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Tag: Wike

  • You’re an ungrateful personality – Wike lashes back at Obaseki

    You’re an ungrateful personality – Wike lashes back at Obaseki

    …says Oshiomhole deserves an apology

    …tenders apology to Oshiomhole

    Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on Monday, described his Edo State counterpart, Godwin Obaseki as a serial traitor and an ungrateful personality.

    Reacting to an advertorial credited to Obaseki over the crisis in the Edo State Chapter of PDP, Wike said, the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomole, has been vindicated on the position he took against Obaseki which forced his defection to the Peoples Democratic Party.

    “If you ask anybody or check the DNA of Obaseki, you will discover that he is a serial betrayer and an ungrateful person. I apologise to Oshiomole who told us about Obaseki. You have been vindicated”, he said .

    According to Wike, everything Oshiomhole said about the character of the Edo State Governor had come to pass, adding that he (Wike), has tendered an unreserved apology to Oshiomole for ignoring his warnings about Obaseki.

  • You must be delusional as PDP is not your personal property – Obaseki tells Wike

    You must be delusional as PDP is not your personal property – Obaseki tells Wike

    Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, on Monday slammed his counterpart from Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, insisting Peoples Democratic Party PDP is not his personal outfit but public property.

    He accused Wike of appropriating PDP as his personal property, warned the Rivers helmsman that Edo State cannot be procured.

    Recall the Rivers Governor had launched a verbal attack against Obaseki’s deputy, Philip Shaibu, for protesting the exclusion of his supporters in the affairs of the party.

    Wike had said: “This is the same deputy governor that was kneeling down to beg for us to give them umbrella, today you have the effrontery to threaten PDP. Such a shame.”

    But Obaseki, in a statement, wonders how Wike who threatens the PDP regularly to the point of being a bully, would take a genuine grievance from his deputy as a threat.

    “It clearly amounts to the delusion of grandeur, for any one man to nurse the idea that he owns or has more stake in the PDP and everyone should pander to him,” Obaseki wrote.

    Insisting that Wike is nursing a presidential ambition, Obaseki said that should not be a reason for him to destroy the PDP or cause disruptions within the party.

    “While Governor Wike is free to use his resources as he deems fit in pursuit of his ambition, he should not attempt to cow, intimidate, cajole and threaten others into doing his bidding.

    “Edo State cannot and will not be procured for anyone’s personal ambition,” he said.

    Read Obaseki’s full statement below

    The recent personal attacks by His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Nyesom Wike, against my Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu is, to say the least, most unfortunate and totally uncalled for.

    If Governor Wike was one who is wont to show respect and courtesy to his colleague-governors, he would have ordinarily reached out to me to express his concerns about the views made by my deputy governor, rather than embarking on this unwarranted public onslaught.

    My deputy governor was a former National President of the National Association of Nigerian Student (NANS) and his comment is representative of the essence of the nation’s youth population, who are inclined to openly speak up and question the status quo. If Governor Wike cannot understand and adequately respond to the style and character of the Nigerian youth, how can he aspire to lead them?

    His Excellency, Governor Wike should have taken a cue from the manner in which the National Chairman of our party, Sen. Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, responded to my deputy’s remarks, as a conscientious leader who is able to show empathy and consideration.

    The concerns expressed by my deputy governor bordered on pertinent issues affecting the PDP in Edo State which since the September 19th 2020 elections, has been able to register over 500,000 members; and till date, these new members have not been properly integrated into our party after two years.

    Also, the leaders, executives and members who came with me into the party have still not been accepted, integrated or harmonized into the party.

    More worrisome is the fact that old members of Edo PDP, who are open to inclusion and supportive of building a large party are being vilified and ostracized by a cabal purportedly led by Chief Dan Orbih, who is your perpetual guest in Port Harcourt and is remotely used to orchestrate the destabilization of the party in Edo State.

    It is necessary to recall at this point that a political solution gave rise to the emergence of Chief Dan Orbih first as Acting and then as Substantive National Vice Chairman, South South, of our party, when Chief Emma Ogidi resigned that position to allow Chief Orbih to ascend.

