The heaps of senseless falsehood and vile trash written by the Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, in his reaction to a press release issued by the media office of the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dakuku Peterside, is a strong indication to the fact that he (Simeon) is nothing but a rubbish journalist. 

After painstakingly reading through the hollow and distasteful piece scribbled down by the Aba-born propagandist, I could not find any iota of correlation between the kindergarten tantrums which he threw therein with the cogent and verifiable issues raised by Dakuku as regards the lack of transparency and accountability which has unfortunately become the trademark of Governor Nyesom Wike's admnistration.

In all, I only saw a very bitter individual dementedly attacking a full-fledged son of the state for expressing his inalienable right of expression. 

Come to think of it, what really is Simeon's madness about? Is he annoyed because Dakuku lawfully sought information about how much Wike has so far received on behalf of our state from the national purse for the past three years? Or that he called the Wike-led govermment what it really is - a fraudulent regime? 

As the image maker of a governor, rather than resort to needless name-calling, I expected Simeon to clear the air on certain assertions made by Dakuku namely: 

1. Nobody in Rivers State today knows the value of projects Wike claims he has done.

2. The governor just awards contracts to his clique of friends and cronies. 

3. Not one single project has been advertised for bidding in Rivers State, despite the existence of Public Procurement Law.

What is Mr. Nwakaudu's defence to the above allegations? Did any ongoing project initiated by his boss in Rivers State undergo any lawful bidding process? Did the government at anytime put up any advertisement inviting interested persons to tender for contracts? Where did the bidding take place? Which companies participated? Can Simeon in all honesty say that Governor Wike has fully complied with the extant provisons of the Public Procurement Law in awarding contracts?

These and many more are some of the biting posers raised by Dakuku which a supposed spokesman to a state governor ought to have constructively responded to with facts and figures, instead of embarking on an irresponsible journey of factless vituperations that have no place in modern and sane interactions.

Other vital points thrown up by Dakuku in the strongly worded press release which Simeon tried unsuccessfully to whittle down with his motorpark insults are as follows: 

Local government workers are being owed for so many months; pensioners have not been paid; contract lecturers and others with Rivers State University are being owed for more than eight months; staff of Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency, RSSDA, have not been paid for over two years; civil servants are being owed arrears of entitlements for months, amongst several liabilities.

What does Simeon have to say about these weighty disclosures? 

Is he not aware that only recently, his principal publicly admitted that local government workers are being owed three months salaries?

Where was Simeon when senior lecturers of the Rivers State University, led by Professor Sunny Amadi, protested twenty three months of unpaid salaries? 

Are RSSDA staff not on air everyday demanding for the payment of their entitlements? 

What specific lie according to Simeon did Dakuku tell? 

If there is any sense left in Simeon's head, by now it should have become clear to him that his junk journalism cannot save Wike from his routine failure in governance. For instance, some days ago, the governor openly admitted that the Rivers State Waste Management Agency, RIWAMA, under the sole administratorship of Felix Obuah (Rivers PDP Chairman), has failed woefully. What more evidence does Dakuku or any other person need to declare this government a failed one?

Those who love Simeon should tell him that when next he responds to any criticism against his boss, he should endeavour to restrict himself within the confines of credible facts and decency. The exalted office of the governor should not be dragged into his gutter journalism. Tell him to leave his maniacal lies to his online propaganda platform - Scannews, because that is where they belong. And please also tell him to keep the name of Dakuku Adol Peterside, PhD, out of his verbal madness. 

Chimenum Chukwu, writes from Igwuruta, Ikwerre LGA, Rivers State.

Politics!!!

Wike of all people owing?? We won't take it...