Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has said that Nigerians must salvage the nation from bad governance.
Wike stated this when he paid a New Year’s visit to his Enugu State counterpart, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, in his hometown, Orba in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
“You must join the rest of Nigerians. Nigeria is dying. Will you be here to see Nigeria die? Is it the kind of Nigeria that people like Nnamdi Azikiwe fought for?
“A Nigeria that when you wake up, what you will hear is 20 people have died, 42 people have been kidnapped, 100 people have been abducted. Everyday death, death,” Wike questioned.
While arguing that the APC-led Federal Government has failed Nigeria, Governor Wike urged the people of Enugu to speak out against the “poor governance” the country is experiencing.
Wike further advised them to join forces with other well-meaning Nigerians to save the nation from misrule.
To further buttress his point, the governor said it was hypocritical of President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the “heavily padded” and “unimplementable” 2022 budget passed by the National Assembly, but declined assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
According to him, the speed at which the president signed the 2022 budget, was curious and smacks of insensitivity to the plight of the masses.
“Look at Mr President the other day while he was signing the budget, he said the budget is unimplementable.
“But he went on and signed what is unimplementable. A budget that will determine the state of the economy, the progress of this nation, and the President knew this thing can’t work and he signed it.
“Then the Electoral Act, he said he will not sign it because direct primaries are too expensive.
“What concerns me with party primaries? What concerns the poor people with party primaries? The one that concerns poor man, businessman, how to grow the economy, you signed it, knowing too well that it will not work,” Wike stressed.
In addressing his host, Wike described Governor Ugwuanyi as one of the shining lights of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and admonished him to continue to remain steadfast and supportive of the party’s cause.
The governor, who was conferred with an honorary traditional chieftaincy title of Agunechemba by the Chairman, Enugu State Council of Tradition Rulers, Ambassador Lawrence Agubuzo, also urged the people of Enugu State to continue to stand by their governor and aid him to deliver democratic dividends to everyone within the state.
Governor Ugwuanyi in his remarks said Governor Wike has distinguished himself as a bold and courageous leader, adding that the Rivers State Governor’s leadership is one to be proud of.