NO BASIS FOR COMPARISON OF BUHARI/JONATHAN ON S'EAST, S'South DEVELOPMENT...... Eze.

"Who has done more for the Niger Delta, South-South and South East; Goodluck Jonathan that is son of the soil or Muhammadu Buhari that Gov Nyesom Wike hates so much?.... Eze.

"Wike has used every opportunity available as governor to hit Buhari while praising Jonathan, but men with facts are grimacing at the odour of the falsehood".

.... Avails Wike, His Co-travellers With Facts, Find.

It is understandable why Wike hates Buhari and his APC so much. This is the man (and party) that removed his mouth from the breatsmilk of massive looting at the federal level. Wike had to use all means to catch another breast milk source, the Rivers State treasury, to hang on and share with his band of losers.

One by one, however, analysts sit to point at major things that Buhari has done that Jonathan refused to do for his people. This had once forced Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi at the flag-off site of Ogoni Clean Up to ask the masses, between Jonathan and Buhari, who was their brother. The resounding sound of answer in favour of Buhari has continued to thunder into the atmosphere to this day. It is a question that has since been settled by the voice vote of the ordinary people of the region. So, it seems Wike is flogging a dead horse by using gubernatorial aplomb and platform to uphold a rejected submission. 

Now, the erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has expressed disappointment over opinions offered by those making unnecessary comparisons between the Muhammadu Buhari/APC- led  federal government and the former administration of Goodluck Jonathan/PDP especially, in the area of what the two administrations have achieved for the South-South and South-East zones of the country.

In a statement made available to media houses in Port Harcourt, Chief Eze said the infrastructural and human capital development attracted to the South-South and South East under the current federal government steered by President Buhari and the APC outweigh, in every respect, the composite record of the previous administration of Dr. Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party and therefore, it is inappropriate to make the administration a subject of comparison with the previous government.

Lamenting how he has continued to be battered by messages from the public on what the APC and Buhari has achieved for the regions, Eze said the invitation to comparison is grossly uncalled for, stressing that the facts speak for themselves.

"I am getting tired of constant bombardments almost on daily basis on what President Muhammadu Buhari has achieved for the South South and South East Zones compared to what former President Goodluck Jonathan may have done for the zones", Eze said. 

Sample of the numerous text messages received particularly, after the flag-off of the Port Harcourt - Maiduguri Rail line project, from Mr. Emeka Mbamalu summarizes the opinion of similar messages; and Mbamalu’s message says, "Chief Eze, the money for the project belong to the Niger Deltas, not Buhari. Frankly, they deserve Standard Gauge, You guys have become Northern Oligarchy Praise Singers, I'm so disappointed..."

Not minding my responses to each of their messages, it is necessary to restate that the narrow gauge though not different from the standard gauge if not on the area of speed, is a temporary measure intended to reactivate the rail system within the South South and South East as efforts are in top gear to provide a standard gauge rail system for the same routes.

"I asked them to name just one single Legacy Project that Jonathan executed in the entire South South and South East political Zones to warrant comparisons instead of commendation for the much that President Buhari is doing to make the presence of the Federal Government felt in these two zones", Eze said.

"Based on the constant and daily disturbances which are now telling on my fragile health not minding that I am neither a spokesperson or member of the Presidential Media Team but as a key actor that risked his life to midwife the election of the APC Adminstration both in 2015 and 2019 general elections particularly in 2014 when I acted as the National Publicity Secretary of the defunct nPDP, I resisted several attempts on my life and harassments by the then PDP Adminstration under Dr. Jonathan, I have to resolve to research and attempt comparisim between these two Administrations as it affects these two zones".

Below is the result of the research which will help to keep quiet most of the critics of this adminstration who have got no facts in support of their criticisms:

Among others, Buhari restored the special electricity scheme called Aba Electricity Fencing that Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala pushed through the World Bank to Aba city during the Dr. Jonathan time. This was however stopped by his Vice President who was used by an Igbo billionaire that later bought the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC). The moment Dr. Jonathan lost the 2015 general elections, the same court that sat on the matter ruled in favour of Barth Nnaji (Geometrix) that was granted right over the Aba Fenced Electricity Zone. EEDC had insisted that because Aba is inside Enugu zone, that the city belonged to his EEDC, but the Aba project is older than EEDC and the purchase documents made it clear that Aba would be fenced out of Enugu Zone, That is why the place is called fenced zone.  

