ORTOM: WIKE, PDP ARE FLUTES FOR CORRUPTION

We read with uttermost amusement recent media reports credited to River state Governor, Nyesom Wike and Mr. Felix Obuah, the state chairman of the once largest party in Africa but now the humiliated and cremated party in Africa, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

They cynically invited the governor of Benue state, Samuel Ortom for a tour of projects across Rivers State.

While we took a stand not to join issues with Governor Nyeson Wike over his constant insults on the person and office of Governor Samuel Ortom, because he is a bulldog who barks at every image he sees around.
But we decided to let Wike and his co-travellers know that they are living in the past, hence only those who are living in the past like Wike would think that it is only by visiting a particular place that one would know what is happening in the place even in this digital age.

If Wike and PDP Rivers state must know, when Governor Ortom took over on May 29th, 2015, the state owned University was under lock and key. It was when Governor Ortom took over that he was able to meet most of the demands of the University lecturers and the school gates were again reopened for academic activities and the University has not witnessed any strike since the coming on board of the Ortom administration.

It may interest these meddlesome interlopers to note that at the same University, Medical students who stagnated for over twelve years without graduation, graduated in the first five months of Ortom's administration after he secured the accreditation for the College of Health Sciences and the Benue State University Teaching Hospital within his short time in office. Interestingly, Benue State University has graduated four sets of medical doctors totalling 152.

Wike should know that the people of Benue state know that the number of ongoing road projects and the ones already completed in Benue state under Governor Ortom's short stay in office are far ahead of the ones executed by Governor Wike even with the fat allocation that is a trade mark of River state.

For their information the Benue state Government under Governor Ortom has undertaken the completion of 10 of abandoned road projects by the past administration across the state. The roads include;1. Zaki Biam - Afia - Gbeji road 46.52km, 2. Taraku - Naka - Agagbe road 61km, 3. Oju - Obussa - Utonkon road 52.00km, 4. Otukpo - Utonkon - Igumale road 55.61km, 5. Oshigbudu - Ogbaji road 10km, 6. Igbor - Ikpa - Wannune road 36.732k, 7. Vandeikya – Koti-Yough - Adikpo road 32.00km, 8. Ge - Ikyobo - Agbeede - Amua - Anshagba road 37km, 9. Tordonga - Zaki Biam with spur to Tsewuaze - Tiza - Shila road 45.14km, 10. Daudu - Gbajimba road.

In similar vein, the Ortom administration has awarded the construction of the following new roads across the state;
Obagaji-Okokolo-Abian-Agagbe road 43km, Ikov-Utange-Mbagwaza-Mbagba-Lessel road with spur at Hiltom 55km, Otukpo Icho-Odudaje-Aondoana road 21km, Makurdi-Yogbo-Udei-Udei branch road 52.27km, Mobile Police Barracks - Yaikyo - Apir road 24km, Origbo - Imande - Akpur - Gbajimba road 40. 397km.

The above mentioned roads do not include the ongoing work on 45 rural roads across the state.

Governor Ortom's achievements in the other sectors abound like, Health, Education, Agriculture, Industrilization, Water, ICT, MDGs/SDGs and Security from which Wike himself copied the amnesty program.

Between Wike, Rivers state PDP and Benue state, who needs invitation for projects tour?

Perhaps, Governor Wike's hatred of Ortom is as a result of Governor Ortom success story in all spheres of life.

It should be recalled that when Wike was supervising minister for Education, he awarded contracts for the construction of Junior Girls Secondary Schools , Gbajimba, Anyiin and Gbatse, but he diverted the money for his private pocket therefore abandoning the projects at the foundation stage.

Nothing could be said to be further from the truth. If Wike said he has set aside the sum of N4 billion to construct roads in Benue state, then certainly, it is the money he diverted to his personal pocket and refused to construct the above mentioned schools in Benue state. So the man Wike was not lying when he made that statement.

We want to use this medium to call on the man Wike to as matter of urgency, go back to site and complete those abandoned projects or else we shall lodge a formal petition against him at the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, for embezzlement of public funds.

During the time Wike was supervising minister of Education, the Academic Staff Union of Polytheistic (ASUP) strike which began one week before he was appointed to supervise the ministry, lasted for more than six months, with Wike having no clue on how to end the strike. Meanwhile, Governor Ortom was busy doing wonders at the ministry of Aviation, the development that prompted the former President Goodluck to commend him.

Another reason might be that, when both resigned as ministers to run for the governorship tickets in their respective states, Wike received the endorsement of the former First Lady of Nigeria , on the other hand, the same former first lady endorsed Governor Ortom's main rival in 2015 who was rejected by a good number of Benue electorate.

But when Governor Ortom defeated the former first lady's candidate in the state, who was in the same association with Wike as candidates sponsored by the former First Lady, Governor Wike whose election victory was characterized by irregularities and intimidation became furious.

We are aware of the tactics devised by Wike and billions of Rivers state money he used in sponsoring the Tribunal, Appeal and Supreme Court Judgements against Ortom.

Rather than meddle in the affairs of Benue state, Wike should concentrate on giving the people of Rivers state the dividends of democracy that have eluded them since his administration took over the reins of power.

We want to call on Wike and PDP to give more effort in curbing the menace of security challenges facing the people of Ogoni Land and plethora of pension arrears he is currently owing River state pensioners.

Berger Alfred Emberga Mrp,
State Ag. Publicity Secretary, APC, Benue state.
29th March, 2017.