Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has sustained his attack against his Niger Delta counterparts over the 13 percent derivation arrears paid by the Federal Government.
The Governor told them to dedicate three weeks to project inaugurations as he had done instead of criticising him for commending President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said some were hiding under some groups such as Akwa Ibom Professionals and Ijaw Professionals to insult him and called on them to stop behaving like cowards and come out openly.
Speaking while inaugurating the first ever road to Rumuodogo communities in Emohua Local Government Area, Wike said some of his critics were spending four years to execute one project.
Wike said he would never spend such number of years for one project insisting that he had never done a project for more than a year and half.
The Governor said he expected his colleagues to join him and thank President Muhammadu Buhari for releasing the money instead of attacking him, describing some of them as small people.
The Governor boasted that whereas some of his colleagues were made governors by their godfathers, he had no godfather and was able to defeat a sitting governor.
Wike said: “What is my crime today in the Niger Delta states? I said God thank President Buhari for giving me money to do this road. Did I commit any offence. I don’t know the offence that I committed for saying thank you.
“Let me tell those who are making noise. Whether you are a governor I don’t care. Whoever you are I don’t care. I came to run as a governor of Rivers. No governor said I want to put you as a governor. I came on my own. We defeated the sitting governor. Some governors were brought by their godfathers. I never had a godfather to bring me as a governor. The only godfather I had was God and the people of Rivers State.
“So, when some governors are talking they should know those they are talking with. We are not on the same level. We can’t be on the same level. Let these small people keep quiet. If you are not prepared for governance, give up. I am prepared for governance. I will prepare till I leave.
“I am not a fan of Buhari. I am not one of those who go to Abuja to see them. But the truth must be told. When somebody had done well in an aspect, you say so. No matter how you hate me, won’t you give me the credit that I did Rumuodogo road?
“Even if you don’t like Buhari and I say he released money I am using to do something, is anything wrong in that? Some people are not grateful in life, even when you help them they can never be grateful. I will continue to be grateful. People open their mouth and say three kilometre road in their state is more than how many flyovers in Rivers.
“Rivers is a Niger Delta state. It has riverine and land areas. I don’t know who can claim they are more riverine than Rivers State. I didn’t tell you to give account. All I say is thank Buhari. What I expected them to do is to join me and thank Buhari. Now they are saying we receive this and that. What’s my business. If you say you have more water do the ones you have water let us see.
“I have never done any project more than a year and half. I challenge anybody. I can tell you the contractors doing job in this state. Name the ones doing jobs in your state. Do your own, not to do one project for four years. I will never do any project for four years.
“People have been sending their people to insult me and I laugh. Some people they call them Akwa Ibom professionals. They were insulting me. I say tell the man who sent you to come out. We are not kids. I am waiting for you. Some people say Ijaw professionals, you sending them come out. It is you I am looking for. Not all these fries.
“That we are doing 12 flyovers, did I ask you not to do? I am not doing only roads. Go and see what we have done in the health sector. See what we are doing in Yenagoa Law School. We put over N5bn to recover that school in the South south. When they gave us a licence we built our own law school campus within 10 months.
“I challenge any state to commission projects in three weeks everyday. So, what are you talking about? I am not running an election. I don’t need to be a sycophant. But the truth must be told at all times. If you want to face Wike come and face me. I have the capacity and I have told them to be careful.
“I have never gone to a meeting with anybody in life and we agree on something and I abandon it. I am not a betrayer. It is not in my blood. Tell them to face their problems. We started inauguration on November 14. We will end tomorrow. By Monday we will start flagging off new projects. I will pepper them. The politics today is not to talk but operation show your report card”.
The Rivers governor said he started inaugurating projects to shame his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi, who on May 27th 2015 said he would not have money to pay salaries much less executing projects.
He said: “You know why we are commissioning these projects; you remember in May 27th 2015 our brother who was a governor on his birthday while he was leaving office told us that there was no way we would get money to pay pensioners and gratuities not to talk of doing projects.
“We say God you must show that you are God. God in his infinite mercy showed the love he has for this state. He did not only provide money just to pay salaries, pensioners and their gratuities. He has provided money to do this road.
“God gave him all the money, yet he refused to do this road. He thinks that Rumuodogo people will still be backward. God said no the time has come for people to remember Rumuodogo people.
“Why should I not be happy. The man took the position of God, as far as he is concerned you cannot be anything. But the almighty God says who are you? God used somebody to bring that money”.
