Rivers Suffering From Governance Crisis — Dakuku Peterside

Dr. Dakuku Peterside, former Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), public affairs commentator, and 2015 APC governorship candidate in Rivers State, recently spoke with journalists about developments in the state and his party. CHARLES OKOH was present and provides the following excerpts:

Do you have evidence that Gov. Wike is pursuing the acquisition of Rivers State property for himself and his friends and cronies?

What other evidence do you require? Since then, the Rivers State government has admitted that it did indeed seize government property and criminally distribute it to those it described as competent private individuals. Now, an examination of the Rivers State government’s statement in response to my statement has revealed Gov Wike’s and his team’s criminal intentions. His response has sparked a lot of debate. What are the qualifications of these qualified private individuals, and how were they chosen? Who are the people who are deemed qualified? Did the Rivers State Government pre-qualify Rivers residents in any way before relocating those buildings? When and where did the procedure take place? The issue of transparency in the sale of public assets emerges as a major concern. What did they get for selling our common wealth to these select competent private individuals known only to Governor Wike? The Governor is only half-witted.
Everyone in Rivers State and beyond is aware of the governor’s land acquisitions. You may have heard about the “unknown investor” in Port Harcourt and Rivers State who is buying up everything in sight. You find out who this unknown investor is for yourself.

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Is anyone in the Rivers State government the unknown investor, and is the same person in charge of the University of Education’s property acquisition?

These are two separate and distinct problems. You may have heard that the Governor has effectively acquired the University of Education staff quarters in Port Harcourt’s D-line neighborhood and plans to hand it over to his political allies. An unknown investor has purchased the Vice Chancellor’s lodge in Olu Obasanjo. A block of flats near GRA Port Harcourt that belonged to the same state university was also sold to an unknown investor. It’s complete madness, and the people appear powerless to stop it. The Governor will soon discover that the people of Rivers are not fools. We’re discussing common property, not his personal property. Everyone in Port Harcourt knows about the unknown investor.

The Governor, on the other hand, is doing well. He will commission the 10, 11, and 12th flyovers built by his administration at any moment.

This is a classic example of greed-driven misplaced priorities. At the expense of health care, education, pensioner allowances, job creation, rural development, and human capacity development, the government is building multiple flyovers on the same road. Bridges and flyovers are supposed to be catalysts for transportation ease, economic growth, and national competitiveness, as we all know. In the case of Rivers State, all indicators point to the contrary. In Rivers State, unemployment and poverty have reached new heights. All of the contracts are handled by one company, which is not based in the area, and there is no connection to the local economy. Two, all of the projects are concentrated in two local government areas (LGAs) in the state capital. Three, you are constructing bridges without conducting traffic studies, future projections, or budgetary planning. In Rivers State, there is a governance crisis.

Aside from infrastructure, the Governor recently stated that now that he has fulfilled his campaign promises, he will turn his attention to stomach infrastructure. What are your thoughts on this?

This is yet another example of the actor in charge of Rivers State’s hollowness and distorted understanding. The security and welfare of the people are the most important roles of government. The implication of his unguarded statement is that he did not value the welfare of the people of Rivers State for seven years. Now that he’s finished erecting bridges and impoverished the populace, he’s ready to enter politics. You’re telling them that you want to give them a small portion of their wealth to appease them and that they’re idiots. It’s election season, and you want them to support your presidential bid. Our people are more intelligent than that.

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But the governor has never stated that he is interested in politics; how did you come to this conclusion?

True. He is consulting with people all over the place about his plans, and those people are exchanging information and comparing notes. Most importantly, there is inference to be drawn when his recent actions match the words being circulated. He paid a visit to most PDP governors in December and early January, and he has suddenly become an apostle of the presidency-must-go-to-the-south doctrine, donating N500 million in Rivers money to Bayelsa State, despite the fact that pensioners and some workers in his state are owed money. He suddenly discovered a plane that he had forgotten about for years because he needs it for his campaign. Wike is always going to be Wike.

