Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has dissolved the state executive council.
Wike announced the dissolution after a special executive meeting in Government House, Port Harcourt on Thursday evening.
Earlier, the commissioners took turns to eulogise the governor for his landmark achievements in the state.
As the race for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly gathers momentum, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, has declared his total support for the ambition of Senator Godswill Akpabio for the office of the Senate President.
Wike while receiving members of the Stability Group, a group of Senators-elect, rooting for the emergence of Akpabio, led by its Director General, Senator Ali Ndume said, “this is the time for me to support him because he supported me when I wanted to be the governor of River State.”
He noted that: “if truly we want this country to move forward from where we are today, I see nothing wrong in the ruling party picking who it thinks can work with the President-elect as the Senate President of the 10th Assembly. On this Akpabio and Barau project we are together to make sure they win”.
“Akpabio supported me during my governorship ambition. He stood by me all through and ensured that I won. I don’t pay back good with evil. This is pay back time for him. I will stand by him until he emerges the next Senate President. Our team would soon meet to take a position on your aspiration.
“Don’t be worried or disturbed with the contending forces against your aspiration, it is normal in politics. Power is not given on a platter, you fight for it. I am impressed that despite your endorsement by your party and the President-elect, you are still consulting your colleagues. That is the way it should be.
“Let us be fair to this country. If we continue this way, Nigeria will not succeed. Don’t waiver stay firm and you will win at the end of the day,” he stressed.
In his response, the Senate Presidential hopeful, Senator Godswill Akpabio thanked Wike for his support for his aspiration to emerge the next Senate President, saying, “let me congratulate you for ending your tenure as the governor of River State on the high. You have done well for your people and Nigerians. History would be kind to you as you exit office in the next few days. You believe in justice, equity and fairness and that is what Nigerians know you for.
Earlier, the DG of the group, Senator Ali Ndume, had described Governor Wike as a man of his words and very reliable. According to him, “Governor Wike was the first to buy into the Akpabio/ Barau project. Wike is a reliable individual that is always committed to his promises. We need your support at this crucial time because you are very influential in the PDP.”
Nigeria’s President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has made a promise to spread development across the length and breadth of the country
Tinubu said no part of the country would be marginalized during his reign as the country’s president.
The former Lagos governor made this speech on Wednesday during his two-day visit to Rivers state to commission projects.
Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike had invited Tinubu to the state to help commission some projects in the state.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by Abdulaziz Abdulaziz for the Office of the President-elect.
“I will not marginalise any region, but will leave legacy projects across the length and breadth of Nigeria,” the President-elect said at the opening of the Rumuokwuta/Rumuola flyover bridge.
Tinubu then praised Wike for the development strides in the state, particularly for the 12 flyovers constructed across the capital city, Port Harcourt, saying posterity would kindly remember him.
Continuing, Tinubu said Wike’s accomplishment in Rivers shows that Nigeria would be needing his services in higher capacities.
Thanking citizens of the state for their support during the February 25 presidential election, Tinubu assured them that he would fulfil the promises he made to the state during the campaign period.
He was quoted as saying, “If you make a promise, you keep it.
“I will never forget the pivotal role the great and wonderful people of this state played in my victorious campaign to become the next president of this country. You have my eternal gratitude.
“In His Excellency, Governor Wike, I see a man of principle. He took a principled stand that the presidency should be returned to the South; and he had the courage to stand by his convictions, not minding whose ox was gored.
“He is, indeed, a man of great integrity. He did not choose to serve his own interests, but rather, the interests of the nation and the people of Rivers State. I thank him for his selfless leadership,” he added.
On his part, Wike appreciated the President-elect for agreeing to visit the state to inaugurate the projects. He also applauded Tinubu’s victory at the polls, saying it shamed naysayers.
Present during the inauguration included the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, and governors Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), David Umahi (Ebonyi), Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq (Kwara), Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Hope Uzodinma (Imo).
