Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers on Monday relieved all his Special Advisers of their appointments except one.
A statement by Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, Special Assistant to the Governor on Electronic Media, said only the Special Adviser on Religious Affairs, Bishop Winston Iwo was retained.
NAN recalls that the governor had earlier sacked the state’s Executive Council on June 24.
The governor, who has less than two years into his first tenure, is yet to re-appoint new commissioners.
The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on Thursday said that the Federal Government would support efforts geared toward making life easier for the citizenry.
Osinbajo said this while inaugurating the 16-Km Chokocho-Umuechem-Ozuzu road and 14-Km Chokocho-Igbo-Etche-Rumuokurushi Inter-Change in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers, rehabilitated by the state government.
The acting President commended Gov. Nyesom Wike for his development feat and stressed the importance of the unity of the country.
According to him, Nigerians we must always maintain the unity of their country because the country is great in their diversity.
”We are greater together than apart,” he said.
Osinbajo, however, urged the leaders in government to de-emphasise partisan concerns and work in the interest of their people to make them feel the impact of the government.
”We must always look for ways to advance the interest of our people; today is a very happy day; we will always have happy days,” he said.
In his speech earlier, Gov. Nyesom Wike said that the two roads were damaged and thus, militated against the transportation of agricultural produce in the area.
Wike said the roads were reconstructed due to their importance in reviving the economy of Etche Local Government Area.
Chairperson of South-South Political Congress (SSPC), Mrs Ibifuro Tatua, on Tuesday advised Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers to stop promoting political conflicts with his utterances.
She told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt that some of Wike’s utterances were unbecoming of a governor.
Tatua advised the governor to focus on the governance of the state and desist from constant expression of anger and attack on perceived opponents, including Transport Minister, Mr Chibuike Amaechi.
She said that the people expected the governor to continue from where “his benefactor stopped but he appears to be a wrong partner for peace and progress’’.
According to her, a governor who stoops to tale-telling and spreading the seeds of discord in the state cannot be seen as a role model for the younger ones.
Tatua also congratulated former governor of Bayelsa, Chief Timipre Sylva on his 53rd birth anniversary, and urged him to continue to impact positively in the lives of the people.
She commended Sylva for his performance and contributions to the socio-political and economic development of Bayelsa and the country.
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“We congratulate Sylva and wish him success in his current and future endeavours, and we are pleading with him to concentrate his energy on ensuring that Bayelsa has its place in Nigeria,’’ said.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has confirmed the appointment of Emma Chinwenwa Aguma, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.
Aguma held the same position in the Executive Council dissolved last week by Governor Nyesom Wike.
He was asked to take a bow and leave.
The House also confirmed the appointment of Oladipo Oluwafemi Oghu as caretaker chief for Abua/Odual Local Government Area. This was after doubts about his state of origin was cleared. His mother is from Ekiti. His father is from Rivers, where he was bred.
Also confirmed is his counterpart for Port Harcourt City LGA (PHALGA), Charles Chima Orlu.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar, said on Tuesday that ongoing agitations in the country are symptoms of rot in the Nigerian system.
Abubakar stated this in Sokoto when Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, paid him Sallah homage.
The Sultan said: ”In the past, a lot of things were done by some people with impunity and nothing was done.
”That is why you find lack of good governance now weighing us down now in the country.
”However, as it is now, no matter how bad your hand is, you cannot cut it and throw away.”
Abubakar called for dialogue to resolve all the misunderstandings and problems in the country.
He said Nigerians should sit together, brainstorm, look at what went wrong, retrace our steps and move forward.
The Sultan also appealed to statesmen in the nation to intervene and assist in resolving the crises.
“We are not short of statesmen across the country and they should help in championing the dialogue.
”We should not allow sentiments to rule our heads. Nigeria is a very big and lucky country and we have no any other nation we can call our own.
”We should love one another irrespective of any religious, ethnic or cultural differences,” Abubakar said.
He also commended Wike’s developmental strides in Rivers, as well as his existing relationship with the Muslim community in the state.
Speaking earlier, the governor said the people and government of Rivers believe in the indivisibility of Nigeria.
He said there were better ways to solve the agitations and problems of Nigeria, rather than a pondering on a break up.
”Rivers and its people believe in the oneness and unity of Nigeria and that is our stand.
”The Sultan is a father to all Nigerians and he is a peace builder in Nigeria and beyond.
”We have also been friends with Governor Aminu Tambuwal since and before his emergence as a Speaker of House of Representatives and this will be sustained despite the party differences,” Wike stated.
