The All Progressives Congress, APC, has urged the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, to prioritise the welfare of the people of the state and stop unnecessary politics with the COVID-19 pandemic.
This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday, April 12; by the Zonal Secretary, APC South-South, David Okumgba.
Okumgba added that Delta, Ekiti and other states are successfully handling the scourge; without the Federal Government’s intervention grants.
He also claimed that Wike was not using human face in his effort in curbing the spread of the deadly virus; adding that Rivers people need better measures.
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He stated that the governor cannot feign ignorance on how emergency grants and aids are disbursed and deployed having been privileged to serve as a federal minister in the past; noting that Wike’s recent criticisms against the Federal Government were misplaced.
The statement reads: “The primary focus of government in Nigeria is to safeguard lives and properties of her citizenry; therefore the government must not use the guise of COVID-19 lockdown to commit genocide in the state.
“Wike’s intent to create civil unrest in the state by inciting the good people of Rivers State; against the FG in the false alarm he raised over the unrestricted influx of foreign nationals into the state is abuse to his membership of the National Council Of States (NCS).”
Okumgba noted that the arrest of two pilots of Caverton Helicopters and eventual declaration as a persona non grata; corroborated his earlier position that Wike is indeed playing politics by allegedly trading off the overall welfare of Rivers people with his obsession for a grant of N10B.
He said: “Governor Nyesom Wike’s militant approach without putting in place critical palliative measures like; provision of regulated makeshift markets, distribution of precautionary kits, etc; to guarantee sustenance and safety of lives during this lockdown is, to say the least; digging a pit to fill another.
“Wike’s 5 hours daily temporary re-opening of markets for two (2) days was a complete demonstration of administrative insensitivity; as traders had no time to re-stock their goods thereby retailing whatever they had to consumers at shylock prices.
“This is also a complete rape on the idea of social distancing; as the populace were stampeded into distress purchases to beat the deadline.”