    It is therefore curious why this type of political solution is no longer tenable to resolve the political impasse in Edo State PDP.

    We can categorically state that in the comments of the deputy governor, he at no point threatened the party as Governor Wike has alleged. Rather, it is Governor Wike, who has at different times, threatened the PDP. Some of these instances include:

    1. On September 16, 2018, Governor Wike threatened the party that there would be grave consequences if it moved the National Convention from Port Harcourt in the run up to the 2019 presidential election.

    2. On September 12, 2019, Governor Wike also threatened to cause trouble for the party over the emergence of Hon. Ndudi Elumelu as the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

    Undoubtedly, Governor Wike has contributed to the advancement of the party, just like others, since 1999.

    No one is against his desire to run for president, however, his ambition should not be embarked on in such a way that it would cause disruption at different levels, such as the PDP Governors’ Forum as well as different chapters of the party across the country.

    It clearly amounts to the delusion of grandeur, for any one man to nurse the idea that he owns or has more stake in the PDP and everyone should pander to him.

    We are all equal stakeholders in the party and an aggregate of the ideas, opinions and contributions of all leaders and members should form the position of the party and not the view of one individual or a select few.

    While Governor Wike is free to use his resources as he deems fit in pursuit of his ambition, he should not attempt to cow, intimidate, cajole and threaten others into doing his bidding. Edo State cannot and will not be procured for anyone’s personal ambition.

    What Nigeria needs now are strong democratic institutions and not strong men; that is why we will join the great leaders of our party across the country to build PDP into a strong, large and indomitable party that will win next year’s presidential election.

    Governor Wike and his collaborators headed by Chief Dan Orbih in Edo State will not succeed in destabilizing the PDP in Edo State as they did other states like Cross River just to secure delegates to actualize his alleged personal ambition to run for the presidency in 2023.

    In Edo, we don’t accept political bullies and overlords and historically, we have demonstrated our capacity to unshackle ourselves and dethrone bullies and highhanded leaders.

    I appeal to all well-meaning leaders of our great party to call Governor Wike to order, to desist from his current unguarded and disruptive tendencies. From all indications today, PDP is set to take over the leadership of Nigeria provided we can rein in the self interest of a few leaders to put the task of rescuing Nigeria above their personal ambitions.

  • Return PDP’s mandate and defect – Wike tells Umahi

    Return PDP’s mandate and defect – Wike tells Umahi

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has called on his Ebonyi State counterpart, David Umahi, to return the mandate he got on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

     

    The Rivers governor, who spoke during the inauguration of the Eastern Bypass Road in Port Harcourt on Saturday said the proper thing for Umahi to have done was seek an appeal to the judgment of the court and not making reckless statement against the judge.

     

    The governor further disclosed that he had written a letter to the National Chairman of the PDP, Iyorchia Ayu, demanding disciplinary action against the Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shuaibu, for his remarks against PDP.

     

    He said: “Look at a governor making a reckless statement simply because a judge made a judgement according to his own opinion, which you are entitled to appeal up to Supreme Court.

     

    “You have called somebody a thief in the market and you’re saying I’m sorry, It is late. That you’re sorry, we the members of the public, we don’t take it”.

     

    According to him, “it was the first in the country’s s political history that the defection of a governor to another party was contested in court.”

     

    Wike posited that the decision of the PDP to challenge the defection of the governor and others elected on its platform should be seen as a clear example of strengthening democracy.

     

    The Rivers governor explained that PDP members took Umahi to court demanding the mandate of the party from him.

     

    In his words: “If our party has done this earlier when people were leaving in the National Assembly, we won’t have had the problem we are having today.

     

    “That is one of the problems of party leadership. People cannot come out and take the bull by the horns. So, Governor Umahi, be rest assured that PDP will continue this matter down to Supreme Court. We will continue with the matter.”

     

    He said it was no longer acceptable for someone to win an election and defect with the victory to another party for fear of escaping visitation of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, (EFCC).

     

    “You carry the votes of another party and join another party. Can you transfer votes? You work hard for somebody to win the election and tomorrow, the person says I have defected.

     

    “If you have defected, leave the seat if you know it’s easy. And this will checkmate most of these political harlots who will never sit one place.”