Over 100,000 people were displaced recently in Port Harcourt’s Diobu waterfront area; you’ve been in contact with the Governor. What’s the current state of affairs?
You are correct. Wike claims that he is engaged in urban renewal. My position is that urban renewal can be carried out in accordance with international best practice while respecting the rights and dignity of those who live along the waterfront. Wike and his government evicted these people without considering the ramifications on society. They were not given adequate notice, compensation was not paid, and there were no plans in place to help them relocate. It’s in keeping with his unpredictability.

You have stated several times that the Governor has no plans for the youths, despite the fact that he has done so much for them, such as the Real Madrid Academy.

The Governor’s agenda does not include youth empowerment, and this has far-reaching consequences. In Rivers State, education has been abandoned. Look for a society that does not value education for the next generation if you want to see people who have no future. The Real Madrid Academy is a forgery. The Rivers State government will pay the Real Madrid Foundation and Interact Sports a yearly fee to use the Real Madrid brand name to operate a sports academy in Port Harcourt. Even more concerning is the fact that the Real Madrid Academy has been dormant for more than three years, with no activity taking place there. What’s the best way to explain that? That amount of money would have been enough to resurrect most of Rivers State’s dilapidated primary schools and provide students with world-class ICT facilities. Scholarships for about 200 Rivers undergraduates in European universities and 800 similar undergraduates in Nigerian universities are sufficient. Wike needs to stop teasing Rivers residents.

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Because you want to run for Governor and your leader wants to run for President, the Rivers State government has accused you of attacking her on a regular basis. Is this a true statement?

I’m a Rivers man, and I’m as qualified to run as anyone else. Is this the reason Gov. Wike and his team want to take over the state of Rivers? Is this the reason they have no empathy for the poor, weak, and vulnerable? Does that explain the state’s poverty, unemployment, and mediocrity, which he promotes? The truth is that Wike is more concerned with his personal agenda, which is to amass vast sums of money, than with the tangible development of Rivers State. All of the issues I’ve brought up at various times are serious governance issues that a government that cares about the people’s interests will not overlook. The majority of the issues revolve around a lack of transparency and accountability, as well as the government’s lack of a clear vision and plan for Rivers State. Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi’s options are limited, whether he wants to run or not. Nigerians are looking to him for leadership at a critical juncture in our country’s history, when we require the vigor of youth, the clarity of vision, and a healthy dose of experience.

What would you say to those who believe that the presidency should be micro-zoned to the South East?

The South East has a valid case and a just cause, but it is insufficient. Micro zoning, on the other hand, has never been done in the United States. The closest we came was in 1999, when two candidates from the southwest ran for president as a political elite response to the events of June 12, 1993. The people of the South East will have to demonstrate that they want the job and have the resources to pursue it. Because micro zoning is not backed by the constitution, the south easterners must rely on the support of other Nigerians, which necessitates a great deal of politicking and horse-trading.

Your party, the APC, appears to be in disarray and out of touch with Nigerian reality. What are the party’s chances in the general election next year?

The APC remains the party to beat. It is now Nigeria’s only truly national party. True, we may not have solved all of Nigeria’s problems, but people should not forget where we came from in a hurry. In terms of form, content, and composition, the opposition party is inferior to the ruling APC. One rogue Governor currently controls the alternative party. The fringe parties have shown no commitment. Nigerians continue to prefer the APC to any other political party. The party has performed admirably in the areas of railways and infrastructure in general. When all issues are considered, I am optimistic that Nigerians will still want the APC to continue.

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What would you say to those who believe your party has underperformed in terms of national security?

Security is subjective, and it is determined by the yardstick used to assess progress. Although we may not have gotten the desired results, a lot of work has been done, and there are results in the North East to back it up. Even in the most advanced societies, security is an area where continuous improvement is required. The security issues that have existed for many years cannot be resolved in four years. It’s still in the works. I am optimistic that another four years of APC rule will result in a peaceful Nigeria.