Rivers State is certainly in the centre of the raging accusations by the Federal Government against the states in aggravating the poverty level by focusing on building of airports, flyovers, etc at the expense of rural development.
The Federal Government seemed to to have found its voice to accuse the governors after the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike commended President Muhammadu Buhari for paying the states of the Niger Delta arrears of 13% derivativation owed the states since 1999, attributing to it the delivery of several capital projects in Rivers State.
It was after Wike’s statement that the Federal Government through some of its actors started firing from all cylinders accusing the governors for the high poverty level particularly how they focus on building airports, flyovers instead of focusing on rural areas development; how they steal LGA funds and use thugs to emasculate opposition and also exposing them on the specific amount they got from 13% derivation, Sure P, subsidy.
Expectedly, the governors are now battling to defend themselves against the accusations taking any available opportunity to explain their position on each of the allegations.
For Wike, he started the whole argument when he revealed that he used funds of the release of the 13% derivatization fund for Rivers State to deliver the innumerable projects in the state for which he was rightly accorded a recognition by the Federal Government.
Reacting to the accusation of abandoning the rural areas for building of airports and flyovers Wike last week during the commissioning of one of the rural roads in the state denied abandoning the rural areas in the provision of Infrastructure.
Wike emphasised that there were several projects in rural communities with the Rumuodogo road inclusive, which have improved the socioeconomic status of rural communities.
He challenged the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Mr. Clement Agba who made the allegation to come and see for himself.
“Come to Rivers State and see whether we are doing roads that will cause agricultural produce to be brought out to the cities or not before you open your mouth. We are not doing roads in the city alone. We are doing roads in all local government areas of the state”, Wike charged.
On the stealing of local government funds, which was raised by President Muhammadu Buhari, Wike challenged the President to name the governors he alleged were pilfering funds meant for local governments.
He swore that he had never tampered with funds meant for the local governments and emphasised that when he was a council chairman under the administration of former governor, Dr. Peter Odili, the governor then never touched their funds, and that is an example he has continued to practice.
He noted that ordinarily, most of the road projects his administration had constructed should have been done by local government councils, but he has never asked any council for partnership to fund any project.
“When I was chairman of local government under Dr. Peter Odili, he never touched one Naira of local government funds. When I was chairman, nobody touched my funds and I see no reason why I will begin to touch other people’s funds”, he stated.
Wike said; “You said the governors are taking local government funds. I want to say in the name of almighty God, I have never touched local government funds one day.
“I have never and I have no reason to do that. So, Mr. President tell us who are those people. You know them, tell us. It is not good to make class defamation of saying governors. Please, I am not one of those governors.
“So, Mr President, please, spare me, tell Nigerians that the Integrity Governors are not part of them. We have integrity. And do us a favour to announce all those states that they are taking local government money because you have the records.”