  • Atiku is taking PDP delegates for granted — Wike

    Atiku is taking PDP delegates for granted — Wike

    The Rivers State governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has said the comment by the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, that he would always clinch the ticket of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, meant taking delegates of the party for granted.

    Wike also has said the outcome of the PDP presidential primaries would shock Nigerians, noting that whoever emerges of all the aspirants should rest assured that the entire party would rally around and make sure that he wins the 2023 presidential election.

    Speaking on the timetable just released by the Independent National Electoral Committee (INEC) timetable over the weekend, Governor Wike expressed confidence that the National Executive Committee (NWC) of the PDP will ensure the party abides by the timetable.

    “We are a law-abiding party. The party will soon meet, the NEC will meet and find the way forward on how we will put our house in order and make sure we religiously follow the timetable of INEC without violating any provision of the law and guidelines that INEC may have produced,” he said.

    The Governor commended PDP leadership in Plateau, Cross River and Ondo State for the sterling performance of the party in Saturday’s bye-election, attributed the victory of the PDP in the Jos North/Bassa federal constituency in Plateau State to the recent decision of the former Plateau State governor, Jonah Jang and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FTC), Senator Jeremiah Useni to set aside their differences and work for the interest of the party.

    He also lauded the PDP for winning the Akpabuyo State Constituency bye-election in Cross River State, irrespective of the violence unleashed by the APC government in the State.

  • APC slams Wike, says governance dwindling under his watch

    APC slams Wike, says governance dwindling under his watch

     

    The Rivers chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC on Friday slammed Governor Nyesom Wike‘s adminstration saying 2022 has showcased dwindling governance in the Garden City.

    This was contained in a statement issued by the chapter’s Publicty Secretary, Senibo Chris Finebone who claimed Wike is on a political jamboree at the detriment of Rivers people.

    Read full statement below:

    2022 HERALDS WORSENING CONDITION OF GOVERNANCE IN RIVERS STATE, SAYS RIVERS APC

    It was long expected that the very bad governance of Gov. Nyesom Wike will further slide as 2023 general elections approached.

    What was not envisaged was the speed and how early in 2022 things would plummet leaving hapless Rivers people and residents with the short end of the stick.
    The year began with a New Year broadcast by Gov Wike serving warning how he intended to fight illegal crude oil refiners in Rivers State. Ordinarily, the announcement was received with animated enthusiasm by all, at least, believing that the action would bring the persistent soot bedeviling our lives to an end.

    In the melodrama that ensued, the governor and his men embarked on some kneejerk discovery and destruction of some refining sites and equipment. After a few days, the governor yielded the fight to the local government bosses. How well the fight is being conducted and the expected positive result appear to pale into insignificance while the soot is still ravaging our lives.

    Next was the rediscovery of what the governor had earlier ‘discovered’ on assumption of office in 2015. Faced with the attraction of having a second aircraft to aid his godfather status in PDP, Gov Wike suddenly remembered that the Rivers State owned Legacy 600 aircraft sitting somewhere in Germany would be handy. He decided to create some drama around the aircraft so that Rivers people and Nigerians get talking while he snicks the refurbished aircraft into Nigeria for the use of his party during the approaching campaigns. Thinking of himself as a smart artful dodger, he plotted that act such that we all will be thanking him for playing Mungo Park to the aircraft while his party people use it at the expense of Rivers tax payers. But like they say, there is never a perfect crime. Gov Wike forgot that he had addressed the press on June 20, 2015

    speaking extensively on the location of the two State-owned aircraft. He had said one aircraft was grounded at the Port Harcourt Airforce Base and the Legacy 600 somewhere in Germany. Then he had promised and did send someone to Germany the next day being 21st June, 2015 to confirm the status of the Legacy 600.
    Suddenly, in 2022 the governor announced seven clear years after, that he just discovered (maybe rediscovered) a state-owned aircraft spirited away to Germany by his predecessor through unexplained intelligence. But we caught him red handed! Hardly had he finished his announcement when a journalist sent a link to a publication dated 21st June, 2015 where a national newspaper reported Gov Wike’s speech on the same aircraft about a month after he was sworn in as governor in 2015. This lie by him was effectively busted!

