RIVERS State Governor Nyesom Wike slammed a former senator representing Rivers South-East, Lee Maeba, on Friday for his contributions to Ogoniland despite his alliance with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar.
Wike, speaking at the commissioning of the Bori-Kono Road in the state, said that as a minister, he had made several projects in his community possible. He went on to say that as governor, he was not only bringing development to his community, but also to the rest of the state.
“You (Maeba) were made a senator. Mention one project you brought to the people Of Ogoniland as a distinguished senator. When you were the senator, the presidential candidate of PDP was the Vice President and you said you are close to him. What project did you bring to Ogoniland? No, Ogoni, you people are here.
“Senator Lee Maeba claimed, as a distinguished senator, he was one of the few senators that was close to the Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who is now presidential candidate of the PDP,” the governor said.
“Senator Ledogo Maeba, with your closeness then, with your opportunity and privileges, what did you bring to the people of Ogoniland? Mention one project. I went to your community the other day, I saw the school you attended. I cried – how could a senator have attended this kind of school and yet, look at the shape that school is in? Go and see what that school looks like.
“East-West Road, I gave it to you, Lee Maeba, to do. The only thing you got in the Senate was an oil block, which you sold at $15 million.Who has a calculator there? Convert it; come down to 700. Seven hundred (times) 10 is 7 billion, is it not? Seven hundred (times) five will be how many? 3.5! That is, 13.5 billion (naira) was what you got (and) was paid to you (sic).”
He challenged Maeba, a senator from 2003 to 2011, to name one Ogoni son or daughter he supported with a scholarship or one primary school in Ogoniland he repaired during his tenure.
“As a minister, my community never had a school. I brought a school to my community. As a chief of staff, I brought roads to my community. You were doing constituency projects. Where is your own in Ogoniland?
“Stop using Ogoni people. Stop telling them lies. No amount of lies you can concoct can change the minds of the people because they know all you are doing is for your selfish interests.
“You said I promised you governor. I never (did). You said they were calling you here to the throne. Which throne? I don’t have a throne to give anybody. Telling people all kinds of lies. We are not people of violence,” he said.
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