13% oil derivation: Wike hits out at unnamed Niger Delta governor

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has hit out at one of his colleagues believed to be Bayelsa State Governor Duoye Diri.

Wike had while inaugurating the Renal Centre and House Officers Quarters built and equipped by his administration at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) said he will reply the unnamed governor soon.

Diri had last week said that the money used to build a three-kilometer road in Bayelsa will build a fly over in other states, even in the Niger Delta.

Speaking at the inauguration on Wednesday, Wike said, “One of the Governors who I will soon reply because I have the capacity to reply any of them. Simply because I said people should thank President Muhammadu Buhari for releasing 13 per cent arrears to some Niger Delta governors.

“I didn’t abuse any of them. I said thank him because if he did not release these arrears to me and some of our States, it would have been difficult for me to talk about building a renal centre, Cardiovascular Centre, basic and clinical sciences, house officers quarters and many of them.

“I don’t think saying ‘thank you’ is an offense. On television, I heard one of the Governors say in his state to do three-kilometre road will do more than 15 flyovers. Rivers is it not a Niger Delta State? Don’t we have riverine areas in Rivers?

“The Amayanabo of Opobo said since he was born he had never driven on the road to Opobo. The day he drove to Opobo he said ‘God is it possible that in my own time I am not going through the river again, I can now drive to Opobo?

“That is a major riverine area. By the grace of God this December, we are going to inaugurate the first phase of the Trans-Kalabari road. It is a major riverine area. I don’t know why some people are sick about my flyovers. Don’t be sick again, I won’t do it again.

“Instead of you appreciating and asking someone how are you doing this? I have turned the state capital around using a major construction company. If you know you have the capacity go and hire that company and see whether you can pay salaries.

“People know the contractors I use in this State. Some of them nobody knows their contractors. Who are they? Now you have touched me, anything you see you take.”