    The governor said he had already spent over 3m Euro on the Legacy 600. But concerned Rivers people query why the governor should profligately spend such humongous sum of money on an aircraft with very high total cost of ownership (particularly high operating cost due to age). But Rivers people mean nothing to the governor. He is bent on spending our common resources under his control as he pleases as long as he will use the aircraft for campaigns as against the intention of his predecessor to fix the aircraft and sell it off to stem further financial hemorrhage on the state coffers. After all, Rivers State is governed by a ‘big boy.’

    It was disheartening to be greeted on the social media this morning by a group of elderly men and women singing and praying to God for divine intervention so that Gov Wike may pay them their gratuity and pension even as many of them have already died for lack of subsistence and medical care.

    Many might be wondering why a state whose governor doles out hundreds of millions of Naira to faraway states has refused to pay gratuity and pensions to senior citizens of his own State who spent the best part of their lives serving the State.

    But it is what it is! We have watched some families that hitherto lived well, now scrounge to have one meal a day because they are not paid their due pensions.

    Meanwhile, residents of a number of waterfront communities numbering over 100,000 have been rendered homeless and destitute after one week quit notice the governor gave them. Their plight is further worsened by the fact that the action was put into effect in the very difficult month of January.

    However, most annoying is the feeble and mindless attempt by the government to liken the present ejection of those waterfront dwellers to what happened at Njemanze and Abonnema Wharf waterfronts during the administration of Wike’s predecessor. But the government is being clever by half by suppressing the fact that what happened at those two waterfronts was well structured and properly thought through in the sense that all residents and landlords were enumerated and landlords compensated well in advance before the areas were legally acquired by the government then. There was no case like that of a 90-year old woman named Madam Brown singing and placing curses on Gov Wike for rendering her homeless on earth.

    Senibo Chris Finebone
    State Publicity Secretary
    Rivers APC
    10//2/2022

  • Wike’s displacement of .1m Rivers people wicked, evil, inhuman – Dakuku Peterside

    Wike’s displacement of .1m Rivers people wicked, evil, inhuman – Dakuku Peterside

    Former Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside says Governor Nyesom Wike’s forceful ejection of over 100,000 poor and vulnerable Rivers residents from their waterfront homes is “wicked, evil and inhuman,” pointing out that it is part of the governor’s plans to convert the areas into personal ownership.

    The former NIMASA arrowhead was reacting to the recent ejection of residents from more than 10 waterfront communities in Diobu, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    Dakuku, who described Wike’s action against the residents as callous, said the spite with which the governor treated the waterfront occupants was cruel as there was no lawful quit notice or any compensation paid.

    “This commando-style of doing things always adopted by Wike has become the hallmark of his administration and its legacy,” he stressed.

    While noting that Governor Wike’s action against the waterfront residents is against all Universal Laws and Conventions on Human Rights and Habitation, including the United Nations Human Settlement Programme, UN-Habitat, United Nations Housing Rights Programme, UNHRP, the 1948 Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and Nigeria’s Policy on Housing, Peterside stressed that shelter was a right and fundamental to the welfare, survival and health of man.

    “For Wike, who, in the over six years of his regime, was unable to provide any sort of housing programme for Rivers residents, to sack them from the little they had, shows how he holds Rivers’ poor population in disdain. Some of the residents of those demolished areas, most of whom are Rivers people, had lived there for over forty years. His actions have dislocated many families and ruined their economic survival, throwing them into the worst form of poverty. Gov. Wike’s action has created more nuisance than sanity or security,” he stated.

    Dr Peterside said in as much as he stood with and would support any urban renewal programme, such should follow due process and have human face.

    “I totally support urban renewal but it should follow due process that will respect human dignity and inflict minimal pains on the people. A responsible government would plan with inputs from all critical stakeholders, reach an understanding with residents of the affected areas on a workable timeline, and pay necessary financial compensation to cushion the effects of consequential migration.

    “Rivers people do not know the vision and development goals of the Wike administration for waterfront development other than primitive acquisition of land for the governor and his cronies” said Dakuku.

