Don’t give Wike loans, APC warns banks

 

 Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike

THE All Progressives Congress in Rivers State has warned banks to shun loan requests by Governor Nyesom Wike.

The Chairman, Rivers APC, Chief Davies Ikanya, who issued this warning while briefing newsmen on Monday in Port Harcourt, said any bank that gave loans to the governor would be working against the interest of the state.

Ikanya cautioned that such a bank would be seen as collaborating with Wike to mismanage the economy of the state.

“Let me warn all the banks not to give Nyesom Wike loans. But if they give him loans, that means that they are collaborating with the governor to take money belonging to Rivers people,” he said.

Ikanya also accused Wike of using the resources of the state to fund the Peoples Democratic Party at the national level, adding that the alleged frequent visits of some PDP chieftains to the state were indicative that funds belonging to the state were being used in sponsoring the PDP.

He lamented the level of insecurity in the state, adding that despite the efforts of the state Police Commissioner to curb the menace of armed robbery, kidnapping and cultism, crime rate was still on the high side.

The state APC chairman described as false the claim that Wike provided 62 security vehicles for security agencies in the state.

“For more than five months since Wike took over the governorship position, he has not assisted the police, the navy and other security agencies.

“Wike is not doing anything on security. We don’t believe that Wike actually gave 62 vehicles to the police and other security agencies in the state,” Ikanya said.

Reacting, the State Assistant Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Samuel Nwanosike, said Wike had been able to complete some abandoned projects with the loans he took.

Pointing out that the governor has been following due process in taking loans, Nwanosike added that with the economic situation in the state, it was wrong for the APC to criticise Wike’s action.

“I don’t see any reason why the banks will refuse to give the governor loans to develop our state. Governor Wike has ensured that workers’ salaries and pensions for pensioners were paid.

“He has completed some abandoned projects. Even as we speak, the governor has begun the rehabilitation of public secondary schools and Rivers people are happy about it,” he added.

On security, Nwanosike insisted that contrary to the claim by the APC, the governor donated 62 vehicles to the police and other security agencies in the state.

He recalled that the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, was in Port Harcourt to inaugurate the vehicles, saying, “The APC in the state is built on falsehood and, as such, we are not bothered by their tantrums.”