From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said it was hypocritical for President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the heavily padded and unimplementable 2022 budget passed by the National Assembly but decline assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
The governor said the speed at which the president signed the 2022 budget, even when he described it as unimplementable, was curious and smacks of insensitive to the plight of Nigerians.
The governor stated this when he paid a New Year visit to the Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, in his home town of Orba, in Udenu Local Government Area.
“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 is too expensive.
“What concerns me with party primaries. What concerns the poor people with party primaries? The one that concerns poor man, business man, how to grow the economy, you signed it, knowing too well that it will not work.”
Wike who said the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government has failed Nigeria, urged the people of Enugu to speak out against the poor governance experienced in the country.
He also 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.”
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.
Ugwuanyi said Governor Wike had distinguished himself as a bold and courageous leader, noting that he is proud of his leadership.
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.