PORT HARCOURT – The 2015 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dakuku Peterside, has threatened to lead Rivers State people to occupy the Government House, Port Harcourt over the failure of the State Governor Nyesom Wike to pay retirees their entitlements.
He said the governor has failed to pay retirees despite several appeals from well meaning members of the society.
Sundiata Post recalls that on Wednesday, retirees protested at the Rivers State Government House for the umpteenth time, begging the governor to pay them their pension, gratuity and all other outstanding allowances.
In a statement made available to Sundiata Post on Thursday, Peterside said since 2015 when Wike assumed office, retirees have protested every year and in some cases for days, calling on the governor to pay them their entitlements.
He described Rivers State governor as being “wicked, stubborn and irresponsible” over his refusal to pay those who have worked for the progress of the state for all of their adult life.
Said he: “It beggars belief 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.
“We have a governor who has turned himself into a god who must be worshpped and obeyed without question. How else can one describe a leader who is deaf to genuine demands by his own people?
“While our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters who have retired are dying in their numbers, the governor is expanding his acquisition of properties all over the state in a mindless and obscene manner. This is really sad and a poor reflection of everything our founding fathers dreamt of.”
The celebrated turnaround expert called on the retirees and Rivers State people to know who is their true enemy and respond massively at the appropriate time.
Dr Dakuku Peterside warned that if Wike did 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.