Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
As Governor Nyesom Wike continues with his campaigns ahead of the forthcoming general elections, elder statesman, Rev Dr Sokari Soberekon has listed some of the projects he expects the governor to embark on if he gets re-elected for a second term.
Speaking to newsmen in his office in Port Harcourt at the weekend, Dr Soberekon said going by recent forecasts, Governor Wike stands a better chance of winning the election, being a sitting governor who has done well in projects, but expressed fear that sometimes surprise can defeat a champion, hence the need for him to be more prayerful to God through Jesus Christ.
Dr Soberekon, who said he is not a partisan politician, noted that in his capacity as a rights activist and Senior Advocate of Niger Delta, there was a need to point out some of the things the governor should do in his second term.
According to him, Governor Wike should provide water for the people of Rivers State by completing the state’s long-abandoned water project, regretting that at this stage of their development, the people are still buying water to drink.
He called on Governor Wike to provide commuter buses for the people – the type churches and companies use to convey their members and staff and the type politicians use for their campaigns.
Dr Soberekon also advised the governor to complete the abandoned monorail and extend it from Station to Borokiri through Abuloma to Eleme, Oyigbo, Ahaoda and all the three senatorial districts so that the billions of naira sunk into the project would not be a waste.
He also asked Governor Wike to build the Trans-Kalabari road that has long been abandoned by past administrations in the state and was also one of his campaign promises. He said the road if constructed, would improve the lives of the long term oil producing people and bring faster economic development.
Dr Soberekon, who is a stakeholder in the state, further advised Governor Wike to hand over the ministry of agriculture to traditional rulers who he said are close to the people in the rural areas and in a better position to encourage farming.
The Senior Advocate of the Niger Delta also urged Governor Wike to hand over the ministry of agriculture to traditional rulers who he said are close to the people in the rural areas and therefore in a better position to encourage them to farm.
He said it was not good that Rivers State could not produce what her people eat but only depend on other Nigerians and foreigners to survive.
Dr Soberekon called on Governor Wike to establish a proper record/payment office to take care of pensioners who had served the state well, to save them of too much stress in their struggle to receive their pensions while also pleading that the welfare of teachers, doctors and all health workers- who he described as lifeguards- be taken seriously.
He said if Governor Wike can do all these things, the people of Rivers State would continually support him and God would also bless him abundantly.
‘’Governor Wike can even be the first governor of Rivers State when the long yearned to restructure is granted,’’ he said.
It will be recalled that Dr Soberekon, in 1981, made former president, Shehu Shagari, to approve oil derivation fund for the oil-producing states of the Niger Delta after former Mid-Western governor, Ambrose Ali, failed to achieve same through the courts.
Reflecting on that incident, Dr Soberekon said he was yet to be rewarded for that effort and appealed to Governor Wike to use his position to effect his compensation. ‘’As footballers who win trophies for the nation or state are rewarded, that is how I expect to be rewarded as this mis my highest achievement in activism,’’ he said.
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