Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said it was hypocritical for the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to sign the heavily padded and unimplementable 2022 budget passed by the National Assembly, but declined assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
The governor said the speed at which the President signed the 2022 budget which he had described as unimplementable was curious and smacks of insensitivity to the plight of ordinary Nigerians.
Governor Wike stated this when he paid a New Year visit to the Enugu State Governor, Rt. Hon. Lawrence Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, in his home town, Orba in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Special Assistant to Governor Wike on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, and made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Monday evening.
“Look at Mr President the other day while he was signing the budget, he said the budget is unimplementable.
“But he went on and signed what is unimplementable. A budget that will determine the state of the economy, the progress of this nation, and the President knew this thing can’t work and he signed it.
“Then the Electoral Act, he said he will not sign it because direct primaries are too expensive.
“What concerns me with party primaries? What concerns the poor people with party primaries? The one that concerns poor man, businessman, how to grow the economy, you signed it, knowing too well that it will not work,” Wike stated
Governor Wike, who opined that the APC-led federal government has failed Nigeria, urged the people of Enugu to speak out against the poor governance the country is experiencing. He further advised them to join forces with well-meaning Nigerians to salvage the country.
“You must join the rest of Nigerians. Nigeria is dying. Will you be here to see Nigeria die? Is it the kind of Nigeria that people like Nnamdi Azikiwe fought for?
“A Nigeria that when you wake up, what you will hear is 20 people have died, 42 people have been kidnapped, 100 people have been abducted. Everyday death, death,” Wike stated.
The Rivers State governor said he was in Enugu to felicitate with Governor Ugwuanyi before the commencement of work in the New Year in view of his brotherly love towards him.
He described Governor Ugwuanyi as one of the shining lights of the Peoples Democratic Party and admonished him to continue to remain firm, courageous and supportive of the party.
The Governor who was conferred with an honorary traditional chieftaincy title of Agunechemba by the Chairman, Enugu State Council of Tradition Rulers, Ambassador Lawrence Agubuzo, also urged the people of Enugu State to continue to stand by the governor to enable him to deliver democratic dividends to them.
In his remarks, Enugu State Governor, Rt. Hon. Lawrence Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi said Governor Wike has distinguished himself as a bold and courageous leader, noting that he is proud of his leadership.
Governor Ugwuanyi described the visit as the signpost of the deepening relationship between the two states and commended the Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers for conferring Governor Wike with a chieftaincy title.
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