Musbau Babatunde
President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,Wednesday,told Governor Nyesome Wike he won’t consider refund for the construction of flyover bridges constructed on federal roads in the state
He said the demand for a refund on the flyover bridges so constructed on federal roads, though a worthy request, should not be borne with the mindset that he is owing the state because the projects are within Rivers and are used by the people.
He disclosed this on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital during the commissioning of some key projects in the state in response to the governor’s demand.
Tinubu will be inaugurated as president of Nigeria on May 29,2023.
He added:”I owe you nothing on your demand for refunds for the 12th flyover. It is your own. You live here. You can only lobby me to refund you the money”.
The President-elect promised to work for hard to ensure that no part of the country is marginalized in terms of even distribution of developmental projects.
He said:”I will not marginalise any region, but will leave legacy projects across the length and breadth of Nigeria,” he said at the opening of Rumuokwuta/Rumuola Flyover Bridge.
Inaugurating the Rumuokwuta/Rumuola Flyover, the President-Elect noted that his presence to perform the duties of opening the flyover for public use is another way of building bridge, most essential for the country.
Wike as a dependable ally, one who promoted the unity of Nigeria, fairness and championed justice, Tinubu noted that governor Wike stood his ground as a principled man and worked for the presidency to come to the southern part of Nigeria
“In His Excellency (Nyesom Wike), I see a man of principle, he took a principle stand that the presidency must return to South and he had the courage to stand by his conviction, not minding whose horse is gored. He is indeed a man of great integrity, he did not chose to serve his own interest. Not about him, rather the interest of the nation. You promoted unity, you promoted fairness, you championed justice. Thank you.”
He commended the audacity demonstrated by governor Wike in delivering quality projects to Rivers people to make them happy, create excitement for them and enhanced development across the State.
He recalled that he went through gruesome campaign, fought hard, and with the likes of governor Wike providing structural support, he won the presidential election squarely.
He commended the Rivers State governor elect, Sir Siminalayi Fubara for his electoral victory.
In his earlier address,the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike notified the federal government on the need to amend its procurement law in order to end incessant abandonment of projects that it handles.
He spoke at the inauguration of the Rumuokwuta/Rumuola Flyover (12th Flyover) on Wednesday, which was performed by the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Rivers State governor explained that the current procurement law of the Federal Government only allows for about 15/30 percent to be paid as mobilisation fee to a contractor.
Such meagre sum, he said, usually does not allow the contractor to make appreciably progress on the project before being caught up by inflation effects and high cost of materials, which eventually requires variation of the contract terms.
Governor Wike said when he noticed a similar snag in the procurement law in Rivers State, on assumption of duties, he interfaced with the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, who worked together with other lawmakers to amend the then existing law.
With the amended law, governor Wike emphasized that his administration got the latitude to pay an upward of 70 percent mobilisation fee to contractors handling various projects in the state.