By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has vowed to prosecute and send leaders of political parties who violated his Executive Orders 21 and 22 to jail.
Leaders of opposition political parties in Rivers have been protesting against the two Executive Orders which restricted the use of public school premises and other government owned facilities for campaign and other political activities.
The law also barred the use of hotels, recreational centres, private residences among others as offices of political parties or for hosting of political meetings or rallies.
But speaking during the inauguration of the Ahoada -Omoku Dual Carriage-way on Wednesday, which held at the Ahoada State School in Ahoada East Local Government Area on Wednesday, Wike defended the Executive Orders, saying it political parties.
The Governor said all political parties in Rivers, including the ruling PDP in the State, were barred by the law from using public school premises for their political rallies without requisite approval and payment of N5M non-refundable security fee, Wike was quoted as saying in a statement by Kelvin Ebiri, his Special Assistant on Media.
However, Wike said he has information that some politicians are already boasting that with the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Police on their side, the Executive Orders are inconsequential, and therefore they will disobey them.
But dared the politicians to disobey the Executive Orders and see if they will not be jailed.
“I didn’t say nobody should use primary and secondary schools for campaigns. All I have said is if you want to use primary and secondary schools for your campaigns, you deposit money.
“So that when you’ve used the place and spoil anything in the school, government will use the money to repair those things you spoilt and clean up the school. And there are those who say that they would disobey and no person will do anything. If you do disobey, you know where you will be.”
Wike explained that the Executive Orders seek to regulate the conduct of political activities to curb nuisance and promote public peace.
“Some people put their campaign offices, and where people are living. Somebody is coming back to his house, he can’t enter his house. Why ? Because they are holding political meetings. We say this thing has to be regulated. It has to be in a non-residential area. They say they will no, I say you will. If you dare it without approval, you’ll go to jail.”
Wike also said projects being delivered by his administration are an unbeatable strategy to secure votes for all candidates of PDP in the State in the 2023 general elections.
He said while people are talking about vote buying and using money to induce electorate, his administration has remained committed to working for Rivers people and to make them feel happier.
“Our own campaign is to do work. When you are talking about vote buying, this is the vote buying. We are using work to make the people to support us. So, people should not bother themselves thinking people are going to carry money.
“See our own here, we are using the Ahoada-Omoku road dualization, we are using Ahoada-Ekpena Road, we are using the University campus, we are using Ochigba/Ogbologbolo/Ozochi Road. What will they (opposition) come here and tell you again.”
On the Ahoada -Omoku dualised road, Wike said the phase one has been completed to add to the several projects that has transformed Ahoada into a modern city.
He said the phase two of the project has been approved and it will extend to Omoku, the headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area.
He said the phase two of the project has been approved and it will extend to Omoku, the headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area.
He warned owners of land and property who have been compensated before the road project commenced not to return to build structures on the space left for future expansion work.
The Governor said the space now belongs to the State government and directed the Commissioner for Works to demolish all structures that have already been erected on such land space.
The governor at the event also formally recognised HRH, Kelvin Ngozi Anugwo as the Eze Ekpeye Logbo 111 and said his staff of office and certificate of recognition will be issued to him in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
Wike also gave a brand new Prado SUV to the Bishop of Diocese of Ahoada Anglican communion, Rt. Ven. Clement Ekpeye at the occasion.
He said other Bishops of the Anglican church had received theirs.
The Governor stated that before his assumption of office in 2015, there was only one first class traditional ruler in Ekpeye land. But he has reversed this as there are presently not less than six first class traditional rulers in Ekpeye land.
Providing the description of the Project, Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Dr. George-Kelly Dakorinima Alabo said despite some minor difficulties at commencement of work, the project was completed in good time.
The Ahoada-Omoku dualised road, he said measures 6.2 kilometres in length on each lane, has a total of 11.2 Kilometers drains length of various sizes of 1200, or 750 millimeters with 150 millimeters wall thickness.
According to him, the purpose of the project was not only to create access to neighboring communities and other local government areas, but to transform the area from a rural town into an urban area where residents can enjoy the trappings of a city life.
In his address, the South-South Regional Manager of Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, Juergen Fischer, commended the Rivers State government for granting the company the opportunity to part of its urban renewal programme.
