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Tag: Wike

  • Wike buys 40,000 tickets for fans

    Wike buys 40,000 tickets for fans

     

    Rivers State governor, Barrister Nyesom Wike, has paid for the 40,000 thousand tickets available for today’s match between Nigeria’s Under-23 team and that of Congo.

    The 40,000-seater Adokiye Amiesemaka Stadium situated in Omagwa in Port Harcourt will be throw open for all fans .

    Wike made this disclosure yesterday while playing host to the National Executive Members of The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria in Port Harcourt.

    He called on fans in Port Harcourt and its environs to come out in their numbers and cheer Nigeria’s Dream Team VI to victory

    “Now, we will give our support and all the necessary arrangements for the success of this game, it behoves on coach Samson Siasia to go down deep in his soccer armoury to select the best legs that will reciprocate the kind gesture of the state government .

    “Our kind gesture is geared towards giving Nigerians and visitors the best of traditional Rivers State hospitality .

    “Our state has graciously paid for the tickets and as such , fans will enter the stadium for free ,” Wike said.

  • Wike to Dream Team IV – Beat Congo, get $100,000

    Wike to Dream Team IV – Beat Congo, get $100,000

    Rivers state Governor, Barrister Wike  Nyesom has promised the U-23 Coaching crew and the players $100,000 if they beat the Congolese team on Sunday.

    The Governor stated this while addressing the technical crew and the players immediately after their training at Adokiye Amiesemaka stadium last night.

    He said: “We want to tell you that we need this match against the Congolese,  and we want to win convincingly , we want to win by you playing good football , and therefore , we will give you $30,000 par goal , two goals $60,000, and three goals $100,000.

    “We will give you all the support you need to be successful in this match. I want to thank you my brother , my friend , coach Samson Siasia for the good job you are doing. I thank you for being here for the past one week preparing your team for Sunday match against the Congolese team, I decided to come and talk to the players and to let you know that we are fully in support of you people .

    “Its been long Porthartcourt hosted any international match, and am sure this is your first time of coming to this Adokiye Amiesemaka stadium, we have the facilities to host international matches , we believe that from now on NFF will allow us to host other international matches, especially Super Eagles .

    “I hope you people realise that it is important you defend your country , you need to make your country proud and we will give you the support .

    “We want to tell you that we need this match against the Congolese,  and we want to win convincingly , we want to win by you playing good football.

    “The president will be happy that you win this match against the Congolese on Sunday.”

     

  • Wike: I have cleared backlog of salaries

    Wike: I have cleared backlog of salaries

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike said yesterday his administration had settled the outstanding salary it inherited from the former administration.

    The governor said civil servants’ salaries had been paid up-to-date.

    He said the time had come for fresh blood to be injected into the civil service to make it more productive and contribute effectively to the development of the state.

    At the swearing-in of the  Head of Service (HOS), Mr Rufus Godwins, the governor said the time had come for the civil servants to key into the mission and vision of his administration.

    He said his administration would diligently pursue civil servants’ welfare in exchange for quality service delivery from government employees.

    Wike regretted that despite the present trying times, most of the permanent secretaries were still not committed to service. The governor said he appointed a new HOS to ensure that the civil service joined the administration’s development programmes.

    He told the permanent secretaries that beginning from July, his administration would pay monthly overheads to ministries, which he said the last administration stopped.

    Wike said: “So many things have gone wrong in the state’s civil service. This needs to be corrected. The new Head of Service now has the job of ensuring that civil servants key into the mission and vision of the administration.

    “Many of the permanent secretaries are supposed to have retired, based on their records of service.  These are some of the issues that need to be addressed. The new Head of Service has the mandate to inject fresh blood into the system.”

    The governor urged Godwins to improve the condition of the secretariat by making the lifts and conveniences functional and repair key facilities.

  • Wike, Peterside trade words over governance, sacked councils’ chiefs

    Wike, Peterside trade words over governance, sacked councils’ chiefs

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, are trading words about the governance of the state and the outcome of Monday’s sitting of the National Industrial Court (NIC).

    Wike, in a statement by his media aide, Simeon Nwakaudu, accused Peterside of misleading the public about what happened at the court.

    He said the APC candidate was at a radio station to announce that the court had reinstated the 22 local government chairmen sacked by the Federal High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt.

    But Peterside, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Sylvester Asoya, said Wike’s attack was “unwarranted and unfortunate”.

    The APC candidate said he could not have kept quiet seeing the direction Wike was taking the state.

    Wike said: “It is disheartening that Peterside only sees Rivers State as his source to power and influence and not a community where the people deserve peace, development and good governance. Otherwise, Peterside would not have returned to beat the drums of war.

    “But for Peterside, he must realise that his new found boldness, premised on his belief that he can rely on the powers that be to protect him as he attempts to unleash falsehood, will be short-lived.”

