* My grouse with Buhari’s govt – Rivers Gov
Chief Whip of the Senate and former governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has beckoned Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Senator Kalu spoke on Thursday while addressing Journalists after a guided project inspection tour with Wike in Port Harcourt.
After inspecting the Rumuokoro Flyover Bridge, 2nd Artillery Flyover Bridge, Real Madrid Football Academy and the Mother and Child Hospital, Rumuomasi in Port Harcourt, Kalu commended Wike for his investments in critical infrastructure.
Kalu, thereafter, urged Wike to join the APC in order to consolidate on the rewards of belonging to the party at the centre.
“I encourage and appeal to other governors to emulate Governor Wike in terms of his infrastructural drive in the State, because this is what democracy is all about – which is making the people happy by meeting their expectations. You saw how visibly happy the people were when they sighted the governor. I am impressed by the quality and quantity of infrastructure I have seen so far. The governor has confirmed that there are about five flyovers under construction and three more have been approved for construction,” said Kalu.
Sen Kalu addressing journalists
Stressing the need to partner with the APC, Senator Kalu appealed to Governor Wike to soft pedal on his continuous criticisms of the party (APC), appealing to him to work harmoniously with the APC-led Federal Government.
“I urge the governor to partner with the APC; I discussed with him all through the night to find a common ground with the APC; I believe that very soon it shall come to a reality.
“I commend him for the tour; he is the type of man we need in the APC. It is my belief that a messiah can come from anywhere. So I urge Governor Wike to soft pedal on our party. Human beings can switch from one party to another, which is human behavior in Africa. I appeal to him to partner with us so that the good people of Rivers State can benefit more the Federal government.
Reacting, Wike noted that his party – the Peoples’ Democratic Party is committed to the welfare of the people, saying that his grievance with the APC is the tradition of making appointments based on political interest rather than competence.
He said: “I can only partner with a party that is open to partnership. There’s so much insecurity in Nigeria today, and there have been a lot of killings so his party (APC ) should solve the problem but the problem has remained unresolved.
He continued: “His party appoints commissioners of police based on patronage. A politician from my State pays a visit to the Inspector General (IG) of Police and makes request for a new commissioner and the IG ends up making the appointment without considering the competence of such person to fight crime; he makes the appointment based on the choice of the ruling party.
In that case the person is deployed but is unable to tackle crime that is the major problem we are having today in the country. So how can I partner with such a government that makes appointments in the interest of a politician?” he queried.
“Senator Kalu remains my friend that is why I invited him to come and see what we’re doing in Rivers State,” Wike concluded.