Others were former governors Dr Peter Odili (Rivers), Chief Bisi Akande (Osun), Chief James Ibori (Delta), Dr Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Chief Timipre Sylva (Bayelsa) and Chief Ayo Fayose (Ekiti).
Also in attendance were the governor-elect of Rivers State, Mr Sim Fubara; Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, amongst others.
Rivers State, Governor Nyesom Wike has declared Wednesday, 3rd of May a public holiday ahead of the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s visit to the state.
The Governor in a state broadcast on Tuesday announced that Tinubu would inaugurate Rumuola/Rumuokwuta Flyover and the ultra-modern Magistrates’ Court Complex, Port Harcourt during his two days official visit to the state on Wednesday and Thursday.
He said: “For us, it is an honour to the people of Rivers State and the government to host the President-Elect on this historic visit. Consequently, I urge all Rivers citizens to come out en masse to receive His Excellency Senator Bola Tinubu and display the traditional Rivers hospitality as he commissions these legacy projects to God’s glory and the advancement of the state development.
“Given this, I hereby declare Wednesday, 3rd of May 2023, a public holiday to enable the people of Rivers State to receive our President-Elect rousingly.”
Wike also ordered all shops and business premises along Rumuola to Rumuokwuta roads in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the State to remain closed on Wednesday from 8.00 am to 3.00 pm and urged all labour unions and security agencies to comply with the closure order.
Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers, on Monday, directed the State Civil Service Commission to immediately issue promotion letters to 4,000 eligible civil servants who were recently promoted in the state.
Wike gave the directive during the workers day celebration in Port Harcourt, assuring that the entire promotion exercise of other categories would be completed before the expiration of his tenure.
Wike, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Tammy Danagogo, commended the workers, saying they are the vehicle to deliver the action plans and services of the state to the people of the state.
He said that his administration had approved the promotion of over 4,000 eligible civil servants to their appropriate grade levels.
Wike urged Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to work together to protect and advance the social economic interest of the state and the citizens.
He gave an assurance that his administration will clear all the challenges facing the Civil service in
terms of pension and gratuities, among others, seeking for workers patience and understanding in the process.
Engr. Festus Osifo, the National President of the Trade Union Congress(TUC), commended workers for their hard work to move the country, especially Rivers state, forward.
Osifo who was represented by Mr Ikechukwu Onyefuru, the State Chairman of the TUC, congratulated Gov. Wike for his developmental strides during his administration.
He stated that the TUC would work with the incoming governor-elect, Mr Sim Fubara, to move the state forward in development.
Osifo appealed that the rights of workers in the state and the country at large be respected in social, economic and justice.
He said that the TUC had duly approved the amendment by the Federal Government that railway is removed from exclusive list to concurrent list making it possible for states to invest in the infrastructure.
He stated that the amendment would be a great opportunity for Rivers state to partner with investors to do concept, design, execute and Commission railings along the length and breadth of the state.
The State Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Alex Agwanwor, appealed to the state government to implement the consentrative executive salary structure which was approved by the National Salary, Income and wages Commission in 2019.
Agwanwor appealed to the state government to restore the payment of overhead, imprest to heads of extra ministerial departments and schools, including rural allowances which will serve incentives for more effective deliveries for the teachers and ministries that are in the rural areas.
Mrs Edna Ufon, one of the workers who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) commended the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for the current increase of 40 per cent salary to Nigerian workers.
Ufon called on the incoming administration that will be inaugurated on the May 29, to continue to improve on the welfare of Nigerian workers and the masses at large.
Ufon said that with the current increase of salaries, workers will be more productive without waiting for inducement before they do their jobs.
Senator Magnus Abe, Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate has said he was not prepared for war against Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, who claimed that the governor failed to provide security in Rivers during the recent Governorship and State House of Assembly elections.
He noted that Wike is trying to discredit him and his aspirations.
He spoke while fielding questions on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Thursday.