    He challenged Wike to make public his development plans for those sacked waterfront settlements if he had any.

    “Knowing Wike too well, he has no development plans for them. If he didn’t have any development plan for Rivers State since 2015, is it now that he is engulfed in the politics of his 2023 ambition that he would have development plan? The use of the left hand is not learnt in old age. By May this year, Wike would have spent 7 years in office but with absolutely nothing to show of how he has helped lift Rivers people out of poverty, or how he has helped Rivers youth develop themselves.

    “All he is interested in is transactions that will give him monetary benefits. Those sacked waterfront residents should not forget Wike’s wickedness against them and repay him and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, come 2023,” he summed up.

  • Wike tasks traditional rulers on thwarting illegal oil bunkering activities

    Wike tasks traditional rulers on thwarting illegal oil bunkering activities

    Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers has charged traditional rulers in the state to prevent illegal oil bunkering and artisanal refinery activities in their domains.

    Wike gave the charge when he presented Staff of Office and Certificates of Recognition to Chief Chidi Awuse, the Nne-Nwe-Eli Emohua XIII (OLO IV), Ohna, and Chief Ozuowuowu Amos, the Nye Nwe Ali Akpor, Orlu Orieb,e as first-class chiefs on Monday in Port Harcourt.

    Wike, who reiterated his resolve to sustain the war against illegal oil bunkering and artisanal refining activities, urged the King of Akpor in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area and the King of Omerelu in Ikwerre council not to allow such activities to thrive anymore in their respective domains.

    Wike said the state government will not hesitate to depose the King of Akpor Kingdom if illegal oil bunkering in Rumuokparali and Ogbogoro communities persisted.

    He also frowned at the king of Omerelu community in Ikwerre Local Government Area where illegal oil bunkering activities are thriving.

    “Aside from the soot problem and economic sabotage associated with the criminal activities, the internal roads being reconstructed by my administration in Omerelu had been damaged.

    “We are doing internal roads in Omerelu. This is a community that has been crying for roads and we have given them not less than 11/12 kilometers of internal roads.

    “And now they are spoiling them because of the conveying of the products. We can’t continue to accept that.

    “I can’t understand why you just want to collect the chieftaincy title and do nothing,” the governor said.

    Wike told the two kings to come to terms with the responsibilities associated with their new statuses and discharge them effectively.

    He also enjoined them to ensure that peace prevailed in their domains by attending to all shades of conflicts so that they do not snowball into crises.

    Besides, he charged them to steer clear from partisan politics, but “be willing always to work in synergy with the government, in order to promote governance at the grassroots”.

    Wike explained that the demolition of shanties in the state would continue, “because hoodlums use such places as hideouts to perpetuate their criminal activities including those found in the government residential areas in the state”.

  • Rivers: Wike orders LGA Chairmen to destroy all illegal refinery sites

    Rivers: Wike orders LGA Chairmen to destroy all illegal refinery sites

    Gov.Nyesom Wike of Rivers, has ordered all the 23 Local Government Area Chairmen to hire bulldozers and destroy every identified illegal crude oil bunkering and artisanal refinery sites in the state.

    Wike gave the order on Wednesday in a statement issued to newsmen by Mr Kelvin Ebiri, his Special Assistant on Media, after meeting with the 23 Local Government

    Area Chairmen, the State Commissioner of Police and the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Port Harcourt.

    He also asked the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Eboka Friday, to provide adequate security for the local government area chairmen as they embark on the mass destruction of illegal refinery sites across the State.

    Recalled that, Gov. Wike issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the 23 local government area chairmen on Jan. 14, to provide him a comprehensive list of all illegal refinery sites and their operators within their respective jurisdiction.

    Wike said with the receipt of the list of identified illegal refinery sites, the state government will provide financial support to the local government area chairmen to hire bulldozers and swamp buggies for the purpose of destroying all the sites.

    “I will not relent in this fight. And all of you should hire bulldozers. All those areas where the illegal refinery sites are in the bush, in the creek, clear the place. Government will give you some money to go and hire bulldozers to go and clear the sites so that they will know we are serious,” he said.

