TheCable

Godswill Akpabio, senate minority leader, says the federal government under President Muhammadu Buhari is no match for Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, in terms of infrastructural projects.

Addressing journalists after accompanying Wike on a tour of projects on Monday, Akpabio said Wike had shown his people how much he loves them.

“Governor Wike has done more work and projects in the last two years than the Federal Government. That is my considered opinion,” he said.

“Performance is not necessarily an issue of the availability of resources. If your state gets N5billion, do projects of that amount. If you get N1billion, do projects commensurate with that figure. For Governor Wike, he has judiciously applied the scarce resources available to the state to develop needed infrastructure.

“The resources available to Rivers state cannot be compared to that of the federal government. Rivers state government gets far less than a quarter than one percent of what accrues to the federal government, but we can see the tremendous quality of transformation taking place in the state.

“It is not so much money that makes performance. It is love for your people. When you are elected, if you love your people you will perform, no matter the little money that you have.”

Commending Wike for restoring the pride of Rivers as the “capital of the Niger Delta”, Akpabio said the governor had shown that recession is not an excuse.

“What I am seeing here in Rivers state is not like a recession economy because the Governor of Rivers state loves his people. Let me use this opportunity to congratulate the workers at the various sites because they are acquiring a lot of skills working at the sites,” he said.

“The kind of projects that Governor Wike is doing in Rivers state will attract the world to the state. Today, there is a song, that the handwork of Wike is beautiful.”

He said no matter the attempt at distraction, Wike should continue his “transformation of the state”.

“Do not be distracted by unnecessary blackmail against your person by political detractors. I want to urge all governors who have the opportunity to lead their states to visit Rivers state,” he said.

“I want to say this with all amount of pride that Governor Wike is working. We pray God to continue to bless, protect and keep him to work for the state. Governor Wike loves his people, he loves Rivers state and that is why he is doing this. It is not everyone that will transform Rivers state in such a short time.

“Under two years, the results are everywhere. The roads we think that will not be done have been done. The roads are now wonderful, most of them dualised.

“When it comes to the time of election and the people risk their lives for Governor Wike. People will say maybe he sponsored thugs or used money. It is Governor Wike’s work that will determine the electoral future.”