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Tag: Wike

  • Rivers poll: Wike’s witnesses deny Army, DSS involvement

    Rivers poll: Wike’s witnesses deny Army, DSS involvement

    Four witnesses invited by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike yesterday told the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, that soldiers and men of the Department of State Services (DSS) did not provide security during the April 11 election.

    Charles Green Obubeleye, Rev. Canon Smart Nwankwo, Mkpang Eneh Igomikom and Orukar Peter Michael, who said they were civil servants, except Nwankwo, told the tribunal that they voted during the election but did not encounter soldiers and DSS officials.

    Soldiers and DSS officials, who said they were involved in the election, had testified on the petitioners’ invitation, that the poll was marred by violence, including shooting, harassment and snatching of election materials by hoodlums loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    But Wike’s four witnesses claimed the election held peacefully in their polling units.

    But they declined to read the documents stating the contrary, handed to them by the petitioners’ lawyer, Akin Olujinmi (SAN), under cross-examination.

    The witnesses, who were subpoenaed, brought to 11 the number of witnesses Wike has called since he opened his defence yesterday.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Dakuku Peterside, challenged the declaration of Wike as governor.

    Obubeleye, who was the first witness at yesterday’s hearing, said the election was peaceful and the result counted.

    Under cross-examination, he confirmed that most of the result sheets were not signed.

    Nwankwo told the tribunal that although his church is located in Emuoha, he voted at Ward 12, Unit 5 at the Community Primary School at Nguta, Kwere Local Government Area.

    The cleric narrated what transpired that day.

    He said: “At 7.30am, I walked down to the Community Primary School at Ngwuta, at Ward 12, Unit 5. When I got there, there was a queue. I waited. At 8.30am, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials came. When it was announced in the community, people started coming.

    “The INEC official, a woman, and a National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) official, come with the election materials, including a ballot box, voters’ register and other materials.

    “Later, they started accreditation. When it got to my turn, I presented my Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) and they slotted it into their machine. When they confirmed my data, they placed some ink on my finger.

    “But because the environment was tense, we went to stay with the security agents at the gate.

    “We started voting around 2pm. When it was my turn, I voted and returned to the security post.

    “After people had cast their votes, we went back to the place. Voting ended at 5pm. They (INEC officials) started sorting out the votes; they counted and announced PDP as the winner.

    “There was no violence; there was no shooting. There was no soldier in my village. There was only the INEC woman and the NDLEA officer. There was no soldier and DSS.”

    During cross-examination, the cleric said he did not know that the results of the poll at his polling unit were cancelled.

    When given a document, marked: “Exhibit 8291/111: Report of Cancellation of Election in Unit 5”, he said: “I cannot read it because it was not part of what I said I saw.”

    He refused to read the document.

    Mrs. Igomikom, who described herself as a local government health worker in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, insisted she would not read any document given her during cross-examination.

    When Olujinmi reminded her that she was not the maker of her PVC and tribunal’s invitation (subpoena), the witness smiled, but remained adamant.

    The witness, who said she voted at Ward 5, Unit 6 in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, said: “There were no soldiers; there were unarmed policemen and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence (NSCDC) personnel.”

    When the witness said she was not sure of how to answer other questions from the petitioners’ lawyer, the tribunal’s Chairman, Justice Mohammed Ambrosa, noted that lawyers from the respondents’ camp was whispering to the witness.

    He cautioned them against such conduct, adding: “I’m hearing the counsel telling the witness what to say. Don’t say it again. I don’t want this to happen again.”

    Another member of the tribunal said the same set of lawyers exhibited similar conducts yesterday.

    He said: “The same thing happened yesterday.”

    A lawyer representing the respondents, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), apologised to the tribunal.

    INEC, Wike and the PDP are respondents in the matter.

  • Wike’s witnesses insist election was peaceful

    Wike’s witnesses insist election was peaceful

    ivers State Governor Nyesom Wike opened his case yesterday before the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.

    His seven witnesses insisted that the April 11 election was peaceful.

