A youth activist, Emmanuel Hart says the President Muhammadu Buhari led federal government has done more for Bonny Local Government Area than any other administration since its creation. He said for this he was defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). 

Hart, who is the National Chairman of the Youth Coalition for Good Governance (YCGG), a political pressure group, said this today during a ceremony to mark his 35the birthday in Bonny Island, Rivers State.  The ceremony was attended by notable chieftains of the APC in Bonny LGA, including a former caretaker committee Chairman, Henry Halliday.  

According to him, the PDP controlled administration in the state led by Governor Nyesom Wike has been unfair to the people of area, noting that “no Bonny son or daughter has been considered for any serious or strategic position in this administration,” and “for the past three years, since the Wike administration came on board, there is no known completed project anywhere in Bonny Local Government Area”. 

He added that “even the Bille/Bonny/Nembe jetty project which was acclaimed to be completed in six months has lasted the full span of the administration and yet to be completed due to lack of funding,” stressing that “Bonny Ring Road, which he, Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike promised to ensure its construction through collaboration with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has yet to see even a wheel barrow on site, let alone any construction equipment”. 

He regretted that “the local government as a whole has not felt the presence of the Wike led administration which the people voted massively into office,” while lamenting that the decision of the people of the area to remain in the PDP, borne out of the conviction that such allegiance and commitment would translate into actualization of their “collective aspirations to opportunities in leadership, development and access to strategic advantages cascading from the centre,” has proved to be misplaced. 

He pointed out that, on the contrary, the Buhari led administration has demonstrated its love for the area by approving the funding of the Bonny/Bodo road project by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited, signing of necessary approvals for the NLNG Train 7 and 8 project, and the construction of the deep seaport project in the community. 

He expressed optimism that the APC “means well for my people”, as “both projects, when kick-started, would create massive opportunities for job creation and boost for businesses as well as open up Bonny LGA for more investors’ influx”. 

He also noted that three persons from the community have been appointed into positions of trust by the President. These are Arc Abinye Alex-Hart appointed as Chairman, Governing Council of Alvan Ikokwu College of Education, Sir Idabelema Hart, appointed into the Raw Materials Research Council of Nigeria, and Mrs. Amal Pepple as Chairman, Minimum Wage Review Committee. 

Expressing the hope that, having begun on this note, President Muhammadu Buhari, the APC, and our leader, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, would consolidate on these and do more for our people,” adding that he will always, “in the demonstration of my commitment to the furtherance of the collective interest of the Bonny people, pitch my loyalty on the side of any political platform that mainstreams the interest of my people”.