Wike: APC has taken Nigeria back by 50 years

Nyesom Wike, Rivers governor, says the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken the country 50 years back owing to its “abysmal performance”.

Speaking when he received Obiageli Ejezie, vice-president of Rotary Club of Port Harcourt, at his office on Friday, Wike said the ruling party has mismanaged the opportunity Nigerians gave it in 2015 and 2019.

The club, however, gave the governor a “good governance” award.

Wike, who lamented the nation’s security challenges, said the APC-led government has continued to “drive the country on the path of retrogression”.

“There can’t be good governance without security and this is based on rule of law. All of us are living witnesses in 2015 when it was alleged that the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan, could not perform,” he said.

“So, Nigeria needed a change. What has happened to the change? They have taken Nigeria back by 50 years.”

The governor said the APC government has failed to keep the country safe — a promise the party said it would fix in 2015.

“Now, you wake up every morning, students are being kidnapped in so and so state university. People have been killed in so and so state. So, it has become a norm,” Wike said.

“Just wake up in the morning and the first thing you will see on the front page of dailies is 10 people have been kidnapped in Niger state; 20 have been killed in Zamfara state; five have been killed in Imo, and this happens virtually every day. So, where are we heading to?

“This is because when Nigeria is bad, Rivers state will be bad since we are all component units of the country. But as a government, we will continue to partner with voluntary organisations like Rotary Club to improve the wellbeing of our people.”

Earlier, Ejezie praised Wike for handling COVID-19 well in Rivers.

“We note particularly your projects and achievements in the areas of urban renewal, road maintenance, construction of flyovers, education, health care and others,” he said.

“The proactive manner your excellency has managed the COVID-19 pandemic has been serving the desired purpose of saving the lives of a considerable number of residents.”