Wike’s group, Peterside disagree on road projects

The Grassroots Development Initiative, a group sponsored by the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has disagreed with the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2015 governorship election, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, over claims that only 10 kilometres of road were rehabilitated in the state within the past six months.

Nyesom Wike

Peterside had claimed that the roads rehabilitated by the governor were not commensurate to the N30billion taken by the current administration as loan, adding that the cost of road reconstructed by Wike’s government was not more than N3billion.

But the Secretary-General of the GDI, Mr. Samuel Nwanosike, dismissed Peterside’s claim, saying contrary to the APC governorship candidate’s position, Wike had worked on over 70 kilometres of dilapidated roads in the state.

Nwanosike, who spoke with newsmen in Port Harcourt on Thursday, expressed dissatisfaction over the comment by Peterside and noted that his comments could cause crisis in the state.

“A few days ago, we heard a very disappointing statement from Dr. Dakuku Peterside who told the public that he did send out people to go and investigate the work done on the road infrastructure by the state government.

“He (Peterside) said the report brought to him was that the work done by Barrister Nyesom Wike is about 10 kilometres of road. We are here to set the records straight. It is very important to note that when men who are gunning for the highest office in the land come out to misinform the public, they should be cautioned.

“We, the Grassroots Development Initiative, are telling the people of Rivers State that the information credited to Dr. Dakuku Peterside was a false information. All the road construction embarked upon by the governor is well over 70 kilometres achieved so far,” he said.

On the nullification of Wike’s election by the State Election Petitions Tribunal, the GDI Secretary General expressed confidence that the Appeal Court ruling would favour Wike, his supporters.

Speaking on the issue on the length of road rehabilitated by the current administration, the State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Davies Ikanya, said the documents to show that Wike only worked on 10 kilometres of roads were at the State Ministry of Works.

Ikanya said, “If you go to the Ministry of Works now, record that is available there says only 10 kilometres of road have been achieved. If you add all the patches together, it will give you only 10 kilometres.

“It is not about Dakuku (Peterside). We don’t talk from the blues; we talk from official records. If a road is five kilometres and only 500 metres is good, it is only the 500 metres that has been repaired. If you count all the ones that they have repaired, it will only give you 10 kilometres.”

Wike’s group, Peterside disagree on road projects