PRESIDENT JONATHAN GOODLUCK’S VISIT TO RIVERS STATE HERALDS GOOD TIDINGS FOR THE REGION- PRINCE TONYE PRINCEWIL

President Goodluck Jonathan will on Friday 14th May 2010, arrive Port

Harcourt the Rivers State capital for a two day visit as he makes his

first official trip to a state since assumption of office last

Thursday as the President and Commander–In-Chief of the Armed Forces

of the Federal Republic of Nigeria following the demise of the late

President Alhaji Umar Musa Yar'Adua. It would be recalled that he was

billed to visit the state last week before the unfortunate incident

occurred.
Speaking at an interview following the announcement of his resignation

from AC, the former leader of Rivers State Action Congress, Prince

Tonye Princewill stated that the upcoming visit of the President

should be the news worthy item of the moment since in his opinion it

is expected to herald the beginnings of the wind of positive change

that is expected to sweep the Niger Delta Region. He used the

opportunity to once again congratulate Mr. President on his new office

and wished him an eventful visit to Rivers State.
Princewill used the opportunity to further commend the President for

the far reaching strides he has taken so far in the time he held sway

as Acting President. According to Princewill, in the few months he

stood in the stead of the then ailing President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan

injected a new lease of life into the polity with the cabinet

reshuffle, his epochal visit to the US and most recently relieving

Prof. Maurice Iwu of his post as INEC Chairman a decision which has

been applauded in various quarters.
Princewill opined that the latter 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.
The visit according to Princewill will afford the President an

opportunity to access firsthand the developmental efforts of the Rt.

Hon. Chibuike Amaechi led administration as he continues to ensure

equitable access to the dividends of democracy for the people of the

state.
A major highlight of the President's visit 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 that

uses 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.

We use this opportunity to urge the PHCN to ensure the constant

distribution of electricity generated through this Turbine to allay

the constant challenges associated with inadequate distribution.

Summing up his opinion about what the visit portends for the state,

Princewill stated that the visit is 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.
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.
Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze,
Media Consultant to
Prince Tonye Princewill