The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has lambasted Governor Nyesom Wike over his recent donation of 25 18-seater buses to the Benue State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for campaigns ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The Rivers APC 2023 Gubernatorial Campaign Council said the state treasury has continued to suffer following the liberality of the governor to various states.
A statement by Sogbeye Eli, the Spokesperson for the Rivers APC Campaign Council on Wednesday, said funds spent so far could have been channeled to clear off pensions and gratuities owed to state retirees.
The statement reads, “The Rivers APC 2023 Gubernatorial Campaign Council received with grave concern for Rivers people the news of yet another donation of 25 18-seater buses to support the campaigns of the PDP in Benue State by Nyesom Wike, Governor of Rivers State.
“We thank Wike’s friend and Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, for making this public yesterday at the State Secretariat of the PDP in Makurdi during the inauguration of the State Campaign Council. We thank Ortom for also disclosing that Wike, who is building roads in Benue with Rivers money while his job is commission wheelbarrow with the allocation that Benue receives, will be on ground on Monday at the flagoff of the State Campaign Council where the 25 buses are to be presented. Of course, the Rivers Treasury would suffer further depletion from our Donatus Governor once he grabs the Mic.
“No thanks to Wike, Rivers civil servants and pensioners continue to wallow in abject poverty and misery while his misappropriation of Rivers funds to pursue his vile ambitions continue. Our children at the Rivers State University cannot write examinations because parents cannot afford their fees but we have a Governor who pretends to be at war with the PDP national leadership but is busy donating buses and hundreds of millions daily in cash and buses to Benue, Cross River and other State Chapters of his party.
“We urge Rivers people to note that this latest donation only adds to the number of impunity-driven waste of our State’s resources on the altar of friendship and political expediency by Wike. We must collectively bring an end to this carnage and financial recklessness by voting for Arch. Tonye Patrick Cole, Mni and the APC all the way on March 11, 2023.”