Next President’ll Spend Entire Tenure Fixing Rot Caused By APC – Wike

*Says Rivers spends N1.8bn on pensioners monthly

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said Nigeria’s next president would spend his tenure fixing the ethnic, religious and socio-economic problems created by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government.

Nigeria holds its next presidential election in 2023 when President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure is billed to expire. But the Rivers governor noted that since the APC administration assumed office in 2015, religious intolerance and ethnic division have deepened.

He stated this during the official presentation of the letter of nomination to him for the “2020 Extra-Ordinary Personality of the Year Award” by the management of Silverbird Group at Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday.

He said despite the glaring insecurity, religious and ethnic divisions in the country, officials of the Federal Government have continued to live in denial that Nigeria was more disunited and insecure than ever.

He stated that the President had promised to fight corruption and bring to book this accused of killing the economy, but noted that ironically those accused of destroying the economy are now members of the APC and free from prosecution.

“The problem in Nigeria which I have always said is that the press, the media is part of our headache. The media have lost their voice. I remember when Goodluck Jonathan was the President, it was as if the media wants to pull down the whole of Nigeria.”

On insecurity, Wike attributed the seeming inability of the military to end insurgency in the North East and other parts of the country to the involvement of the former service chiefs, particularly Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, in politics.

Governor Wike thanked the management of Silverbird for the honour bestowed on him and the people of Rivers State.

He stated that his administration will continue to deliver developmental projects and improve the wellbeing of Rivers State people, particularly, pensioners, till the very last day of his tenure.

“Our state pays not less than N1.8 billion every month for pensioners. People told me that the government does not pay pensioners. I cannot spend N1.8 billion every month to pay pensioners and you will say I don’t pay pensioners; it is not true. From February 10, we are trying do the second round of commissioning. It is not just flagging off, come and see if we have done the projects. I have just approved the 8th flyover as at yesterday.”

Silverbird Creative Development General Manager, Jacob Akinyemi Johnson, said Wike was nominated as the Silverbird Extra Ordinary Personality of the Year 2020 because of the projects embarked upon and his fearlessness.