This same Buhari they hate so much saved Belema’s JackRich Tein Jnr who was stopped under the Jonathan in his quest to control OML 55. The Kula-born oil engineer and investor suffered under Diezani Madueke and GEJ as an oil company that gave Belema loans to perfect the purchase wanted to take it over. They tried to squeeze him out of his own oil company (Belema) due to this loan. He ran to Diezani for help, according to him, but no help. He sent emissaries to Jonathan to save him, no way. He played good boy to their party and served every big boy in that party to see if he could get favourable attention, no way. Suddenly, Buhari and APC won. Immediately, the courts, banks and oil companies that ganged up against him relaxed. He had to confess to newsmen how life changed just because the hated Fulani man came to power. Buhari saved him, and today, thousands of Niger Deltans feed fat at Belema without knowing who the source of their survival is - Buhari.

Can we not see that Belema’s anti-Buhari stance has since toned down to pro-Buhari stance. When truth hits you, you will be set free.

This same hated man kickstarted the Ogoni Clean Up that Dr. Jonathan ignored since November 2011, but we daily say it's not cleaning well.  The hated man has awarded the Water Scheme that the UNEP asked for since 2011.

This same persecuted President revived the $10Bn Train 7 that Dr. Jonathan did his best to stop.  

The said hated man flagged off the N120Bn first-ever road to Bonny Island. The creativity of such s big project is anchored on a tax buy-back scheme which allows the NLNG to recover cost from tax. Many do not know that at last, its FG money that is building that project.

Buhari, the hounded, is toiling to open up Igboland through 2nd Niger Bridge that was sabotaged during Dr. Jonathan's Administration. Have we forgotten the East West Road N20Bn fund trapped by our people but has been freed to resume that important road?

Today, both the Port Harcourt International Airport and its counterpart Akanu Ibim International Airport situated at Enugu can be called as truly an International Airports. These were Airports allowed to suffer under Dr. Jonathan. The Enugu-Port Harcourt Express Road is being tackled in such a way to make it one of the best roads in Nigeria. 

Under Dr. Jonathan Rail system on both zones was in comatose state but currently rail lines will soon be linked to Owerri, Abakaliki and Awka hitherto without rail system before now.

The Enugu-Onitsha Road abandoned to be a dead trap by Dr. Jonathan has been worked upon and can be addressed as one of the best in the country.

SPECIFICALLY;

Buhari Administration Projects in South South Nigeria (Niger Delta)

*. ‘’The Federal Executive Council (FEC) approves the sum of $1.5 billion for the immediate rehabilitation of the largest refining firm in the country, the Port Harcourt refinery. The rehabilitation which was awarded to Tecnimont SPA, an Italian company will be done in three phases of 18, 24 and 44 months, Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Sylva has disclosed.’’

*. That of Warrti and Kaduna Refineries will thereafter before the end of the tenure of this Adminstration.

*. Afam Fast Power Project: Construction of US$186 million, 240MW expansion for the existing Afam Power Plant (commenced in 2016, almost completed)

*. Dualisation of Yenegwe Road Junction-Kolo-Otuoke-Bayelsa Palm (Sukuk Bond) (ongoing)

*. Rehabilitation of Sections 1 to 4 of the Enugu — Port Harcourt Expressway (ongoing)

*. Construction of 120 billion Naira Bonny-Bodo Road in Rivers State, to link Bonny Island to the Mainland. Originally conceived about 40 years ago, construction flagged off by Vice President Osinbajo in 2017. Jointly funded by the Federal Government and the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas Company Limited (NLNG)(ongoing)

*. Brand new International Airport Terminal in Rivers State, that was abandoned by the PDP Government is completed and commissioned in 2018 

*. Construction of East-West Road (ongoing) abandoned by the Jonathan's Adminstration.

*. Completed the 60km Alesi–Ugep Road in Cross River State; contract awarded for 72km section from Odukpani Junction to Ugep.

*. Rehabilitation of Calabar–Itu–Odukpani Road that links Akwa-Ibom to Cross River (ongoing)

*. Niger Delta New Vision (Federal Maritime University in Delta State licensed by NUC and commenced academic activities in 2018; Modular Refineries in Delta, Rivers and Akwa Ibom States; Ogoni Clean Up in Rivers — ongoing)

*. Financial Close for Azura Power Plant in Edo State: The necessary Federal Government approvals for this US$900 million private sector investment were given by President Buhari, paving the way for financial close in December 2015, and the commencement of construction in January 2016. The 459MW project was completed in May 2018, seven months ahead of schedule.

