'We spent so much money' - Wike opens up on recovery of Rivers' aircraft

Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (left) and Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo (right) onboard the recovered and refurbished State owned Legacy 600 aircraft at the Port Harcourt International Airport on Tuesday.

Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (left) and Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo (right) onboard the recovered and refurbished State owned Legacy 600 aircraft at the Port Harcourt International Airport on Tuesday.

By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Rivers governor, Nyesom Wike has lamented that ‘so much money’ that could have been devoted to other uses was expended by the State government to repair its Legacy 600 Aircraft which was brought back from Germany to the country on Tuesday.

Wike spoke after receiving the air craft amidst fanfare at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa in the Rivers State capital.

But he did not disclose how much was the ‘so much money’ spent to repair the aircraft.

Governor Wike informed that because air transportation is a more technical area, great care was taken to put the Legacy 600 Aircraft into its best form to undertake air travel effectively.

In a statement, Kelvin Ebiri, Wike’s Special Assistant on Media quoted the Governor as saying that after fixing the aircraft, certificate of air worthiness certificate, issued by the Nigerian government, was secured for it to return to Nigeria.

“Of course, we did everything we could do and we told Nigerians that by the grace of God we will not allow this asset to go that way. We must return it for the people of the State to decide what they are going to do with it.

“I am so elated that at the end of the day, all of our struggles are not in vain. I think Rivers people for the support. I thank the Rivers State House of Assembly for the support. I thank the Executive for the support.

“But for their support, it would not have been possible to spend the money we spent. If you hear the money we spent, it’s money that would have been put in other development projects if we were told on time of it.”

He therefore added that the recovery and eventual return of the seemingly lost Legacy 600 aircraft, is a reality and not mere politics.

Wike explained that it took intelligence report for his administration to discover such asset, owned by the Rivers State government. According to him, the immediate past administration flew the aircraft to far away Germany, without any record of it made available to his administration.

Related News

“To the glory of God, the plane is back and Rivers people can see, Nigerians can see, it is not that we are playing politics. All we are saying, we never knew, nobody told us until we got intelligence that we have this asset somewhere.”

He recalled that the Legacy 600 Aircraft was purchased by the Dr. Peter Odili’s led administration to serve the interest of Rivers people, but was abandoned with the General Atomics Aerotec in Munich, Germany by the Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Ameachi’s administration since 2012.

Governor Nyesom Wike backing the Camera
Governor Nyesom Wike backing the Camera

“What is very important to all of us here today is that when we came into power in 2015, nobody handed over any report or gave us handover note to let us know where such asset of the State was, only for us to hear in 2019 that this asset is somewhere.”

The Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon.Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, expressed delight that after ten years the Rivers State government has successfully recovered the aircraft.

He said the State government will decide how the asset will be used in furtherance of the State’s development.

Senator Barry Mpigi, who represents Rivers South East in the Senate, commended governor Wike for his tenacity to defend the interest of the State. According to him, the recovered aircraft is additional asset to the government and people of Rivers State

The chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council, His Majesty king Dandeson Douglas Jaja, said governor Wike has once again demonstrated his zeal to protect the interest of the State.

The King lauded the governor for not allowing the State property to get lost in Europe and unaccounted for.

The former Presidents of the Nigerian Bar Association, Onueze C. Okocha, SAN and Okey Wali, SAN, said the State governor has proven his determination to defend the interest of the State.

In the same vein, the Chief Ferdinand Alabraba and His Royal Majesty, Nne-Nwe-Eli Emohua XIII (OLO IV), Ohna Sergeant Chidi Awuse, said recovery of the aircraft remains a credit to the governor Wike’s administration.

In the brief reception that took place at the airport, there were some cultural displays staged by Rivers women and youths to celebrate the return of the Legacy 600 Aircraft.

Load more