    According to the Governor, the government will not allow those engaged in illegitimate business to operate in Rivers State.

    “One thing I want to say and which is very clear, and like everybody knows, I am not against anybody making money. But, we cannot allow people to make money, while others are dying,” he stated.

    Wike acknowledged that since the State government intensified the fight against illegal refinery operators, who are primarily responsible for the discharge of impure carbon particles resulting from the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons into the atmosphere, the air quality in parts of the state has improved remarkably.

    He said he is mindful that as the State government intensifies the war against illegal refinery activities, the cartel behind these illicit businesses will make effort to compromise unscrupulous security agents in the state.

    Wike warned that he will personally visit the Inspector General of Police, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Chief of Army Staff in Abuja, to report any of their personnel implicated in illegal crude oil bunkering and artisanal refinery activities in the state.

    “You know in Nigeria, we don’t believe that anything can happen. We don’t take government seriously, but in our own case, they have no choice, they’ll take us seriously,” he stated.

    The Governor said his administration cannot fold its arms and watch some deviant persons destroy the environment and health of the citizens while waiting for the Federal Government to come up with action to end the soot crisis in the oil-producing states.

  • 2023 Election: Diri, Wike predict victory for PDP

    2023 Election: Diri, Wike predict victory for PDP

    Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa and his Rivers counterpart, Gov. Nyesom Wike, have predicted victory for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 presidential election.
    Both governors spoke on Monday when Wike visited Diri at the Government House in Yenagoa.
    According to Diri, only PDP can rescue Nigeria from insecurity and economic downturn.
    He said the party had been repositioned to be able to clinch the presidency in the 2023.
    He further said that PDP had the pedigree to give Nigerians hope and a sense of direction.
    “The presidency is one sacred office and we must do everything to protect it and ensure that our party clinches victory in the 2023 polls.
    “The number one thing for our party is our unity. Second is who becomes president.
    “We have a capable national chairman that can steer us back to power in 2023,” the Bayelsa governor said.
    He commended Wike for demonstrating leadership and purposeful governance.
    He underscored the need for greater unity among the states of the Niger Delta region to enable them to tackle their common challenges, particularly environmental pollution and underdevelopment.
    “Bayelsa and Rivers are sister-states historically and culturally and if anyone is trying to divide us, we must come against them.
    “I call on Ijaw leaders to come together and amicably resolve whatever issues we may have.
    “Within a family, we will always have issues but that should not remove our brotherliness,” Diri said.
    He further commended Wike for his role in ensuring that PDP was repositioned, describing him as a committed party man.
    In a remark, Wike expressed confidence that PDP would produce the next president of Nigeria.
    He emphasised the need for unity of purpose between Bayelsa, Rivers and PDP, saying that success would elude the party, if members failed to form a united front
    He lauded Duri for his developmental efforts and commitment to the party and urged the people of the state to continue to support him.
    “Today, I came to let everybody know that Douye Diri is one of the governors I can tell you has shown commitment even though he is new.
    “He believes in the development of his state.
    “I have also come to tell him that everybody must work together to make PDP united because without party there cannot be a presidential candidate.
    “Let us all unite. Nigerians are waiting for PDP and we cannot afford to miss this opportunity. As governors, we must work together.
    “Anybody can be a presidential candidate but if we are not united it cannot be possible,” Wike said.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Wike was accompanied on the visit by a high-powered delegation that included a former Rivers governor, Chief Celestine Omehia.
    Two former Deputy Speakers of the House of Representatives, Austin Opara and Prince Chibudom Nwuche, as well as a former Minister of Transport, Chief Abiye Sekibo, were also at the meeting.

  • Black Soot: Wike blows hot, declares 19 kingpins behind illegal bunkering in Rivers State wanted

    Black Soot: Wike blows hot, declares 19 kingpins behind illegal bunkering in Rivers State wanted

    Peeved by the nefarious activities of bunkerers, Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has declared nineteen (19) persons wanted for operating illegal crude oil refining sites responsible for the black soot pandemic in the State.