According to him, “If you could recall, the Social Democratic Party was none-existence in Rivers State, practically so a few months ago until we came into the party.
“Now, when you talk about being serious, yes, I was not prepared for war, so if he [Wike] says I was not prepared, I was not prepared for war. But in a serious election, people are allowed to come out and vote, so we did not prepare for war, we prepared for elections. It is the responsibility of the government to have provided an environment in which Rivers people can vote and now that did not happen.
“Now, what the governor is trying to do for some reasons and I want Nigerians to look into it, all through the elections, he was not attacking Senator Abe. Now that the elections are over, all of a sudden, Senator Abe is his prime target, trying to discredit me and my aspirations.
“Now let me say this, he is an Ikwerre man. The thing he is fighting for at the national level is that a Fulani man should not succeed another Fulani man, but in Rivers State, he is an Ikwerre man. He had his own ambition to succeed his brother Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who is also from Ikwerre. He came out and pursued that ambition without reservation.
“People died for him to achieve that. He did not say his ambition was unserious, but I am an Ogoni man. In the entire history of Rivers State, no Ogoni man has ever had the opportunity to even contest in a major political party and I decided to contest.
“I have no apologies to offer to anybody. I am eminently qualified. Rivers people knew who won the election. They knew who also did not win the election. So whatever the governor wants to say, he is free to say it. But I want to say here to the entire world that my name is Senator Magnus Abe.
“So somebody who did not run a campaign, who did not win the election, was declared winner with almost three hundred thousand votes. So I did not need to go. He is free to say whatever he likes. He is a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but he should also understand that we, too, are citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and we have our rights, and I am not somebody he can just come out and hush in public, he should say what he wants to say, but I have the right to contest and I am very proud of the fact that I stood out for my right and Rivers peoples stood with me.
“If he wanted to know what Rivers people think about him, his administration and me and about my right to contest, the proper thing to have done was to have allowed an election. He didn’t allow one. So having scuttled the election, he has no right to come out and run down anybody. He cannot do that.”
A spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar has chided Rivers State Governor Nysesom Wike for abandoning his official duty on Monday morning to drink alcohol.
Wike who spoke at an event in Emohua Local Government Area last week said he was drinking alcohol while watching Atiku, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the party national chairman, Iyorchai Ayu, and other party members on a protest to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
“I called some of my friends and opened the 40-year-old whisky as they were protesting,” Wike told the gathering.
In a statement on Sunday, Phrank Shaibu advised Wike to stay off alcohol which he said had “affected his voice and demeanour”.
Shaibu recalled that on March 6, Atiku, party members, and supporters demonstrated against “the stealing of the mandate of the Nigerian people.”
“The protest occurred around 11:30 am. Governor Wike says he was drinking whiskey during the protest at 11:30 am on a Monday.
“This reveals the sort of man he is – a dipsomaniac who abandons his official duties on Monday morning to binge on whiskey, “he stated.
Noting that it was unfortunate that Wike steers the wheel of governance in Rivers with such a habit, Shaibu insisted the governor’s “vituperations and wailings” had nothing to do with ensuring that the South produces the next president.
Wike, according to him, is “a sore loser who had gone on to deceive other members of his G5 who are now battling for political survival. ”
Shaibu said Wike has been wailing because he lost the PDP ticket “in a fair contest” and “deceived four other governors to join his futile campaign.”
The aide further mocked the three G5 governors who “failed woefully at their senatorial elections,” despite being in office for years.
Shaibu added that the re-election of Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde “is hanging by a thread after his misadventure cost the PDP to lose all three senatorial elections”.
The statement observed the Rivers helmsman has not held a meeting with his colleagues “having dumped them since their defeat.”
It hailed Nigerians that have signed a petition demanding that the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union impose a visa ban on Wike.
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has revealed that he will not contest for the presidency of Nigeria again in his lifetime.
Wike said that according to the formation, power will definitely shift to the north after the south might have spent eight years in Aso Rock.