    The witnesses, who were voters in the election and from three local government areas – Andoni, Khana and Tai – were led in evidence by Wike’s lawyer, Okey Wali (SAN).

    The first witness, Monday Buruberi Nkodaa, a civil servant from Koroko in Tai Local Government Area, adopted his written statement.

    He said the election was peaceful in his Ward II, Unit IV.

    Elder Gbonone Gibson, the second witness, who said he voted at Unit IV, Ward I at Boten, Tai Local Government Area, adopted his address.

    Akpah Amos, a retired civil servant, who voted at Unit V, Ward I (Tai Local Government Area); Betch Barisua, a trader, who said he voted at Unit I, Ward I (Khana Local Government Area) and Godwin Gbarapie, of Talbaa village, Khana Local Government Area, all adopted their written statements.

    They denied the petitioners’ claim that the election was marred by violence and intimidation.

    Chief Adamgbo Samson, of Tagbo village in Khana Local Government Area and Adsigwung Isaiah Duab, from Amaotueum in Andoni Local Government Area, also adopted their written addresses.

    The witnesses insisted that election held in their polling units, adding that voting was peaceful.

    They claimed to have been accredited manually because the card reader machine malfunctioned.

    Duab said the electoral officers resorted to manual accreditation in his case because the machine failed to recognise his fingerprints.

    The witnesses stunned the tribunal when they refused to read any document with which they were confronted, including the statements they had accepted as theirs.

    Some of them claimed they could not see properly without their reading glasses (which they claimed they left at home); others declined to read any of the documents with which they were confronted by the petitioners’ lawyer, Akin Olujinmi (SAN).

    The tribunal blocked an attempt by counsel to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ifedayo Adedipe, to shield one of the witnesses from being confronted with an earlier admitted document by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    It overruled Adedipe’s objection on the grounds that it was premature.

    Tribunal Chairman Justice Suleiman Ambrosa, held that such an objection should be reserved till the final address.

    Justice Ambrosa was, at a point, compelled to caution the respondents’ lawyers from whispering to witnesses.

    He said: “We (lawyers) should be careful. We (tribunal members) are not here to destroy anybody. Why carry other people’s case on your head? If you are not careful, you will have stroke in few days.”

    The petitioners – All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate in the election, Dr Dakuku Peterside – are challenging the outcome of the election.

    INEC, Wike and the PDP are the respondents.

    Further hearing continues today.

  • Wike opens defence today

    •INEC: we’re satisfied with our witnesses

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike will this morning open the defence in the petition filed against his election by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside.

    APC and Peterside want the Justice Suleiman Ambursa-led three-man to nullify the election of Wike on the grounds that violence prevented people from voting and that figures were subsequently allocated to candidates.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday closed its defence at the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

    Some of the witnesses brought by the INEC were presiding officers and electoral officers from different polling units in different local government areas in the state.

    INEC, who is the 1st respondent, closed its defense after producing a total of 16 witnesses from different local government areas of the state to testify.

    The petitioners are also challenging the conduct of INEC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the 3rd respondent at the election.

    The petitioners were seeking for the nullification on the ground that the election was marred by irregularities and fraudulent practices.

    Counsel to the INEC, Mr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) told the tribunal chairman that INEC had exhausted its defence and therefore, it would be closing its defence.

    Ikpeazu said the witnesses presented by INEC and the documents tendered have proved that the elections were held peacefully in line with the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines.

    Ruling on the INEC application for the closure of its defence, the tribunal Chairman adjourned sitting to Wednesday for Wike to open his defense.

    Ikpeazu told reporters that the number of witnesses called by the commission were in line with the allegations made by Peterside.

    “We are satisfied with 16 witnesses who conducted the Rivers State Governorship Election in communities where the petitioner had alleged violence.

    “The 16 witnesses are enough to prove that the election was held peacefully, contrary to the petitioners’ allegations.

    “The witnesses are not called for the fun of it, but for the specific purpose of proving our case,” Ikpeazu said.

     

  • Amaechi: I won’t allow Wike to destroy my name

    Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has challenged his successor, Nyesom Wike, to charge him to court, if he has evidence of corruption against him.

