The Chief of Staff to the Rivers State governor, Chief Emeka Woke, has described the allegation by Senator Lee Maeba, that his life is under threat, as a spurious tale concorted by a deranged mind.
Senator Maeba, had on Saturday in Punch newspaper alleged that a meeting was held at the Government House, Port Harcourt to clampdown on him and others.
The Chief of Staff refuted the allegation on Saturday at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area during the grand finale of the state-wide Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI) Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) collection sensitisation rally.
Woke stated that there is no such plan to clampdown or eliminate any person in the State, as such character is not in the DNA of the present administration. He urged those who are not popular and vast in grassroot politics, to leave it for those who know the game, rather than making frivolous claims.
“On my way here, I read from Punch newspaper, one man that is unable to come home, called Ledogo, saying he will not come home again to campaign for PDP presidential candidate. He said the reason that he will not come was because I held a meeting in Government House that anything he comes to Rivers State, he should be killed.
“My brothers, such thing did not happen and it will not happen. Any person that cannot come to Rivers State should look for a better excuse and not killing excuse.”
Woke further added: “This government, we don’t kill anybody. We have never and will never kill anybody. Please if you don’t have strength, tell your people that you don’t have strength.”
The Chief of Staff also took a swipe at the former Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, who hails from Opobo for claiming the governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike’s administration has done nothing for the council.
He wondered why Dakuku, who served as a Commissioner for Works under the Chibuike Amaechi’s administration and never made any effort to advance work on the Opobo axis of the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Unity Road, from the point the administration of Dr. Peter Odili stopped work, would turn around to lie against a governor who provided road for the people of Opobo.
” Before he became commissioner, the former governor of the State, Dr. Peter Odili, had initiated this laudable project, the Unity Road to run from Ogoni, Andoni and Opobo and then he stopped in 2007.
“From October 2007, when your son (Dakuku) became Commissioner for Works until May, 2011, four good years, he did not add one meter to the road.”
“The same man said Wike did not do anything for Opobo people. Yes, let us agree, because the lawyers will say, assuming though not conceding that Wike did not do anything. From that time in 1999 when he (Dakuku) started politics until Wike became governor, Dakuku was not able to drive a car to Opobo. Even if Wike has not done anything, the road he gave to Opobo is it not something.”
Woke, said it was unbelievable that Dakuku, who got a contract for Opobo shore protection and embezzled funds, could still have the audacity to accuse the Wike’s administration that has linked the entire Opobo/Nkoro island to the rest of the State by road, of doing nothing for the council.
“This is not campaign, but at campaign time, we will inform you that he (Dakuku) was given contract. The only thing that he was asked to do for his people, shore protection, he embezzled the money and that contract was not executed. So, when the time comes, we will tell Opobo who is their real son, because I don’t believe that am indigene of Opobo will hate Opobo so much.”
He noted that all Dakuku said during a gathering of few APC members in Opobo last week, was his usual tantrum against governor Wike, in order to gain relevance in the political space.
“You know, in Rivers State, any body in opposition that is aspiring to get any position, no matter how little that aspiration is, the only qualification for you to aspire is to come out and abuse Wike. When you come and abuse Wike and say Wike didn’t do this, Wike did not do that, then you can be considered for a little position. And so, that is just what Dakuku did.
“If you adopt one strategy to achieve something and it doesn’t work, the proper thing to do is to change strategy. Dakuku needs to change his strategy, since they no longer work.”
In his remarks, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP governorship candidate in Rivers State, Siminalaye Fubara, lauded members of GDI for sensitising Rivers people in the 23 Local Government Areas, on the need to collect their PVC, which is their power to elect the rightful leadership during the 2023 general elections.
Fubara, who hails from Opobo, said he is confident that his kinsmen will overwhelmingly support his governorship ambition.
“A non -indigene is the one who will come here and struggle, abuse people. I’m an indigene, a free born. You can trace my father’s house. So, do I need to struggle to get your support? So, I will end by saying you know what to do.”
The event was graced by dignitaries across the state, including the Chairman of Rivers PDP, and Chairman of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Ambassador Desmond Akawor and his Executive Council, Chairmen of LGAs, members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, members of the State Executive Council, Special Advisers to the State governor as well as members of the GDI, led by its President-General, Mr. Bright Amaewhule, amongst others.
