Governor Nyesom Wike of Cross River State.

By Davies Iheamnachor, PORT HARCOURT

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has alleged that the Inspector General of Police was posting Commissioner of Police into the State for political patronage rather than competence.

The governor said competence and genuine efforts at fighting criminality and insecurity in the country were often undermined by political inference in the posting of Commissioners of Police.

It would be recalled that Monday, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Joseph Mukan, who was recently promoted was transferred out of the state and his replacement yet to resume.

However, Wike said it was very disappointing that the IGP would compromise competence in posting a CP to Rivers State because a politician had approached him for such patronage.

The governor made the accusation in a statement by his media assistant, Kelvin Ebiri, after he (Wike) led the Chief Whip of the Nigeria Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, former Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen and other dignitaries on project inspection tour in Port Harcourt and ObioAkpor Local Government Areas of Rivers State on Thursday.

Wike said such handling of touchy issues like insecurity makes it difficult for him to partner with the Federal Government often, especially because they are not committed to solving the security challenges in the country.

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He said: “Why should the Inspector General of Police grant such demand of posting a CP to compromise competence. There is so much insecurity in Nigeria. There are killings everywhere and they (APC) told Nigerians that they will solve the problem.

“But the problem is not being solved. They appoint Commissioner of Police (CP) based on patronage. A politician from my state will go to see the Inspector General of Police and ask him to give him a CP.

“And the IG will not post CP based on competence to fight crime but based on the fact that the man in the party says he wants so and so person.

“When the person comes, will he fight insecurity? No. That’s the problem we have in this country today. How can I partner with such a government? A government that will not do things based on competence.”

The governor expressed gratitude to Rivers People for giving him the opportunity to superintendent over the affairs of the state, noting that the quality projects he was exciting were a way of giving back to the people.

Meanwhile, Chief Whip of Senate, Senator Orji Uzor, who was fascinated at the Okoro-Nu-Odo Flyover, Rumuogba Flyover, Mother and Child Hospital and the Real Madrid Football Academy described them as long term investment for the good of Rivers people.

Kalu lauded Governor Wike for mobilising contractors with about 70 per cent upfront payment and it is paying off as projects are completed on schedule.

“In the Senate, I proposed that contractors be paid 65 per cent, but the Finance Bill went in for 15 per cent of mobilization fee. Here, Governor Wike has just told us that he is paying 70 per cent.

“So he is thinking in the right direction. The government should start giving contractors money upfront with a guarantee so that projects don’t get abandoned, because you go all over the states of Nigeria and you will see a lot of abandoned projects.”

Vanguard News Nigeria