Wike made this revelation while addressing party supporters during the governorship election campaign rally in Port Harcourt on Saturday.
The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been declared the winner of the 2023 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Although, his closest challengers have approached the court to seek redress citing some irregularities in the conduct and process of counting election results.
Wike said the reason he fought for power to return to the South was not to become President, insisting that it was not about him but a matter of principle.
“It’s not everyone that started a revolution that will benefit from it. I did it. I fought it and it doesn’t matter. Whether I become President or not is immaterial.
“What is material is that power has come to the South. It must not be me. It must not be me. It’s a matter of principle.
“If it finishes from the South, it goes to the North. I won’t run again. Because the South will finish in eight years and it goes to the North. Because it’s that principle of [power rotation] that brings peace. It’s what brings unity.”
Wike had fought against the national body of his party the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) for fielding a northern candidate and ensured the party did not win the presidential election in Rivers State.
The Rivers -born politician formed an alliance with four other governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) known as the G-5 Governors.
Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers says he did not support the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi overtly at the Feb. 25 election because nobody discussed Igbo presidency with him.
Publicity Secretary of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Dr. Alex Ogbonnia stated on Friday in Enugu that Wike made the declaration at a meeting the socio-political group had with him in Port Harcourt on Thursday
Ogbonnia stated that at the meeting, Ohaneze Ndigbo confronted Wike over his alleged role against Obi during the presidential election.
He stated that Gov. Wike expressed surprise that Ohanaeze was on a fact-finding mission and would explain his role at the presidential election.
According to Ogbonnia, the Rivers governor explained that the Southern Governors Forum first met at Asaba and agreed that power must shift to the South after President Muhammadu Buhari.
He explained also that the governors later met in Enugu in September 2021 to reaffirm their position for power to shift to the South.
He stated that throughout the meetings, “the issue of presidency to the Southeast was never on the table.’’
Wike also explained that throughout his political adventure, he tried as much as possible to maintain the position of the Southern governors.
Wike expressed disgust that during the PDP presidential primary election, several well-known people of the Southeast betrayed him and sabotaged the Southern interest by voting for a candidate from the northern parts.
He added that his unalloyed commitment to the South motivated him “to provide logistics for Obi when he was in Rivers for the presidential campaign’’.
Wike noted that conversely, he refused to provide even a campaign ground for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of his own Peoples Democratic Party.
The governor further stated that “what is circulating in the social media is the handiwork of Wike adversaries.’’
“For instance, the `Full Audio of Governor Wike Caught on Tape Arranging Bribe for INEC Officials’ and published by an online medium, has been on YouTube since Dec. 16, 2016,’’ Wike told Ohaneze.
He explained that “some mischief makers were using some doctored and false audio and visual materials on the internet to dent Wike’s image.’’
The governor in admitting that all the decisions he took with respect to the 2023 presidential elections were based on his personal convictions, queried if Ohanaeze Ndigbo ever requested him to support Obi.
“I am a man with the courage of my convictions and have no reasons to tell lies or to owe apology to anyone.
“I am always ready to defend my actions any day and at any time and I did not rig the presidential election against Obi,’’ Ogbonnia quoted Wike as having said.
The Ohaneze publicity secretary stated also that its delegation led by Dr Kingsley Chidozie, the Vice President-General (Abia) nominated Barr Peter Aneke to speak on its behalf at the meeting.
Aneke thanked Gov. Wike for the cordial relationship the Igbo community enjoyed in Rivers.
He highlighted the cordial relationship between the people of the Southeast of Nigeria and those of Rivers and wondered how an Ikwerre man would, in good conscience, work against the Igbo presidency.
He told Wike that the Igbo all over the world were aggrieved with him, especially as the alleged rigging was circulating on the Internet.
Aneke also told Gov. Wike that the Ohanaeze considered it a duty to confront him over the alleged widespread electoral malpractice in Rivers against Obi.