    Amaechi, who was among the 22 members on Nigeria’s delegation to the 70th United Nations (UN) General Assembly, spoke on Monday with our correspondent in New York.

    The former governor was responding to Wike’s corruption allegations against him.

    He said: “Let him (Wike) prove it in court. Tell him I said he should go to court. I have a wonderful reputation and I challenge Wike; he will not destroy that reputation. I won’t let him destroy it. He doesn’t have that kind of reputation; he will never have that kind of reputation.”

    Amaechi noted that the reason he had no house in Port Harcourt, the state capital, was because he could not afford to build one.

    The former governor said Wike was among those who contributed money for him to buy a piece of land.

    He said: “When I say I don’t have a house in Port Harcourt, Wike would say it’s an irresponsible man that doesn’t have a house in his own village.

    “He won’t ask: ‘Do you have money to build a house?’ I thought he would have attacked me that I have money. I just didn’t build a house. He won’t ask me how much my salary was as (House of Assembly’s) Speaker.”

    To buttress his claim that he could not afford a house, Amaechi said: “Adultery and anger or something else can take me to hell, but not lying.”

    On his reasons for not appearing before the panel of enquiry Wike set up to probe him, Amaechi said: “It is not enough for a panel to indict a man. If Eze Wike wants to fight me, let him go to court. He keeps saying I’m a thief; but let him show me one property. …He knows I know. So, if he has evidence, why hasn’t he put it out to the public? My children are proud of me. They say I’m one of the most honest Nigerians they know.”

    Asked whether or not he was scrutinised by the Department of State Services (DSS) for a possible ministerial position, Amaechi said: “I don’t know if they’ll vet me. I’m not the President.”

    The former governor denied the report that he expressed disappointment at the present administration.

    He said: “Those are fabrications by Wike’s people. They fabricated it as if it’s an interview that I granted or by someone close to me.”

    On the 70th General Assembly, Amaechi said President Muhammadu Buhari had got more support than former President Godluck Jonathan ever did.

    He said: “The level of corruption in that era was so bad that we couldn’t pay salaries. As the governor of Rivers State, my allocation was reduced from N25 billion to about N6 billion. But the Buhari administration is here to save Nigeria.

    “At the General Assembly, we had a lot of respect. We chose who to see and who not to see. Before, no one wanted to see us.”

    He added that despite Nigeria missing a key meeting about Boko Haram and the President almost missing the Pope, “This is one of the best. Although this is my first time as a delegate to the UN, I have gone to other parts of the world with the former president. The way president Buhari is being treated is not the same way President Goodluck was treated. Huge respect for a man of honor and integrity, as against our former president. So you can’t compare, you can’t. I’m leaving here very proud to be a Nigerian,” he added.

     

  • Wike berates APC for seeking probe of Rivers killings

    Wike berates APC for seeking probe of Rivers killings

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said the call by the state’s All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership to probe the killings during the last general election is laughable.

    Wike spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Sir, Opunabo Inko-Tariah.

    The governor’s aide said APC and its leadership were frustrated.

    He said the call for a probe into the killings was laughable because they occurred when an APC government under former Governor Chibuike Amaechi was in power.

    Inko-Tariah accused APC State Chairman Davies Ikanya of allegedly indicting Amaechi of maladministration and repudiating his constitutional responsibility of protecting life and property.

    The governor’s aide urged the state’s APC leadership to give the public details of the killings during the last general elections since it claimed to have the records.

    He said: “I have just been briefed on the bombastic outburst by Davies Ikanya and his co-travellers in the Rivers State chapter of the APC, deprecating Governor Wike for not probing the killings in Rivers State during the elections.

    “This is laughable and inane. Is it a case of selective amnesia? Since Dr Ikanya has details of the murders associated with the last general election, why not make them public? In fact, he should be the prime suspect in the alleged murders.

    “This obviates the need for further proof that Ikanya and his cohorts are a bunch of flustered and rudderless characters who will relentlessly – although fruitlessly – try to sully the reputation of the governor.