    Peterside’s statement reads: “No one was actually surprised that Wike’s aide struggled in vain to justify the stolen mandate his principal parades. But he did a grave disservice to Rivers people when he chose to misinform and mislead them with his baseless allegations against Peterside.

    “But it is important to remind Nwakaudu and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that whenever they flash their bogus claim to victory at the April 11 governorship election, they remind Rivers people of the inglorious role of Wike’s godmother, the former First Lady, and the anguish they imposed on them when their armed supporters laid siege to Rivers towns and communities.

    “Sadly, the incompetence and double-speak are already too obvious in government circles; it would amount to serious injustice on the people, if Peterside, a leader, had kept mute.

    “Even among thieves, there should be some level of honour. I think Nwakaudu, his principal, Wike, and people like them should be reminded again that there should be a limit to name-calling, desperation and mudslinging.

    “Freedom of expression is an inalienable right and everybody has a right to air his or her views on issues of common concern. Rather than shadow-chasing and name-calling, Wike should defend himself with facts and figures on the weighty issues raised by Dr. Peterside.”

  • Wike supports police to fight crimes

    Wike supports police to fight crimes

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said his administration will support the police to fight crimes and improve traffic flow.

    The governor spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, at the inauguration of the state Traffic Decongestion Committee at the police command’s headquarters.

    He said his administration would provide the logistics support to the police to carry out their key functions.

    Wike hailed the police for setting up the Traffic Decongestion Committee, which would ease traffic in Port Harcourt and improve the productivity of the residents.

    He said: “Our administration will work with the police command to reduce crimes in the state and improve the free flow of traffic.

    “We shall release vehicles to the police command to aid their work. The government will also support the committee on their welfare to ensure that they perform their duties diligently.”

    Wike urged the members of the committee to desist from sharp practices, adding that he disbanded the TIMARIV because its officials became a burden to the residents.

    Police Commissioner Chri Ezike said the committee was set up to address traffic challenges, which caused the loss of valuable man hours.

    He said the Operation Keep Moving programme, to be implemented by the committee, would improve vehicular flow, enhance the security of the residents and boost the living condition of the people.

    Ezike said the police command had interfaced with relevant stakeholders, especially the Army, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and transport unions to ensure the success of the programme.

    The police chief hailed Wike for repairing Eleme-Onne Road, which he said would help security agencies to combat crimes.

     

  • Wike, PDP lose bid to prevent inspection of election materials

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday lost the bid to prevent the inspection of materials used for the April 11 governorship election in the state.

    The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, on June 11, following an ex-parte application by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Dakuku Peterside – who are challenging Wike’s election – ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to allow the petitioners inspect the election materials to prove their case.

    But INEC refused to obey the order on the grounds that Wike had applied for the order to be set aside and the PDP was challenging the court’s jurisdiction.

    Wike, by his application, asked that the tribunal either set aside or vary the order on the grounds that it was wrongly made.

    Alternatively, the governor applied that his agents be allowed to participate in the inspection by the petitioners.

    The PDP supported Wike’s position and INEC said it would await the outcome of the application to decided – whether or not to obey the order for inspection.

    Ruling yesterday, tribunal Chairman Justice Muazu Pindiga refused Wike’s application on the grounds that it lacked merit.

    The judge noted that the order made on June 11, in accordance with the provision of Section 151 of the Electoral Act, was directed at INEC and not Wike.

    He said: “There is need for us to clarify the order we made on June 11. The order was made against INEC to allow the petitioners access and inspect and obtain the Certified True Copies (CTC) of election materials in respect of the governorship election in the state.

    “The order was made in accordance with the provision of Section 151 of the Electoral Act. The order still stands.”

    He adjourned till July 22 for the pre-hearing to begin in the petition by APC and Peterside against Wike’s election.

    The parties, who argued Wike’s petition on July 7, disagreed on why INEC was reluctant to allow the petitioners to inspect the election materials based on the tribunal’s order of June 11.

    The petitioners’ lawyer, Akin Olujinmi (SAN), argued that INEC’s continued refusal to allow his clients’ agents to inspect the election materials was a manifestation of an alliance among INEC, Wike and the PDP to frustrate the hearing of the petition.

    Olujinmi urged the tribunal to dismiss Wike’s application on the grounds that the order was not directed at him but at INEC, which was directed to allow the inspection.

    The lawyer averred that Wike’s decision to challenge an order that did not affect him and INEC’s refusal to obey the court’s order formed part of the plot by the PDP, Wike and INEC to frustrate the proceedings before the tribunal.

    He urged the tribunal to halt the current disregard of its order.

    Olujinmi said: “We have shown that INEC has not objected to the tribunal’s order and, today, they have confessed before the tribunal that they disobeyed the order for inspection because the second respondent (Wike) filed a motion seeking the setting aside of the order.