He expressed deep sadness that Obi could win in metropolitan Lagos, Abuja, and several other places in the northern parts of Nigeria, only to record low votes in Rivers.
Aneke added that the delegation was on a fact-finding mission and that both the Igbo elders and youths were eager to know why Wike went the extra mile to pull Obi down in Rivers.
He enjoined Wike to imagine what would have been the outcome of the election if the Rivers governor had supported Obi at the election.
A Federal High Court, Abuja has fixed May 31 for judgment in a suit filed by Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers praying for an order restraining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from suspending or expelling him from the party.
Justice James Omotosho fixed the date on Monday after counsel to the governor, Dr. Joshua Musa, SAN, and lawyer to the PDP, Johnson Usman, SAN, adopted their processes and presented their arguments for and against the suit.
Wike had sued the PDP, its National Working Committee (NWC), and National Executive Committee (NEC) as 1st to 3rd respondents respectively.
The governor, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/139/2023, also joined the National Chairman of PDP, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu; National Secretary of PDP, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 4th to 6th respondents respectively.
Wike is praying for an order directing all parties to maintain status quo and staying all actions in the matter relating to the threat to suspend or expel him by the 1st to 5th respondents pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion.
Justice Omotosho had, on Feb. 2, gave an interim order against the party and others listed in the face of Wike’s motion dated and field on Feb. 2.
The judge, who extended the restraining order on Feb. 14, held that all parties should maintain a status quo pending the hearing and determination of the suit.
Upon resumed hearing on Monday, Musa informed the court that the matter was adjourned for hearing and he was ready to proceed.
He said that the fundamental right of his client to freedom of association was being breached due to the threat by the respondents to suspend and subsequently expel him from the party, hence, the need to approach the court.
But responding, Usman, who appeared for PDP and others, disagreed with Musa’s submission.
He argued that the case was only based on speculation as Wike had failed to provide any evidence to substantiate that the respondents intended to suspend or expel him from the party.
He said the party had not contemplated to suspend or expel members of the G5 Governors or the Integrity Group.
“We have said that there is no threat to suspend the applicant and the onus is on him to proof this,” he said.
The lawyer, who stressed that the case was within the realm of conjuncture, said the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
Besides, he argued that whether the action was brought by fundamental rights enforcement suit was not enough.
“You must exhaust the internal mechanism of the party.
“And having failed to do this, this court has no jurisdiction to hear the suit and I pray that the matter be struck out,” he said, citing a Supreme Court judgment to back his argument.
He said the issue brought before the court was a family affair, urging the court to dismiss the suit for lacking in merit.
He said the suit was defective and incompetent which constituted an abuse of court process.
Musa, who disagreed with Usman’s position, urged the court to dismiss the respondents’ preliminary objection.
He said in response, he filed a reply on points of law on Feb. 16.
“We adopt this as our oral argument in urging your lordship to dismiss the preliminary objection,” he said.
The senior lawyer also argued that the theory of exhaustion did not apply to issues of fundamental right.
Besides, he said the authority cited by Usman did not border on issues of fundamental right actions.
“He has stated that the 2nd and 3rd respondents (NWC and NEC) are not juristic persons.in their preliminary objection, but we submit that the constitution recognises the organs of a political party in Section 223 …
“So it is strange to say that they are not juristic persons,” he said.
Musa argued that though Usman said that there was no attempt to either suspend or expelled Wike, but copious of allegations were made against the governor in their application in Paragraphs 6, 7, 8, 11, 19, 20, 21, and 22.
“So why are they approbating and reprobating? Therefore, we have a reasonable cause of action to assume that they intend to suspend or expel the applicant,” he said.
In a reply on points of law filed by Musa, the lawyer stated that for no justifiable reason and without being afforded fair hearing, the party had threatened to suspend or expel his client in violation of Section 36(1) and 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Justice Omotosho adjourned the suit until May 31 for judgment.