Governor Wike blasts Prince Secondus

Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has taken a swipe at  the immediate past  National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, for claiming that he (Secondus)  was a benefactor of Wike.

Speaking recently while commissioning a road Project, he said: “I have been reading what Secondus has been saying. And that is what I have said that education is very important. He said that no one could impose a presidential candidate and I said I never said so.

“All I said is that I will tell Rivers people who I want to support. It is then left for Rivers people to see whether they will follow me or not. He now came up to say I am fighting my benefactors that I would soon leave office. Secondus, you couldn’t have been my benefactor and those following you couldn’t have been too.

“I ran as council chairman 1998-1999. You didn’t support me. Second tenure, you tried to upturn my ticket. But you couldn’t. My benefactors are the Nsirim family, Senator George Mbata and Dr. Peter Odili family. These are the people who gave me the necessary support to grow financially and politically.

“If you say you supported me I agree and it was because of the support that made me give you a lot of sugar to thank you. Rivers people and Andoni people will hear it today. I have said Abiye’s own and he said he would sue me, has he sued?.

“Before I came as governor, Akpejo-Woji road was awarded by the former administration of Amaechi.That contract was awarded at the cost of N3bn to Secondus.He may come and say he recommended a contractor. That contract was revised by that administration to N11bn, then I came and it was revised. As I speak to you 100 per cent was paid on that road, N13.7bn.

“We are not owing a dime. We awarded Bonny-Nembe-Bille road, Bille Jetty, N3.2bn. As I speak to you, we have paid him N3.2bn. Marine Base Jetty was N3.9bn we have paid him N1.9bn only 10 per cent job has been done. Andoni-Unity-Opobo road, the total sum of N20.8bn we have paid N18.7bn and job done is 61 per cent. Meanwhile we have paid 90 per cent.

 “Woji-Aleto Refinery road awarded at the cost of N11bn ,we paid N5.8bn. If you add everything, out of about N50bn job we have paid N43.9bn. Now Secondus what do you want me to do?

“Mention any state in this country that you merely supported somebody and the person appreciated and said do this. You can’t be my benefactor. You were not the one who made me governor. For you to make me governor you must be the one that sponsored my election. How much did you bring?

“You are deceiving Nigerians. Rather, I should be your benefactor. When the issue of national chairman came, people like Sule Lamido, all of them opposed you. But I said no, you would be. Abiye Sekibo, Austin Opara, George Sekibo, Lee Maeba, Celestine Omehia, all of them met and said you should not be national chairman.

“I called a meeting in Government House. I said time had come when we must build ourselves and trust each other. Lee Meaba stood up and said he was disappointed in all of them and said it wasn’t what we agreed. ‘We agreed we will tell the governor that Secondus should not go’.

“I made sure nobody ran even from the Southwest. So I am your benefactor. You can’t be my benefactor. The question I ask is: every job given to you under Odili to the people of Andoni mention one. Odili stayed eight years, gave you job as state party chairman.Mention one you have completed. 

“Didn’t I know that I have eight years to be in office? If I had wanted to remain in power I would have run for the Senate. I am not like you. You wanted to be national chairman to impose your nephew to be governorship candidate of the PDP but I said it won’t work here. We had to kick you out first and we did and you are out.

“In 2008 you people took me to EFCC when I was the Chief of Staff, did I not defeat you people. I won down to the Court of Appeal. You can’t speak for Rivers people. I can speak for Rivers people because I have defended Rivers interest many times. 

“You have not defended Rivers interest and no Rivers man will listen to you.  When I was a minister, I brought things and as governor I have brought many things. My projects are fighting them not anybody. I don’t know how I will get money for a contract in my community and I won’t do it, put the money in my pocket. You must be a wicked person.

On his detractors’ claims that he owned properties, Wike said no law debarred him from owning assets and asked those against him to approach the EFCC.

He said: “No law says I should not have property. Go to EFCC. I have been there before and as a public officer as I am leaving I will go again.”

On the sealing of Atiku’s campaign office in Port Harcourt, the governor said: “They are making noise that I sealed Atiku’s campaign office. They are a  bunch of liars and criminals. I said we would not be violent, that we would use the instrument of law.

“They applied and they told them it was a residential area. They used force. We went to court. Court gave an order and sealed the place. It is not me.The State House of Assembly made a law. There are people you can’t cow. I am a proper Ikwere man, you can’t cow me. You must comply with the law.If not, anything you see, you will take.

“We have made our demand and our demand is that national chairman must come to the south. It is non-negotiable. If you say you don’t care, no problem. Let’s go to the field. All these hangers-on in Abuja be careful. Nobody can use Rivers State to negotiate for oil block or juicy ministerial positions, no.”