TEXT OF
PRESS BRIEFING BY DR. DAKUKU ADOL
PETERSIDE, APC GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE FOR THE APRIL 2015 ELECTIONS ON SUNDAY JULY 12, 2015
Courtesies.
I have watched with keen interest the Government of Rivers State
led by Chief Nyesom Ezebunwon Wike for sometime, acknowledging that they were
imposed on our people by the sheer pleasure of a lady, mindless impunity and
brute force. I had hoped that the government would chart the path of peace,
unity and progress with the aim of
earning the much-needed credibility but fellow Rivers men and women have been
disappointed.
Unfortunately, they have taken the silence and peaceful disposition
of our people as a sign of weakness and licence to behave irresponsibly.
The average politician will expect me to keep quiet and focus on the
legal process of addressing the wrong done to the moral of the democratic fibre
of Rivers people. I have given deep thought to this and have chosen to discard
the path of comfort and to speak up whenever the need arises.
To ignore what is going on will be a great disservice to Rivers
people whom I have volunteered to serve and who gave their all despite the fact
that they were, with associated violence, denied the basic right of casting
their votes.
If I choose the path of comfort and self-preservation, history will
not be kind to me. Posterity will judge
my actions and inactions. No government
has contaminated our political and moral environment like the Wike-led
government has done, starting from the campaign era to the present. Nor has any
government been characterized by dishonesty, self-inflicted credibility
problems, violence and vendetta, like this one.
No Government that chooses this path can earn the trust of the
people. This is the reason why no responsible elder or founding father of the
state wants to be associated with this government.
Some of my immediate concerns, which have necessitated this press
conference, are:
1. Too much
dishonesty on the path of the government to hoodwink Rivers people. For instance,
allegations of empty coffers a spurious tale as even Mr. Wike by his own
admission has been announcing various funds that he located in different
government accounts. His false claim of using Julius Berger for the refilling
of pot holes when what he has been using local contractors and paying them
peanuts. His use of the Berger name was simply a red herring to enable him to
loot public funds.
2. Six
weeks after assuming office, the government has not made one single policy
statement, rather it appointed the Nimi Walson Jack committee to design a
blueprint for the running of government after it had taken off. A move that suggests we have the case of a
rudderless state manned by persons whose only bond to the state is to siphon away
our resources.
3. The
mindless pursuit of vendetta against individuals, chasing of shadows and brazen
impunity against the long-term interest of the state.
4. Obvious
lack of commitment to the development of Rivers State. A case in point is the
security situation, which has continued to deteriorate with criminality
promoted at the expense of the safety of our people. Kidnapping and armed
robbery are now rooted and government is doing nothing.
5. Poor
understanding of public finance and questionable management of public funds as
is evidenced in the borrowing of N30bn (Thirty billion Naira in 30 days)
6. Elevation
of impunity to a new level and crass manipulation of institutions as
exemplified by the needless local government council crises being orchestrated
by the government.
7. Illegal
dissolution of state institutions created by the constitution with tenured
security. Ready examples include the Rivers State Independent Electoral
Commission, Local Government Service Commission, Civil Service Commission and
the Rivers State House of Assembly Commission.
8. Proliferation
of arms. Too many guns and small arms in the state with Government looking on
and doing nothing, giving criminals a free rein.
I had hoped that this government would take a
cue from the Buhari administration but it is becoming obvious by the day that
the Wike government does not intend to tow the path of honour and statesmanship
and therefore does not deserve the trust of Rivers people.
On our path, we are duty-bound to protect our
state and the interest of all our people and those who reside here. It is that
call of duty and with the highest sense of responsibility that has compelled me
to speak up.
Let us with continuing, unwavering faith in the
True God and confidence in our judicial institutions, trust that we shall soon
see the end of this era of impunity, directionlessness and crass disregard for
the rights of our people and the constitution of our nation. Regardless of the darkness that has enveloped
our state, we know that there is light at the end of the tunnel and we vow to
leave no stone unturned until our people have reached their well-deserved
Eldorado.
I thank you all for listening.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
God bless Rivers State.
Signed
Dr.
Dakuku Adol- Peterside
APC Governorship Candidate, 2015 Elections
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