APC accuses Rivers Govt of doing nothing to cushion economic hardship on citizens

Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt

The Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Chief Tony Okocha, has accused the Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s led state government of doing nothing to cushion the sufferings and negative effects of the economic hardship in Nigeria, on Rivers people.

Okocha made the accusations over the weekend while speaking on a wide range of governance issues in in the state, insisting that Rivers State must maintain her pride of place in the comity of States in the country.

The APC CTC Chairman in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Amb. Vincent Gbosi, regretted that while other states are mobilising for industrialisation for food security in the face of the current economic hardship in the country, the Rivers State Government under Governor Fubara is “mobilising for shenanigans,” adding that the Rivers APC cannot be in cahoot with a faceless Government in Rivers State.

He hinted that what is expected of the Rivers governor at the moment by the people, is to think of complimenting the efforts of the Federal Government, “just like his colleagues in other states are doing, and de-emphasise his inanities of street matches and hypocritical charade in the name of thanksgiving.”

He challenged Governor Fubara to emulate his Lagos State counterpart, Sanwo Olu, and face the press in public glare and explain policies and antidotes and viable solutions to the current economic situation in the country.

He said, “I read that Niger State Governor procured 1000 tractors to work over a 10,000 hectare of land. This gesture will necessarily provide employment for at least 1000 unemployed.

“Borno State Governor is on the hinterlands of Borno distributing food stuffs and materials to the people, to cushion the effects of the economic miasma.

“Anambra State Governor also acquired a large number of tractors for farming.

“Governor Sanwo Olu of Lagos State seems a paragon already on development and poverty amelioration strategies.

“Alas, Gov Siminalayi Fubara is busy sinning against God and humanity. I shall not waste my time to catalogue the heap of Gov Siminalayi Fubara’s sins. They are legion but the one, too many, is the nakeding of helpless Rivers Grandmothers and Mothers, and display them on the streets with meaningless inscribed homilies, strapped to their hands, all for ephemeral satisfaction….that unfortunately, is solution to the hues and cries of Rivers people at a time like this.”

Okocha, however asked the governor to apologise to humanity and divinity for paying Rivers money to see the women expose nakedness to the world.

On the Governor’s refusal to re-present the 2024 budget to the Rivers State House of Assembly as contained in the peace agreement initiated by the president, Okocha said, “It is yet another month end of financial profligates without a budget, and assured Rivers people that the Rivers State House of Assembly will bite accordingly in the spirit of Checks and Balances, haven barked enough.

He accused the governor of impoverishing the state and stepping on her to dehumanize, violate, and defile her citizens, using hunger approaches to hoodwink Rivers State people.

He however, assured that the people of hope that Nigeria will be out of her economic crisis, adding that the President Bola Tinubu is exploring and exuming all possible means to right the wrongs of yesteryears, which according to him is not rocket science.