No matter how much the media tries to persuade Nyesom Wike, the governor of Rivers State, he won't change his mind about who he will vote for in the upcoming presidential election.
On Wednesday, Governor Wike spoke to the residents of Egbeda as he officially kicked off the building of the Akpabu-Egbeda-Omoku Link Road in the Emohua Local Government Area.
The governor asserted that there was already an excessive amount of political work to be done and that these people preferred to criticise party leaders rather than get to work.
The political fallout from such measures, according to Governor Wike, will be so terrible that the losers will sob bitterly when the reality of their electoral failure sinks in.
“If anybody like, say what you want to say that I am working for so and so person, it’s their business, say that I am not working for so and so person, it’s their business.
“That will not make me change my mind about where we are heading to. Do you understand me? So, if they like, they can make speculation. After all, that is why the word, speculation is there.
“Some of them who do not have 25 votes are busy abusing leaders. When you have finished abusing leaders (us), you will pay.”
The governor declared that his campaign team was already out canvassing for votes and making personal connections with constituents.
Governor Wike maintained that they are doing so because it is now common knowledge that only candidates who bring development projects are eligible to win the voting public’s support.
“We are here talking to our people, they are there in radio stations and television houses. We are here talking to our people. When you are finished, by that time, it’ll be too late.”
Wike encouraged voters to be fearless in confronting politicians with the question, “what did you bring for us? You come with empty hand, you will go with empty hand. You come with project, we give you votes. You come with promises, we give you promises”.
The governor of Rivers State acknowledged the Egbeda community’s continued support of his administration from its inception in 2015.
He revealed that he had promised David Omereji, one of their kids, for a very long time that his village would reap the benefits of democracy.
He specifically mentioned the recently opened Akpabu-Egbeda-Elele-Omoku connection road as an example.
Saddeningly, he pointed out that Rotimi Amaechi, whose mother is from the Egbeda Community, had previously described the project as unnecessary and a waste of money.
“You see, your mother is from here. You didn’t deem it fit or necessary to do anything for your maternal home.
“Now that our mother is not from here, we are doing something to help your maternal home. You say it is unnecessary; it is a waste of resources.
“When you have a bad child, he is a bad child. If he is not a bad child, he should thank us for removing shame from his face. Since you don’t have shame, I will add more things for your maternal home.”
Wike has declared that a contract to rebuild the Egbeda Community’s internal roads has been awarded.
He consequently instructed the State Commissioner for Works to have the contractor, MCC, who is in charge of the route being flagged off, remain to take care of the interior roads.
He reassured MCC that they would not be responsible for any debt arising from the work they were contracted and reaffirmed that his administration would not grant contracts for any project if the money was unavailable.
Dr George-Kelly Dakorinima Alabo, the Commissioner for Works in the state of Rivers, described the project as a road connecting Akpabu and Egbeda and continuing to Elele and Omoku, a distance of 6 kilometres.
He said that the road would provide an alternate route to the Port Harcourt International Airport road for people travelling via the Egbeda community axis, allowing them to reach the East-West Road in only 10 minutes.
He further said that the route would facilitate the transport of agricultural goods and provide easier access to medical services and educational establishments.
During his speech as Chairman of Emohua LGA, Dr Chidi Lloyd praised the governor for building the Akpabu-Egbeda road and promised that the area residents would show their gratitude by voting for Lloyd in the next elections in February.