Don’t beg for socio-economic amenities, Odili tells voters

By Akanimo Sampson,
Daily Independent, Port Harcourt

Governor Peter Odili of Rivers State has asked voters not to beg government, including the Federal Government, for their socio-economic amenities. Odili said it is the duty of responsive government to provide the electorate with good amenities of life.

Governor Odili spoke in Port Harcourt, the state capital, just as guarded whispers were making the rounds that the re-election-seeking President Olusegun Obasanjo, and the leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seem to be reaching an understanding with the leaders of the South South zone on the forthcoming general elections billed for April.

It is being claimed that the president and the PDP have “agreed” to ensure that the geo-political zone gets its due, including the constitutionally approved oil revenue. The 1999 Constitution however, provides for a derivation principle of 13 per cent.

In the meantime, Odili said the PDP administration was determined to fulfil its promises to the South South. To this end, the governor said his administration was now poised to complete the Abonnema ring road project and the rehabilitation of the link road connecting all the Kalabari Council areas.

He made the pledge at a political round-table with members of the Nyemoni Solidarity Forum. Odili said government had already made provisions for the ring road and the sandfilling of the Abonnema new town in this year’s budget.

“Government is determined to fulfil the promises it made in respect of completion of the projects,’ he said, adding “those who elected us into office need not beg to have development projects; it is theirs for the asking but government is only constrained by inadequate funds.”

According to Odili, the forum is a force to reckon with in the prosecution of his re-election project.

Chief Rosebury Briggs, the leader of the forum claimed that the group was dedicated to work for the re-election of Odili as the governor of the state.

Briggs, who is the Speaker Emeritus of the state’s House of Assembly said the support of his group for Governor Odili was based on the “laudable achievements” he and his wife had recorded in the state since the inception of the current political dispensation.

He assured that the governor would receive “overwhelming votes” in the Kalabari axis of the state in the governorship polls.