3rd May, 2023
By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
President-elect, Bola Tinubu on Wednesday told Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State to lobby him to get a refund for building bridges on Federal roads in the State.
Tinubu spoke while inaugurating the 12th flyover built by Wike in Port Harcourt in Rumuola- Rumuokuta.
Wike had said the projects undertaken by the state ought to be done by the Federal Government, saying that “unfortunately too, these projects ought to be Federal Government projects because they are federal roads.
“If we had said because they are Federal Government roads, and we won’t do it. Who are those to suffer?”
Wike said since his government had said it did not want people to suffer, he also believed that the Federal Government should “say look, you have done well for us. These are projects we should be doing, can you bring your bill, let us refund you the money you have spent in doing these roads.”
According to him, that is what is supposed to be for a partnership with a good Federal Government.
“I can assure you as you enter the office and you approve to pay this money back, other states will have the courage to also do the same thing,” he said.
Responding, Tinubu said he owed Wike nothing, since it was the people that would benefit from the project.
“You can’t chuckle at me and make a demand. You are the one living on this road. I commend your effort. You have to lobby me to collect it,” he said.
He commended Wike for his principled stand that the presidency must return to the southern part of Nigeria in promotion of fairness, equity and justice.
He said it takes man of integrity to stand by personal conviction without caring whose ox is gored.
Tinubu expressed appreciation to Wike and the people of Rivers State for their contribution to his victory at the polls, assuring that he came to the State to fulfill the promise he made during the campaign to be back to commission the 12th flyover.
Tinubu expressed happiness at the unprecedented hospitality accorded him by the people and government of Rivers during the visit, coupled with the declaration of a public holiday.
Among those in President-elect’s entourage were the Speaker, House of representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, Governor Seye Makinde, Oyo State; Kayode Fayemi, governor of Jigawa, Ebonyi and others.