NAN
All the commissioners and local government chairmen that served when the Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, was the Governor of Rivers State, have declared that his wife, Dame Judith, never asked them for money.
The former commissioners spoke Thursday in Port Harcourt, through Fred Mbombo-Igwe, ex-Rivers Commissioner of Sports, while a former Chairman of Asari-Toru LG Council, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree, spoke on behalf of the council chairmen.
Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike, had earlier said: “When I was Chief of Staff to Amaechi (between 2007 and 2011), all LGA Chairmen and Commissioners were paying N3 million and N2 million respectively to Amaechi’s wife monthly.”
The transportation minister, in his response, however, described Wike as a liar, who should not be taken seriously.
Amaechi said: “By accident of Goodluck Jonathan, I do not want to attribute it to God, but by the accident of Jonathan, the man (Wike) takes office and talks rubbish. My wife and family, including my younger brothers and sisters, no one had access to government when I was governor (of Rivers State). Even as minister, nobody will have such, because it is not a family business. It is government business. My wife will never do such. We do not do family business. I care about transparency. My wife is a trader. She buys and sells and Wike knows that.
“If he (Wike) does not shut up his mouth and do his work, I will bring his wife (Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, appointed by Amaechi as a Judge of Rivers State Judiciary, when he was governor) to the focus. I have been very mature not to talk about his (Wike’s) wife. Do you believe Nyesom Wike is well? He (Wike) does not know how to speak English. He is poorly dressed. He is a thug.”
The former Rivers commissioners and LG chairmen noted that the state’s governor, since his assumption of office, had a major agendum to tarnish the sterling reputation of the transportation minister, his erstwhile benefactor.
The ex-office holders in Rivers said: “He (Wike) is bereft of ideas and unprepared for the task of governing a heterogeneous state like Rivers.
“Wike, while serving as the Chief of Staff to Governor Amaechi, interfaced regularly with council chairmen. With this rare privilege, his avarice and his corrupt tendencies, he elected to commit a lot of fraudulent and sharp practices, including massive looting and various degree of financial extortion on the council chairmen and commissioners, who felt hapless due to his perceived closeness to the governor, as the chief of staff.
“On many occasions, Wike, hiding under the subterfuge of his office as intermediary between the then Rivers governor and other elected or appointed public officials, made financial demands and extorted money from council chairmen, including armtwisting them to award contracts to him.
“It is on record that many LGA projects then, including the new secretariat of Port Harcourt City Council and Etche Council, were done by Wike. Council chairmen and state officials were forced to contribute many millions of naira to Wike, under the pretext of fighting his legal battle with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), when he was arrested and tried for corruption. For the most flimsy excuses, Wike, as Chief of Staff, placed hefty levies on council chairmen. Failure to pay was usually met with stiff sanctions.
“Wike is indeed morally bankrupt and cannot point accusing fingers at the wife of former governor Amaechi. In fact the then Chief of Staff to Rt. Hon. Amaechi gave stern directives to council chairmen never to support the activities of the wife of the governor.”
Amaechi’s allies also stated that no commissioner or council chairman, either individually or as a group, was told, coerced, intimidated or persuaded to pay any money to the wife of the former Rivers governor, maintaining that no money was given to Dame Judith.
They said: “Wike lacks moral rectitude. He is bereft of ideas and has no respect for his wife. Hence his shameful attempt to drag the name and reputation of the wife of his former boss into disrepute.
“Wike is too economical with the truth and he is in fact a pathological liar, who should be ignored. His allegation is baseless, untrue and a figment of his warped imagination.”
The former commissioners and LG chairmen who served in Amaechi’s administration also warned the Rivers governor against the “disgraceful and disgusting mischief” against the wife of the ex-governor, asking him to immediately tender an unreserved apology to Dame Judith or be ready to face the consequences.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has sacked the state Commissioner for Works, Mr. Bathuel Harrison.
The governor’s Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, said in a statement on Thursday that the commissioner’s sack takes immediate effect.
However, no reason was given for the governor’s decision to dispense with Harrison’s services.
The ex- commissioner has been directed to hand over to the permanent secretary in the ministry.
Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi yesterday denied allegations by Governor Nyesom Wike that he wasted Rivers State’s money when he was governor.
He said contrary to the allegation by Wike that his wife and family were into government business, he said his wife was trader.
The minister spoke in Kaduna after an inspection of the facilities at the Kaduna Inland Dry Port.
He said: “They have a governor who is a child by accident of Goodluck Jonathan because I don’t want to attribute it to God but by whatever, he entered the office and starts talking about my wife and my family.
