The Rivers state Peoples Democratic Party PDP, has condemned unequivocally a recent statement credited to the state chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in which it was alleged that a total sum of One Billion Naira(N1bn) had been released to the Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori and the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, respectively, by the Federal Ministry of Education. The PDP described the statement as “unfounded, baseless, mere gossip, made out of context and entirely a malicious fabrication.”
In its reaction in Port Harcourt by its state publicity secretary, George Ukwuoma-Nwogba, the PDP said it was appalled ACN would bend backwards to evoke sympathy.
“In its recent statements, the ACN had shown it prefers to hoodwink simple minds who may be tempted to believe that several lies can make one truth.”
According to Mr. Ukwuoma-Nwogba, politics of opposition should not be about blackmail, propaganda and slanderous posture. “While the PDP in Rivers state welcomes criticism based on informed premises,” Ukwuoma-Nwogba stated, “tantrums cannot help the ACN win election in Rives state.”
Acknowledging that Wike made an appearance on a radio programme last Saturday in Port Harcourt, Ukwuoma-Nwogba said that distorting facts all in the name of opposition would further alienate ACN from the people it pretends to protect.
“At no time did the Honuorable Minister say that the sum of Five Hundred Naira had been released to the respective state schools.” Rather, the PDP publicity secretary continued, “Wike only said that the Federal Ministry of Education had released funds to states’ Universal Basic Education Boards to effectively run their UBE schools.
“While noting that there were cases where some states chairmen of SUBEB played fast on their state governors, Wike cited the case of a state in the South South where the governor was kept in the dark over the release of the UBE subvention due the state to the tune of One Hundred and Fifty Million Naira(N150,000,000) until his(minister’s) visit to the mentioned state.
“How would that translate into release of One Billion Naira to Rivers State Polytechnic and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education?” Ukwuoma-Nwogba queried.
“It might help the ACN to know that a proposed project for the Rivers State University of Education to be funded by the Education Trust Fund, ETF, is still in its embryonic state. It might further help ACN to know that though the school had provided necessary input as required by ETF, fund was yet to be released.
“Rivers people should ask ACN what should be probed when no funds had been released. Isn’t the call for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, investigations puerile, infantile, devilish, reactionary and reveals the selfish agenda of the ACN?
While calling on ACN to rid itself of I-know-it-all mentality, Ukwuoma-Nwogba advised that the entire story be rejected and thrown into the garbage heap describing it as worthy of no attention.
