President Jonathan’s Visit To Rivers State: A Good Omen – Princewill

Prince Tonye Princewill has described the maiden formal visit of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to Port Harcourt on Friday, May 14, 2010 as a wind of positive change that is expected to sweep through the Niger Delta Region.

The Prince who made this known in an interview after the herald of his resignation from Action Congress, commended the President for injecting new blood into the not too long dissolved cabinet, his visit to President Obama as well as the recent sack of the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Maurice Iwu, an action which has attracted tremendous commendation, describing it as a “decision is fraught with many positive possibilities, chief amongst them being the President's adoption of the Electoral reforms panel report to pave the way for free and fair Elections come 2011”.

According to Engineer Tonye, the visit will avail the President the prospect to see, assess and evaluate developmental projects of Amaechi led-administration and how he has been able to ensure evenhanded distribution of dividends of democracy to the people of Rivers State.

A major highlight of the President's visit according to Tonye Princewill's Media Consultant Chief Chukwuemeka Eze will be observing the Port Harcourt – Owerri Road, a Federal Government Road being constructed by the Rivers State Government to ease the suffering of commuters who use that road, lay the foundation of the Adokie Amiesiemaka Stadium that will host the forthcoming National Sports Festival that will be hosted by the Rivers State Government this year, lay the foundation of the Rivers State Monorail Initiative that is intended to revolutionize transportation in Rivers State and a challenge to other States of the federation, the commissioning of the Trans Amadi based Gas Turbine. This GT project has been upgraded and is being managed through the State Independent Power Project's (IPP) among other activities lined up to prove to Mr. President that he is at his home.

Chief C.Eze in a press statement, urged PHCN to ensure constant distribution of electricity generated through the Turbine to allay the constant challenges associated with inadequate distribution.

On what the visit portends for the state, Princewill stated that the visit was a strong indication of the strategic position Rivers state occupies in the Nations polity and reiterated the hope that it would herald a new beginning for the state of things to come in the Niger Delta Region.

Part of the press release has that “the Prince's resignation from AC by yesterday may be a strategic ploy to welcome Mr. President to Rivers State as being speculated in some quarters as he has to rush back from his London base to submit his resignation letter to AC and to join hands with the Government and the people of Rivers State to give Mr. President a befitting reception. The Prince's resignation without stating what he intend to do next gives room for further speculation on his next move though he promised his supporters that whatever step he takes will be for the greater interest of Rivers State and the nation at large”.

Nwaorgu faustinus, Socio-political commentator writes in from Igboetche, Port Harcourt, Rivers State