22nd April, 2022
By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
The 2015 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers, Dr Dakuku Peterside has once again berated Governor Nyesom Wike for failing to pay pensions of some retirees in the state despite appeals from well meaning members of the society.
Peterside, former DG/CEO of NIMASA said this in a statement he issued following protest by some retirees at Rivers State Government on Wednesday.
The retirees had begged the governor to pay them their pension, gratuity and all other outstanding allowances.
In the statement, Peterside noted that since 2015 when Governor Wike assumed office, retirees have protested every year and in some cases for days, calling for the payment of their legitimate rights.
The former governorship aspirant described Wike as “wicked, stubborn and insensitive” over his refusal to pay those who have worked for the progress of the state for all of their adult life.
He wondered why a governor who had donated money to other states, among others will refuse to pay people who are old enough to be his mother and father.
He stated that:”It beggars believe that a governor who has received over N1 trillion in the last seven years is unable to pay his own people, some who even voted for him. Never have we had it this bad in the history of our state.”
The APC Governorship aspirant said Wike he has turned himself to a god, who must be worshiped and obeyed without question, wondering how else can a leader and who turns deaf to genuine demands by his own people be described?
The former DG of NIMASA called on the retirees and Rivers people to know who is their true enemy and respond massively at the appropriate time.
Peterside warned that if the governor does not immediately attend to the pains and anguish of the retirees, he would lead Rivers people to occupy the Government House until their demands are met.
Our Correspondent reports however that during Wednesday’s protest to Government House Port Harcourt, Mr Samuel Ijeoma, Director-General Rivers State Pensions Board informed them that the Governor had approved for the payment of their entitlements from next month.