“When I was the governor, nobody would have had access to any government business, not even my wife and siblings and even as minister nobody will have access to government business because it is not a family business but a government business.
“The problem with Nyesom Wike and I want to say it clearly that if he does not shut up his mouth and do his work, I will bring his wife into focus.
I have been very matured not to bring his wife but if Wike does not close his mouth and talk about my wife anymore, I will bring out his wife.
On whether his wife collected any contract or money, he said: “My wife will never. We don’t do family business. All I care about is transparency, my wife is a trader, she buys and sells and Wike knows that.”
On the accusation that he squandered money, the minister said: “You believe that? The man who said I have $50 million in Lagos and could not prove it is the same man you believe? The man that said I didn’t pay salary until I left office and he later says no, it’s pension I didn’t pay? You believe such man?
“First he doesn’t know how to speak English, he is poorly dressed and you bring me into focus with that kind of a man?
“As usual he was given how many hours on television and they cut me off when I came and put disclaimer. The television station gave Wike all the opportunity to say the rubbish he has to say without facts. He has no facts and he was allowed to malign people’s character.”
On the approval of the Judicial Commission of Enquiry by the court, he said: “How do we know how the court arrived at its decision? We were not given fair hearing. We were not even informed. There is a panel of Justices in Rivers State, which is the Court of Appeal and by the time we knew it, they took the matter from them and gave to a panel that came from Adamawa.”
On the alleged clash between him and Senator Magnus Abe, he simply said: “I don’t know about that, only you know If I have problems with him.”
Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers in Port Harcourt on Tuesday called for true federalism in Nigeria to enable each part of the country to develop according to its ability.
The governor made the call when he hosted the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr William Symington, the governor’s Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, said in a statement.
He explained that Rivers people wanted true federalism because they wanted a country where all the federating units were allowed to develop according to their resources.
Wike said that the demand for true federalism meant that Rivers people believed in one united Nigeria, where no section was denied the control of its own resources.
He urged the U.S. Government to set up a visa office in Port Harcourt to cater to the South-South and the Southeast geo-political zones.
“We are clamouring for true federalism, when you talk of true federalism, they think you don’t want to be part of the country.
“We talk about true federalism as practised in America, a true presidential system where all the federating units will be allowed to enjoy their resources and contribute to the centre,” Wike said.
He said the people believed that there must be a country called Nigeria in which everyone would work together to achieve unity and progress.
The governor said Rivers people sought to be treated with equity, fairness and justice.
He said that the right framework should be established to ensure that all the states excelled at their own pace.
Wike said that the visa office would be in the spirit of equity and justice as the Abuja office served the North, while the Lagos office served the South-West.
He said Rivers was safe for investments and promised that his administration would partner investors to enable them to benefit from their investments.
“Forget about the media propaganda, this state is an opposition state, therefore don’t expect them to say it is the best.
“But we are the best state, we are doing everything to ensure that investors do profitable business under the ambit of the law,” the governor said.
The ambassador commended Nigerians for their unity and added: “Nigeria will be great and I expect a super power and a super partner.”
Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers said on Monday that the newly constructed Rumuokoro market would help in decongesting traffic in Port Harcourt.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the newly constructed Rumuokoro market in Port Harcourt has 608 open stalls, 91 lock up shops and modern parks for transporters.
The governor made the assertion in Port Harcourt while inspecting the level of work done on the market.
Wike, who expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done on the project, noted that it would help in decongesting traffic along the Rumuokoro axis in Port Harcourt.
He said that he visited the market to ensure that contractors executed key projects in the State, in line with approved specifications.
According to the governor, the construction of Rumuokoro Market and Bus Station were steps towards ending street trading in that area of Port Harcourt.
Wike noted that upon completion of the market, traders would not be allowed to operate on the roads, adding that illegal parking of commercial vehicles on the roads would also be stopped.
According to him, the government would also stop criminals from operating along the road to ensure that the Rumuokoro axis was secured.
“Once we complete the Rumuokoro Market and Bus Station, those trading on the road will be relocated to the market, we shall therefore no longer allow people to trade on the streets.
“The community will be accommodated in the market as well. We will also build a community health centre for Rumuokoro people,” Wike said.
The governor said that his administration would continue to promote community development across the state, adding that project execution was a means of appreciating the people for their loyalty and support.
The governor also inspected the rehabilitated Government Girls Secondary School, Rumuokwuta in Obio/Akpo Local Government Area.