Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has scoffed at the hesitance by President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the amended Electoral Act even after the National Assembly had reworked the section over which he had previously withheld his assent.
Governor Wike made reference to the Electoral Act while speaking in Yenagoa at the inauguration of projects at the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences of the Bayelsa Medical University (BMU), in Yenagoa, at the weekend.
The Rivers governor described the performance of his Bayelsa State counterpart, Governor Douye Diri, in just two years in office as outstanding, adding, “That is why when God gives you the privilege and opportunity to serve, you need to thank God. While PDP governors are busy executing and inaugurating projects, others are giving excuses.
“Till now, Nigerians do not understand the modus operandi of the ruling party because everyday they find excuse not to sign the amended Electoral Act.
“After all that the National Assembly has done, Buhari keeps refusing to sign the amended Act. I know it is because they are afraid of the provision on electronic transmission of election results in the Act. Mark my words, Buhari won’t still sign the amended Electoral Act.”
The governor noted that Diri’s achievements on his second anniversary surpassed that of some governors, particularly in the opposition party, who had been in office for almost eight years.
Governor Wike commended Diri for putting in place road infrastructure and other meaningful projects that would impact positively on the lives of the people.
He gave kudos to the Diri administration on the projects at the BMU, which include lecture halls and a pathology laboratory, saying the requirements for such a facility costs billions of Naira.
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Governor Wike pledged his administration’s N500 million support towards the building of the university’s teaching hospital as the institution was strategic in serving the people of both Bayelsa and Rivers states.
The Rivers chief executive also lauded Diri’s exemplary leadership in running an inclusive government, which has given everyone a sense of belonging.
Wike said: “Whatever problems we have we would resolve them amicably. We need to support one another as people of the Niger Delta. We need to be our brother’s keeper.
“Just two years in office, Governor Diri has performed exceptionally well compared to some governors on the other side that had done almost eight years.
“It is when you have something to show that you invite people to come. Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party is telling people from Sokoto in the North and people in the South South, South East and South West to come and see what his government has done”.
Governor Douye Diri said his administration was building on the vision of his predecessors in the late Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who initially proposed a 500-bed hospital, and Senator Seriake Dickson, who later converted it to a medical institution.
Senator Diri said BMU was one of the best medical facilities in the country with a crop of distinguished medical professionals.
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On the university’s teaching hospital, the governor directed the Commissioners for Health, Education and Finance to ensure completion of the project for it to become functional this year.
In his welcome address, the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ebitimitula Etebu, said the institution was established in 2018 and approved by the National Universities Commission to commence academic work in the 2019-2020 academic session.
He noted that BMU, which initially offered nine academic programmes in the faculties of Science and Basic Medical Sciences was through the support of Governor Diri now offering 18 programmes.
They include Medicine and Surgery, Nursing Science, Dentistry, Optometry and Medical Laboratory Science among others.