*. 459MW Azura Power Plant, Edo State. Private sector project. Financial close achieved in December 2015, after necessary approvals by the Buhari Administration.

*. Water Projects:

a. Completed Ogwashi-Uku Dam, Delta State;

b. Completed Ekeremor Water Supply Project, Edo State;

c. Completed Northern Ishan Regional Water Supply Project, serving Ugboha and Uromi communities of Edo State;

d. Completed Rehabilitation of Ojirami Dam Water Supply Project, Edo State;

e. Completed Central Ogbia Regional Water Project in Bayelsa State.

*. Social Investment Programme: 85,000 N-Power Beneficiaries in the South South; School Feeding has kicked off in 3 of the six States: Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Delta.

Buhari Administration Projects in South East Nigeria

*. Rehabilitation of Sections 1 to 4 of the Enugu — Port Harcourt Expressway (Sukuk Bond) (ongoing)

*. Rehabilitation of Amansea–Enugu Border section of Onitsha-Enugu Expressway (Sukuk Bond) (ongoing)

*. Rehabilitation of 18km critical stretch of Onitsha–Awka Road (ongoing)

*. Construction of Second Niger Bridge: Completion of design of the Approach Roads from Onitsha and Asaba; Award of Main Construction Contract to Julius Berger; and funding of the project by the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund, PIDF. In August 2018 PIDF paid 33 billion Naira (US$90 million) to Julius Berger for the Second Niger Bridge project. (ongoing)

*. Standardisation of Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu,

*.  Owerri Interchange, 

*. Zik’s Mausoleum, 

In late 2018, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, unfolded a minimum of 69 different projects being undertaken by the Federal Government in South East alone, all amounting to about N680 billion. 

*. President Buhari approved a Zonal Police Headquarters (Zone 13) located at Ukpo Dunukofia, in Anambra State which will go a long way in addressing the security concerns of people of the region.

*. The Ariaria Market 9.5 MW gas-based power plant for an uninterrupted power supply was made possible by APC government

*. The much bandied Abia State Integrated Infrastructure Development Project (ABSIIDP)for the execution of roads, solid waste management, and the gully erosion works components of Abia State is being supported by the APC government

 *. The Enyimba Economic city is being spearheaded by APC government

*. Incremental Power: What the Buhari Administration has accomplished so far.

*.330KV Switching Substation, Essien Udim, Ikot Ekpene LGA, Akwa Ibom State

Available Power Generation capacity and Transmission Capacity are each up by an average of 2,000MW (40 percent), to 7,000MW since 2015. Distribution Capacity is up about 50-60 percent, to 5,000MW.

GENERATION:

GRID:

*. Azura Power Plant, 460MW: Nigeria’s first large-scale project-financed Independent Power Plant), completed seven months ahead of schedule in May 2018. The $900 million private sector project was financed by a consortium of international finance institutions and equity investors, and achieved financial close in December 2015, in line with President Buhari’s commitment to resolve all bottlenecks that had stalled critical power projects. …

Following the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Port Harcourt -Maiduguri (Eastern Rail) line, Bonny Deep Seaport and a Railway Industrial Park in Port Harcourt, what else do Wike and his blind collaborators wants from President Buhari and the APC led Federal Government. The fact remains no matter insinuations from some quarters the Eastern rail project is a catalyst for industrialization and trans regional development within the two zones.

To put more emphasis on the interest of the APC Led Federal Government on the issue of Ogoni Cleaning Excerise  a seasoned bureaucrat in the person of Dr. Michael Nwielaghi as the Chairman of Board of Trustees of Ogoni Trust Fund coupled with the recent approval of N6b for provision of portable water scheme for Eleme, Tai and two Local Government Areas in Ogoni the APC led Federal Government has nothing to prove of her interest for the wellbeing of the Ogonis.

"I am mentioning only the things our beloved brother killed that the hated Fulani did. Facts are sacred?

With the above facts, who is singing praises for a false prophet; Eze or the armchair critics without facts?

Chief Eze recalled that Dr. Jonathan had once apologised to the people of Rivers State and South South in 2014 for not citing any reasonable projects within the zone, stressing that it is disturbing to learn that people ignored facts littered all over just to hound an innocent Buhari. Facts will continue to humiliate lies, no matter the size of pad used to keep it for a while.

Eze funally appealed to Governor Wike to do his best and face the governance of Rivers State and leave President Buhari alone to enable him lift the South South and South East Zones from the mess that the PDP Administration kept the two zones for its sad 16years of leadership of this country.