Gov. Wike’s ‘mendacious statement’ on tackling soot is mere facade- Rivers APC

Reactions have continued to trail recent comments by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, blaming the Federal Government for allegedly turning a blind eye to the emission of soot in the state.

Chris Finebone, publicity secretary, APC Rivers State chapter, in a statement released to media houses yesterday,  said, ‘It is really bizarre for a state governor to blame the federal government for deliberately using any means (and in this case soot) to depopulate any part of the country. What can anyone say? Gov. Nyesom Wike believes in extreme politics based on total lack of morality, dishonesty and naked lies. We will rather leave Gov. Wike and his statement to Nigerians and posterity. Obviously, the statement is beyond comprehension by any rational mind.

‘The truth is that under Gov. Wike everything in Rivers State is going from bad to the bizarre and this includes logical reasoning. The governor was simply being disingenuous and we are not surprised that he made such a mendacious statement.

‘Firstly, the issue of environment is on the residual list in the Nigerian constitution hence the inability of the Nigerian parliament to make its legislation on the environment binding on states and local governments. For example, despite the setting up of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) by the federal government, states and local governments reserve the right to or not to set up State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and Local Government Emergency Management Agency (LEMA) respectively. For instance, Rivers State does not have SEMA and LEMA.

‘In respect of the soot ravaging Port Harcourt and environs, it would have made sense if the governor listed actions the state government has undertaken towards arresting the dangerous situation rather than claim that his government has done the needful. What does Gov Wike precisely mean by doing the needful? He should specify what that means in clear times. For sure I can tell you that that statement is mere facade to cover up the ineptitude of Gov. Wike’s government in tackling this challenge. The state government has done absolutely nothing in that regard’, he reiterated.