From Tony John, Port Harcourt
President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has pledged that his administration would not marginalise any part of the country.
The former Lagos State governor who spoke yesterday at the commissioning of the Raumuokwuta/Rumuola flyover bridge in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, promised that his administration would leave legacy projects across the length and breadth of Nigeria.
This is as he commended Governor Nyesom Wike for standing for justice and insisting that it was turn of the south to produce a president after Muhammadu Buhari.
Tinubu, who is an All Progressives Congress (APC) leader, described Wike, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor, as a dependable ally. He said Wike’s principled stand for a southern president led to his victory on February 25.
He was declared winner of the presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on March 1 and is expected to take the oath of office on May 29.
Tinubu told the crowd he went through a “gruesome campaign, fought hard and won.”
He said he could not have achieved victory against major opponents like PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party (LP)’s Peter Obi without structural support from people like Wike.
“Your Excellency, Governor Nyesom Wike, you are very dependable,” he said.
“Nyesom, I say thank-you for your contribution to my victory. I couldn’t have done it without some structural support. In His Excellency, I see a man of principle. He (Wike) took a principled stand that the presidency must return to the South and he has the courage to stand by his conviction not minding whose ox is gored. He is, in deed, a man of great integrity; he did not choose 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. There were so much gossips and speculations, but you stood your ground.”
Tinubu expressed delight to have established a relationship with the Rivers governor and congratulated Wike’s ally and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, who was also at the function, for the partnership.
He, however, rejected a request made by the Rivers Governor for a refund for the construction of some federal roads in the state.
Wike had said the projects undertaken by the state ought to be done by the Federal Government.
“And unfortunately too, these projects ought to be Federal Government projects because they are federal roads. If we had said because they are Federal Government roads, and we won’t do it, who are those to suffer? Since we have said we don’t want our people to suffer, I also believe that the Federal Government should say, look, you have done well for us. These are projects we should be doing, can you bring your bill, let us refund you the money you have done these roads. That is what it is supposed to be for a partnership with a good Federal Government. I can assure you as you enter the office and you approve to pay this money back, other states will have the courage to also do the same thing. I am not asking what we are not entitled to. The Federal Government should say you are a true son of this government; you have removed shame from us.”
Responding, Tinubu said: “The 12th flyover and the demand you made for refund, I owe you nothing. It is your road. You can’t chuckle at me and make a demand. You are the one living on this road. I commend your effort. You have to lobby me to collect it.”