of war during and after the 2015 general elections.
The outstanding performance of Dr. Peterside in NIMASA might be the reason why Nwakaudu and his goons are suffering from inferiority complex. His performance is mind-blowing and seen by all; no wonder major maritime stakeholders applaud Dakuku for his innovative achievements in less than two years as Director General of NIMASA. Within one year in office, he has promoted over 900 staff, something that is highly unprecedented in the history of the Maritime Agency.
Contrast this with Wike’s administration, who since he assumed office has not carried out any promotion but has been busy sacking workers including lecturers of Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, TIMARIV officials and non-payment of 30-month salaries of RSSDA Staff.
Dr. Peterside’s NIMASA was among the top agency that generated the highest revenue for the federation last year. What can Nwakaudu show to Rivers people as internally generated revenue of Rivers State under Wike’s watch? Rather companies are leaving the state to our neigbouring states and thus leaving our revenue depleted.
When people are talking about transparency and accountability, the likes of Nwakaudu ought not to remind Rivers people how fraudulent Wike’s government is. The first point of call for any responsible government is that it should be held accountable for its promises and deeds.
I have audio/video clips were Governor Wike himself had promised to make available to the public the state budget two weeks after its passage by the State Assembly. The same Wike had also promised to make public the financial statement of the government at the end of every year. At this point, it is imperative to remind Mr. Nwakaudu that Rivers people deserve to see what the so-called ‘Mr. Project’ has done within the ambit of accountability.
As the domestic spokesman to the fraudulent government, I challenge you to make public the 2015 supplementary, 2016, 2017 & 2018 budgets of Rivers State. A transparent government should not be scared to open its books for public scrutiny.
Henry Iyowuna Cookey (HIC) writes from Opobo town.
