Thousands of PDP members in Rivers State who were angling for gifts from their leaders during the Christmas and new year celebration were shocked by what they saw.
They got left overs of the palliatives supplied by the Federal Government to states in the Federation to cushion the side effects of the pandemic last year as Christmas gifts.
“To our dismay, we received bags of rice, sugar Indomie and other items that were labeled COVID-19”, a member of the PDP who spoke under conditions of anonymity revealed.
Inquiries conducted in Rivers State by the Telegraph in Eleme, Etche, Gokana, Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor, Bonny, Ahoada West, Abua/Odual and other parts of the State indicate that PDP authorities in the State distributed items that were meant as palliative for the people to members of their party during the Christmas festivities.
It was the same story in Khana, Andoni, Okirika, Ogu/Bolo, Ahoada Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Degema, Asari Toru and Akuku Toru Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
There have been allegations that some governors in the country had hoarded the items much to the consternation of Nigerians who were anxiously looking for what to eat during the period of the lockdown last year.
Not many associated Governor Nyesom Wike who was always ready to lock down the people with such acts which left many without food at the time.
“Given what happened in December, it is obvious that our government was part of the scam to rob the people of what belonged to them”, a member of the PDP in Port Harcourt Ward 5 told the Telegraph. “I am a member of the PDP”, the woman said, “but I cannot believe that the Governor of Rivers State would share what rightly belongs to Rivers people to members of our party. It is nauseating.”
Another member of the PDP who has just returned to the State Capital from Ahoada East remarked in a chat with the Port Harcourt Telegraph, “It is true that the Rivers State Government released COVID-19 items to us.
“We took it, but we were shocked that our own governor was among Governors who cleverly kept away palliatives that ordinary Nigerians were asking for within the period of the lockdown.”
Reacting to the distribution of palliatives as Christmas gifts, Isaac Ogbobula, Caretaker Committee Chairman of the APC said Wike’s action was totally unacceptable.
“Our people are still trying to grapple with the sharing of rice and other essential commodities at Christmas by the State Government from the COVID19 donations made by the Federal Government for onward distribution to the masses.”
“We have stated it time and again that the Governor of Rivers State has never been interested in empowering young men and women economically” ‘ Ogbobula emphasized, “how can anyone explain why contract for purchase and supply of Christmas rice could not have been awarded and distributed separately from COVID19 palliatives!!!”
“Wike disappointed most of us. How could he have distributed ‘palliative rice’ to us”, a PDP member from Obio/Akpor asked, “It does not make sense at all.”
“This Governor go kill us ooo! See wetin dem give us na. Abi we dey sick Covid? Abi dem wan make Covid curse follow our family?”, a shocked fisherman from Akuku Toru who is a grassroots member of the PDP asked.
“Wike dey come, Wike dey come, na like dis ‘im wan follow come? Make him no carry us play ooo!”, a carpenter in Eleme warned.
“Na wickedness bi dis. Chai! We don suffer for dis Ogbonge State”, Madam Peter who stays in Woji pointed out, “Na God go judge dem.”