ONYEDI GABRIEl, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said that Nigeria is on life support following widespread insecurity overwhelming the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government.
The governor spoke during a thank-you visit by the Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers of Ogoni nationality at Government House, Port Harcourt on Thursday.
He said nobody felt secured anymore anywhere in the country because of the unchecked attacks on law enforcement personnel and innocent citizens.
He said: “You know how the country is today. Nobody can say that he or she is safe now. Governors are being attacked even on the road like other citizens. The security of the country has collapsed.
“The present Federal Government of All Progressives Congress (APC) has not shown enough commitment to protect life and property of Nigerians.”
He said it would be disastrous if Nigerians failed to take their destiny in their own hands by kicking out the APC in 2023.
“Nigeria is already, and almost on life support now. Making another mistake will be disastrous. We are praying to God not to let us to die. Let this country not collapse”, he said.
He said poor governance festered in the country because Nigerians never bothered to hold elected officials accountable.
Wike said the federal government rode on mere rhetoric without clear direction on how to address the insecurity plaguing the country.
He said: “All of us are at risk because the party voted for at the national level have refused to protect us. They have shown that they have no capacity to protect Nigerians.
“There’s no day you wake up and will not hear that 20 people have been kidnapped, 10 people have been killed, army and police officers have been killed, police stations have been set ablaze, and children have been kidnapped from school.”
Wike said the completion of the first phase of the dualised Saakpenwa-Bori-Kono Road and other ongoing projects in Ogoni demonstrated his resolve to fulfil all campaign promises to Ogoni people.
In his remarks, the President of Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, His Royal Majesty, King G.N.K Giniwa said the aim of the visit was to express their sincere appreciation for the numerous developmental projects and programmes Ogoni people benefitted from the administration.
In an address read on behalf of the council’s president by King Samuel L.A Nnee, he said Ogoni people remained eternally grateful for the construction and completion of the Saakpenwa-Bori-Kono Road, ongoing construction of Ogu-Ekporo-Kporghor-Wakama road and many other projects in sectors like education and health.
“The magnitude, quality and lighting of this road (Saakpenwa-Bori)has brought out, not only the beauty of Ogoniland, but has driven away all the dissidents and criminals that used the previous ramshackle access as their den.
“Also, the brand new road has strengthened the economy and commence of Ogoniland. It is a perfect and an excellent gateway in and out of Ogoni and more particularly to Opobo/Nkoro and Andoni Local Government Areas”, he said.
The Ogoni monarchs thanked the governor for the overall security of Ogoniland especially the containment of the activities of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra [IPOB] considering Ogoni strategic location as a boundary axis of the state.
They commiserated with the governor and the entire state over the senseless murder of security agents, who were on their lawful duties of securing the state.
“We pledge our willingness in the area of intelligence gathering to you and the security agencies to enhance the security architecture of the State to forestall further occurrences”, he said.