    “You don’t need a probe panel to disclose the identities of the alleged murders and their victims. After all, the APC was in power and in control of the state’s machinery. Why then did it not set up a panel? The reason is simple: it shall indict itself.”

  • She lived a development centred life -Wike

    She lived a development centred life -Wike

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has stated that the late Mama Awolowo lived a development-centred life, worthy of emulation by Nigerians, irrespective of ethnicity and political affiliation.

    He described the passing away of the matriarch of the Awolowo family and the co-founder of the Nigerian Tribune as an irreparable loss to the entire nation.

     

  • Wike, Peterside know fate Oct

    Wike, Peterside know fate Oct

    •Tribunal: we’ve 36 days to conclude case

    Petitioners at the Rivers State governorship election petition tribunal are now placed in a precarious situation as the tribunal yesterday compressed the time within which they must present their case.

    With the development, the petitioners are now left with two days within which to call about 150 of its scheduled 200 witnesses having called about 50 within eight days of its earlier allotted 14 days as at last Saturday.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate at the last governorship election, Dakuku Peterside, are challenging the outcome of the election as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    INEC, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Nyesom Wike are listed as respondents before the tribunal.

    Yesterday, the tribunal announced its intention to amend its earlier schedule of proceedings where petitioners were allocated 14 days to present their case, and the defendants given 10 days each.

    Tribunal Chairman Justice Mohammed Ambrosa told parties at the resumption of proceedings yesterday that the tribunal was running out of time and needed to alter its earlier schedule, as contained in the report of its pre-hearing session dated 28, 2015.

    By the schedule, the petitioners were allocated 14 days to conduct their case, while the respondents – INEC, Wike and PDP – were allocated 10 days each.

    Yesterday, Justice Ambrosa noted that the tribunal would be left with 36 days from yesterday, after the deduction of Sallah holiday and other work-free days, with just a day to deliver its judgment, should it stick with its earlier schedule. He observed that, since he resumed after the redeployment of his predecessor, on September 3, he had consistently insisted that the tribunal was out of time.

    Justice Ambrosa reduced the petitioners’ days from 14 to 10 while each respondent’s earlier allocated 10 days were reduced to six.

    Respondents lawyers: Onyechi Ikpeazu (for INEC), Okey Wali (for Wike) and Chris Uche (for PDP) opposed  the request by petitioners’ lawyer, Akin Olujinmi (SAN) to allow parties two additional days in view of the number of witnesses and documentary evidence yet to be presented by the petitioners.

    [ad id=”403656″]Ikpeazu, Wali and Uche urged the tribunal not to change its mind having elected to reduce the number of days earlier allocated to parties by four days each. In the alternative, they requested the deduction of one day as against the two days suggested by the respondents’ lawyer.

    Justice Ambrosa insited on the tribunal’s earlier directive, but suggested that the tribunal’s closing time would be elastic. He adjourned the commencement of the new schedule to today at 10 am.

    The petitioners had as at last Saturday called 47 witnesses, including an INEC official, four Army captains, two senior officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) and a member of the Action Alliance (AA) party.

    The DSS officials, Benson Chukwuma and Godwin Mbah, who said they each led a team of DSS officials to monitor and provide security at the election, said although things began well at the inception of accreditation on April 11 , the electoral process was disrupted by hired hoodlums midway, thereby preventing proper voting and compilation of results.

    Kamuzu Omiete Blankson, who said he acted as the Collation agent for his party (the AA), said the election was marred by violent sporadic shooting, burning of election materials and intimidation.

    Chukwuma, who testified as the petitioners’ 43rd witness and monitored in Ogu-Bolu LG, said the election was disrupted at a point following attack on election officials by hoodlums.

  • Wike, Rivers PDP can’t stop trial, says tribunal

    Wike, Rivers PDP can’t stop trial, says tribunal

    •’Appeal Court ordered accelerated hearing, not stay of proceedings’

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) failed yesterday to stall proceedings at the governorship election petition tribunal in Abuja.

    The tribunal, in two rulings, refused the proposal by Wike and his party that it stayed  proceedings in the petition by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate  Dakuku Peterside.

