The Rivers State government has reaffirmed it will arrest and prosecute the owner of any filling station selling petroleum products supplied by artisanal refiners.
The Chief of Staff to Rivers State governor, Chief Emeka Woke, said no amount of blackmail will deter the State government from prosecuting the lawmaker representing Port Harcourt federal constituency II, Hon. Chinyere Igwe, whose filling station had been sealed up for illegal oil bunkering activities.
Speaking at the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), Permanent Voters Card (PVC) sensitization and mobilization rally at Mogho in Gokana over the weekend, Woke insisted that the State government has a constitutional obligation to decisively deal with anyone involved in acts inimical to the Nigerian economy.
“Anybody who allows his business premises to be used for illegal oil bunkering, that premises will be shut down. Whoever, allows his hotel to harbour criminals bent on destabilizing the State, we will deal with you according to the law.”
The Chief of Staff, who urged Hon. Igwe to submit himself to security agencies for interrogation, however, warned him to desist from misleading the unsuspecting public with spurious claims that he was being politically victimized.
Emeka Woke further took a swipe at Hon. Igwe for making derogatory remarks about the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike. According to him, but for the governor’s benevolence, the federal lawmaker would have gone into political extinction.
“I listen to Chinyere Igwe yesterday talking about ingratitude. A man who had been retired politically. This is the man who spent only one term in the House of Representatives and came back home. The immediate past governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, chased him out of Port Harcourt and he ran to Abuja. He even contested on the platform of ACN then and lost woefully.
“When we had mobilized GDI and had strengthened the party (Peoples Democratic Party), we brought him back and those of them whom he said he is speaking for now. None of them were foundation members of GDI. And His Excellency, the governor gave him a platform, first as a Commissioner and then to the National Assembly, even though he didn’t win the primary. And today, he is talking about ingratitude.”
Woke also urged media organizations in the State to be objective and abide by the ethics of journalism and resist being used as purveyors of spurious fake news.
The Chief of Staff lauded the people of Gokana who turned out en-masse for the GDI rally, for their unwavering commitment and support to the Wike’s administration.
Woke said governor Wike’s decision to dualize the over 31 kilometre Saakpenwa-Kono Road, is sheer evidence of his love and appreciation to the Ogoni people for their support over the years.
The PDP governor candidate in Rivers State, Siminalaye Fubara, urged the people to jealously safeguard their PVC ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Similarly, the PDP chairman in the State, Ambassador Desmond Akawor, commended GDI for sensitizing the people of the State on the importance of the PVC.