    The governor has also directed the Rivers State Head of Service to query one Mr. Temple Amakiri, a Director in the Ministry of Energy, for allegedly abetting bunkering activities and hand him over to the police for investigation and possible prosecution.

    Wike, in a statewide broadcast on Sunday said the government is resolved to pragmatically tackle the soot pandemic by destroying and closing down all identified illegal crude oil refining sites and activities in the State.

    He stated that following his 2022 New Year Message outlining measures to tackle the black soot menace, the State Taskforce on Illegal Street Trading
    raided some illegal crude oil refining sites in Port Harcourt and arrested a number of recalcitrant persons.

    “Furthermore, the following persons who have been identified as kingpins of bunkering and illegal crude oil refining activities in their communities have been declared wanted and directed to report themselves to the State Police Command, to whom we have already passed their details to:

    “Mr. Azubike Amadi, OSPAC Commander, Ogbogoro community and Chairman of Akpor Central OSPAC; Mr. India, of Rumuolumeni community and Chairman of Oil bunkering Association in Akpor kingdom; Mr. Okey who is in charge of Oil bunkering in Rumupareli; Mr. Anderson, who is in charge of oil bunkering activities in Ogbogoro community; Amadi Gift of Ogbogoro community; Azeruowa of Ogbogoro community; and Kingsley Egbula, also of Ogbogoro community.

    “Also declared wanted are the following persons who are alleged to be in charge of oil bunkering activities in Isiokpo community: Mr. Kemkom Azubike, Mr. Mezu Wabali, Mr. Chigozi Amadi, Mr. Opurum Owhondah, Mr. Bakasi Obodo ,Mr. Opus, Mr. Galaxi Mas, Mr. Chioma, Mr. Ogondah, Mr. Soldier, Mr. Chefo, and Nkasi.

    “We have also identified those behind illegal bunkering activities in Okrika communities, Port Harcourt Township, Rivers South-East and Rivers South-West Senatorial Districts and their names would be soon published and declared wanted, if they fail to voluntarily report to the police.”

    He urged residents of the State to report those involved in illegal crude oil refineries and other damnable activities to the Task Forces already set up at the State and Local Government levels for immediate action.

    Governor Wike also reaffirmed the total ban on the use of motorcycles in Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt councils, which was necessitated by the collective threat they posed to the security of lives and property.

    “Any person or corporate entity that requires the use of motorcycle for any lawful purposes must therefore first apply to the office of the Governor for permit and proper documentation of the operational details and particulars of both the motorcycle and designated rider(s).

    “Against this background, we are hereby issuing the final warning to all those operation motorcycles shuttles and or hawking foreign exchange along Birabi Street, Hotel Presidential, GRA junction by Zenith Bank up to Tombia Street to immediately leave or be arrested and prosecuted.”

    The governor accused the traditional leadership, including members of Community Development Committees and youth leaders of Rumuola, Rumuogba and Okoro-nu-odo communities of collecting money from vendors and allowing street trading activities around and under the flyovers in these communities.

    “Consequently, I hereby direct the traditional leadership of Rumuola, Rumuogba and Okoro-nu-odo communities to immediately stop all street trading activities around, in or under the flyovers in their respective domains or be deposed, arrested and prosecuted.

    “Similarly, the traditional leadership of Rumuwoji Mgbuduku, Obiekwe, Nkpolu-Oroworokwo, Abali, Rebisi, Rumukalagbor-Oroworokwo and Ezimgbu communities are hereby directed to enforce the ban and ensure that no form of trading takes place around and under the flyovers located in their communities.”

    Governor Wike also placed a total ban on the use of umbrella and table trading stands in the entire old and new GRAs of Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City, Eleme councils.

    According to him, government has credible evidence that most these purported traders in front of houses are informants who monitor and pass on vital details and information on the daily movement of very important persons to their criminal collaborators.

    Governor Wike frowned at the failure of the Rumuokurushe traditional leadership to honour the terms of their undertaking not to allow any form of street trading on the Rumuokurushe market.

    “Unfortunately, the Rumuokurushe traditional leadership has apparently failed to comply with or enforce this condition in that market and Government will not hesitate to again shut it down if the ongoing breach continues unabated.”