    Tribunal Chairman Justice Mohammed Ambrosa observed that against the request by Wike and PDP that the tribunal must first rule on their pending applications, the Court of Appeal,  last week, did not order a stay of proceedings, but ask the tribunal to accelerate hearing in the petition.

    Wike and the PDP had appealed three earlier decisions of the tribunal made on July 9, 29 and 31 that it would, while deciding the petition, resolve issues relating to the petition raised by the respondents.

    On Monday, the petitioners were expected call their witnesses, when respondents’ lawyers informed the tribunal that the Court of Appeal in Abuja delivered judgments last Saturday directing that the tribunal should deliver its rulings on the respondents’ motions pending before it before resuming the trial.

    But, when the respondents were unable to produce certified true copies of the judgments and enrolled orders of the judgments, the tribunal adjourned to yesterday and requested that the CTC of the appellate court’s judgments be filed before the tribunal on Tuesday to enable it determine what next step to take.

    Yesterday, although petitioners’ lawyer, Akin Olujinmi (SAN) said he was yet to obtain copies of the judgments and enrolled orders, the tribunal confirmed that it was in receipt of the enrolled orders, which Justice Ambrosa later read,

    The appeal against the tribunal’s ruling of July 9 partially succeeded, following which the Court of Appeal set aside the ruling and ordered the tribunal to hear the application leading to this appeal. It also ordered the tribunal to accord the case accelerated hearing.

    The appeal against the ruling of succeeds in part, to the effect that the tribunal was ordered “to resolve the issue of the locus standi of the petitioners and the issue of service of the originating processes raised by the appellants, but which were not decided.”

    On the appeal against the tribunal’s ruling of July 31, the Court of Appeal  set aside the ruling to the effect that “the decision of the tribunal that the motion filed by the appellant on July 1st and argued, will be heard along with the petition is hereby set aside.

    “The tribunal is hereby ordered to consider the arguments already proffered for and against and deliver a ruling.”

    After reading the ruling, Justice Ambrosa said “it is our view that the orders (of the Court of Appeal) are clear and unambiguous. We shall comply with them promptly. With respect to the last order, we shall accord the matter accelerated hearing. That being the position of things, we hereby call on the petitioners to continue with their case.”

    Olujinmi was about to call his witness as ordered by the tribunal when lawyer to the PDP, Adedayo Adedipe (SAN) sprang up and demanded that the tribunal first comply with the ruling of the Court of Appeal before proceeding with the trial.

    “The tribunal ought to determine the applications that the Court of Appeal ordered it to determine first before continuing with the trial,” Adedipe said.

    He argued that the non-resolution of the pending issues will amount to reinstating the status quo of the order granted, which resulted in the appeal. He said proceeding with trial will render the order of the Court of Appeal nugatory.

    Wike’s lawyer, Emmanuel Ukala  (SAN) argued in similar vein, arguing that with the orders of the Court of Appeal, proceeding with the calling of witnesses will not amount to complying with the appellate court’s orders.

    “I am equally wondering that orders relating to the hearing of the motion on the determination of the issue of locus standi and the competence of the originating processes, is also being put at serious risk of being breached,” Ukala said.

    Responding, Olujinmi urged the court to ignore Adedipe and Ukala and proceed with the trial, He said should any of them feel uncomfortable with the tribunal’s decision,  he has the option of appealing.

    Ruling, Justice Ambrosa said the tribunal, having elected to proceed with trial, will not reverse itself. He noted that the case, being an election matter, time was of the essence and the tribunal could not afford to waste time.

    The petitioners later called some witnesses, among whom, was Clinton Ochonma, who acted as Ward Collation agent for the APC during the election. All the witnesses were unanimous that the election was marred by irregularities.

    Trial in the case resumes today.

     

  • Wike, Rivers APC disagree on Amaechi, projects

    •APC: governor wasted over N120b
    •’I’m prudent’

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike yesterday said he was running a prudent administration and managing the state’s resources well.

    The governor spoke when he conducted reporters round some projects his administration was executing in parts of the state.

