Wike flags off road to Rivers’ food basket

• Senator denies deal with APC over rerun

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has flagged off  the reconstruction of the Airport-Ipo-Omademe-Ozuoha road to the agricultural heartland of Ikwerre Local Government Area.
The governor, also yesterday, flagged off the rehabilitation of General Hospital, Isiokpo aimed at providing quality healthcare services to the people of the area.
“Those who produce what we eat in the cities must be given a sense of belonging. That is why we are here today to commence the construction of this all important roads.
“We are here to wipe away the tears of the people. In the next five months, I will be back to commission the road. Government must be relevant to the populace,” he said.
In another development Governor Wike has said issues of development must always receive priority attention despite political differences.
This was even as the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige described Governor Wike as an action governor who should lead the way in the implementation of the Employment Compensation Act being implemented by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).
Speaking at the Government House, Port Harcourt yesterday when Ngige visited him, Governor Wike said placing development above partisanship would enhance the partnership between the federal and state governments to transform the country.
He lauded the minister for standing out in his leadership style, by setting aside politics to liaise with the Rivers State Government on the development of a credible insurance scheme for workers in the state.
He said the government will study and buy into the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund programme under the Employment Compensation Act .
Earlier, Ngige described political parties as vehicles to specific destinations where leaders are empowered to enthrone development.
According to him, political parties should not affect the delivery of developmental projects. He said just as President Muhammadu Buhari is the father of the nation, so is Governor Wike of Rivers State irrespective of political affiliation.
Meanwhile, barely two weeks to the conduct of the rerun elections in Rivers State, a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Olaka Nwogu, has dismissed claims that an informal arrangement has been reached with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to cede one seat.
Speaking with Daily Sun, Senator Nwogu, who was sacked last December by the Court of Appeal, said APC has reached out to his party, the PDP to cede one of the senatorial seats to them, but added that the proposal was rejected.
“I am sure that it is one of the lies the APC is putting out there. Actually, APC is begging for one seat in the Senate just to save face. They have shown all manner deliberations. The people must vote and express their choice. There is nothing like that. The PDP is not involved in any such arrangements.
“APC should work hard and sell themselves to the people. The people have chosen me and there is nothing they can do. PDP has no deal with APC.”
He also kicked against claims that Senator Magnus Abe was already in the lead in the results declared so far by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Nwogu maintained that the results declared so far do not reflect what transpired on ground.
“INEC came to Rivers State and declared results five months after the same elections suspended. The results were cooked and we have challenged them in court. The results are fictitious. Is this a country? How banana have we become?
“APC has lost the elections conducted so far. They are only trying to impose false results on us. We are not animals in this country. We will defend and fight for our rights.
“If we conduct a free and fair election and we will obliterate APC in the state. They are jittery and want to use APC members as ad hoc staff during the rerun elections. With what is left, we will win. We are not worried. All we are asking for is a level playing field,’’ he said

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