The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers has expressed shock over a recent media report by the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in which the party accused the Administrator of the Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority, GPHCDA, Dame Aleruchi Cookey-Gam, of engaging in waste of public funds through alleged overseas tours. PDP said the whole story lacked any iota of truth describing same as laughable.
“The ACN would stop at nothing to undermine efforts of the Rivers State Government to realising its laudable programmes including cajoling Dame Cookey-Gam to abandon her resolve to achieve the Greater Port Harcourt City Master Plan,” the PDP said in a statement in Port Harcourt through its state publicity secretary, Mr. George Ukwuoma-Nwogba.
While berating the ACN for seeing nothing good in Rivers state, Mr. Ukwuoma-Nwogba said the report could best be described as a “tissue of lies patented in the familiar, old fashion often resorted to by the ACN to cover its diminishing relevance in Rivers state.” Ukwuoma-Nwogba further stated that it was all the product of the figment of imagination of the author.”
“ACN attracts attention only through dissemination of falsehood. But lies, no matter how packaged and severally told, can’t turn into half a truth.”
Ukwuoma-Nwogba disputed the assertion made by the ACN that Cookey-Gam’s alleged visit to Singapore was mere jamboree.
“It might be of interest to the ACN to know that the Administrator and some Board members of the Authority travelled on a one week visit to Singapore. While there, they attended a three-in-one summit namely WORLD CITIES SUMMIT, WATERWEEK CONVENTION and CLEAN ENVIRONMENT SUMMIT which took place simultaneously at the Singapore Convention Centre from 1st – 4th July, 2012. Does that sound like a jamboree?”
PDP continued: “The WCS is a bi-annual event and global platform which brings together various stakeholders including policy makers, investors, financiers, industry professionals and technology experts and enables participants discuss extensively on the tremendous challenges of climatic and demographic changes, urban-rural migration and gives enlightenment on integrated planning/urban solutions, the sharing of ideas on the best practices for creating liveable and sustainable cities.”
“The ACN, like in all other of its public statements, depended on its harem of gossips who pose as “credible sources.” To make its already bad public image worse, the party went on to claim that Dame Cookey-Gam is sighted in Washington on monthly basis. Rivers people needed no further proof from the ACN to show it can’t tell a single truth. Hyperbolical statements cannot win support for the ACN.”
Rather than dissipate energy in churning out falsehood, the PDP argued, ACN should swallow its pride for constructive inputs. Ukwuoma-Nwogba however stated no amount of rumour peddling by the ACN will derail Dame Cookey-Gam’s focus to transform the city of Port Harcourt into a truly 21st century city.
GEORGE UKWUOMA-NWOGBA
PUBLICITY SECRETARY,
PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY, PDP,
RIVERS STATE