    Wike, a former chief of staff in the Government House, Port Harcourt, and the director-general of Rotimi Amaechi Campaign Organisation in 2011, said his administration decided to first complete the projects started by his predecessor for the benefit of Rivers State residents to prevent abandonment.

    The governor assured that he would also start new projects.

    But the All Progressives Congress (APC) said the governor spread falsehood and propaganda in his 100 days in office.

    The party accused the governor of wasting over N120 billion since assuming office.

    A statement yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, by its Chairman, Chief Davies Ikanya, through his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media and Public Affairs, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, insisted that Wike betrayed his benefactor and former boss, former Governor Amaechi.

     

     

  • Wike showing falsehood, propaganda in 100 days – APC

    Wike showing falsehood, propaganda in 100 days – APC

    The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has stated that Governor Nyesom Wike is showing falsehood and propaganda in his 100 days in office.

    It also accused the “caretaker” governor of the state of wasting over N120 billion during his first 100 days in office.

    APC, in a statement Monday by its Chairman, Chief Davies Ikanya, through his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media and Public Affairs, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, insisted that the new Rivers governor is an ingrate, especially for betraying his benefactor and former boss, ex-governor Rotimi Amaechi.

    APC gave the breakdown of the wasted fund to include the N30 billion loan Wike took, shortly after assuming office, the N10 billion left by the Amaechi’s administration and over N80 billion that has accrued to the State from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and the Federation Account.

    Wike, a former Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt and the Director-General of Amaechi Campaign Organisation in 2011, who conducted some journalists round his project sites Monday, maintained that his administration was prudent and he decided to first complete all projects started by his predecessor, for the benefit of Rivers people and to prevent abandonment, while assuring that he would also embark on new projects.

    Rivers APC said: “Wike represents everything that should not be found anywhere near the corridors of power. He personifies inaction, profligacy, corruption, maladministration and vendetta. Wike has not initiated any meaningful project in Rivers State since he forcibly assumed office on May 29, 2015 through the blood of Rivers people and in connivance with the corrupt and demented Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State, Dame Gesila Khan.

    “Besides setting up the vindictive Judicial Commission of Inquiry and awarding contracts to his companies for the filling of potholes in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas, Wike cannot justify the expenditure of the N30 billion he borrowed and the N10 billion left by the administration of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as well as the over N80 billion that has accrued to the state through the IGR and from the Federation Account.

    “Apart from presenting roads constructed by the Amaechi’s administration as his feats in his 100 days in office, no high quality road can be constructed within six months, much less of 100 days. Wike is busy sponsoring media war and documentary aimed at disparaging and decimating the character of Rt. Hon. Amaechi. Wike is visiting various churches to pray for forgiveness for the 100 Rivers people killed, in order to install himself as governor, but he can only boast of increase in insecurity, kidnapping, robbery and other criminal activities associated with a visionless administration.

    “Today, all the initiatives of the Amaechi administration to curb insecurity in Rivers State have been annulled by Wike and his cohorts. The result is that Rivers residents now sleep with two eyes open, as kidnapping, such as the case of Vanguard Columnist Donu Kogbara, is now the order of the day.”

    The party also berated the Rivers governor for failing to publicly declare his assets, contrary to the dictates of the Nigerian Constitution that elected public officers should declare their assets.

    It noted that it was not surprised about Wike’s reluctance to make his assets public, having known that in doing so, Rivers people and the entire world would be shocked to know that half of the property in Port Harcourt is owned by the Rivers governor and his acolytes, due to their greed and insatiable crave for wealth.

    Rivers APC described as condemnable, the governor’s refusal to constitute a cabinet, while preferring to run the state from his bedroom, in collaboration with the former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, an indigene of Okrika in Rivers state, and other militant leaders that installed Wike as governor.

    Besides appointing ex-Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Kenneth Kobani, as Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG) and two-term Chairman of Emohua Local Government Council of Rivers State, Emeka Woke, as the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, the state governor has so far appointed four commissioners: Dr. Fred Kpakol (Finance), Emma Okah (Housing), Onimim Briggs (Agriculture) and Emmanuel Aguma, SAN (Justice and Attorney-General).