  • ‘Wike determined to deliver on promsises’

    ‘Wike determined to deliver on promsises’

    Mr Opunabo Inko-Tariah, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, has said the governor is focused and determined to deliver on his election promises.

    Opunabo Inko-Tariah told reporters yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, that Wike, in his first 30 days in office, had shown that he was determined to deliver the dividends of democracy.

    The media aide said Wike had paid workers’ outstanding salaries, players and officials of Sharks Football Club, Dolphins Football Club, Rivers Angels Football Club and the allowances of pensioners.

    He said the N30 billion loan the new government took recently would be used to develop critical infrastructure, such as roads, bridges and hospitals.

    Inko-Tariah said: “The governor swung into action and signed an agreement with Julius Berger Construction Company to repair and rehabilitate roads.

    “So far, the governor has performed well.

    “He started with Operation Zero Pothole Programme and the company has been directed to ensure that there are no potholes in Rivers.

    “These are projects that will impact positively on the lives of Rivers people.

    “The governor has visited some of the projects and directed that the contractors be mobilised.

    “Very soon, the projects will be completed.”

  • Wike, Fayose, others should stop harassing our members, says APC’s chairmen forum

    The Forum of State Chairmen of the All Progressive Congress (APC) yesterday raised an alarm over the harassment of their members in Rivers and Ekiti states .

    The  Forum said in Rivers, killings of APC party members were taking place daily.

    “The unfortunate and peculiar situation from Rivers is the fact that people are being abducted and killed with the bodies disposed off ,“ said Edo State chairman of the party,  Anslem Ojezua who spoke on the forum’s behalf in Benin yesterday.

    Ojezua said: “ Wike and his PDP thugs want to make sure the inspection is literally not possible for our party in Rivers. This is just to frustrate the effort of our party to substantial the petition.

    “ In Taraba, anybody that has some thing to do with our party is victimised by the governor and his PDP people.

    “In  Ekiti, the rule of law has been thrown over board. Ekiti is gradually moving to a state of anarchy with the reports emanating from our party secretariat through the chairman . Governor Fayose has turned himself to a thin god , creating fears into the judiciary and legislature .”

    On the purported plan by some persons to embarrass Senator Bola Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande, the body said: “Nothing like embarrassment of the persons of Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande at the National Working Committee of APC . It is not even possible for anyone to embarrass them.

    “Chief Bisi Akande was the first National chairman of APC, so, if I say is the father of the party , I will not be far from the truth .

    “Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu is the pillar of the party, APC . I can simply tell you that the possibility of a merger was conceived with him as one of the founding fathers of the party. Therefore, it is not conceivable that anybody can subject these two very respected leaders to any form of embarrassment , not within the party, not even anywhere in Nigeria. It is not possible.”

     

  • Rivers Assembly empowers Wike to dissolve commissions

    Rivers Assembly empowers Wike to dissolve commissions

    The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday directed Governor Nyesom Wike to dissolve the State Local Government Service Commission and the House of Assembly Commission with immediate effect.

    Speaker Ikuinyi Ibani gave the directive, after other lawmakers debated the activities of both commissions.

    Ibani warned anyone seeking public office to be ready to defend his or her actions.

    Members of the Local Government Service Commission did not appear before the Assembly, despite the invitation sent to them and the publicity given the matter.

    But before the Speaker’s directive, some of the lawmakers, who spoke during plenary, suggested that a warrant of arrest be issued on members of the local government commission.

    Others called for the immediate disengagement of members of the commission for alleged misconduct, financial misappropriation and refusal to appear before the Assembly, after an invitation.

    The Assembly said it was taking the action, following a petition by a lawyer to the Speaker against the commission.

    The petitioner was said to have alleged indiscriminate recruitment, gross misconduct and financial misappropriation.

    The lawmakers said the petitioner also urged the Assembly to investigate the allegations and take appropriate actions, where necessary.

    On the House of Assembly Commission, the Assembly agreed that the body should be dissolved for illegal employment, official misconduct and financial misappropriation.

    Unlike the members of the Local Government Service Commission, those of the Assembly’s service commission appeared before the lawmakers for questioning.

    The lawmakers who at the end found them culpable of the allegations levelled against them.

  • ‘FG should protect us from Wike’s onslaught’

    ‘FG should protect us from Wike’s onslaught’

    Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) Women Leader Evangelist Caroline Nagbo speaks with JOHN OFIKHENUA about what she calls the persecution of the party’s members under the guise of recovering  government property. She urges the Federal Government to halt their victimisation in the Southsouth state.

    Why has peace eluded Rivers State after the general elections?

    The elections are over, yet the fire in Rivers State continues. It all shows that, when people are not duly elected into office, they become very reactionary to divert public attention from their own inadequacies. So, the animosity in Rivers State is because there was no election. And so, there was no plan or there is no plan by the PDP for governance. And that is why, right from the inauguration till now, Rivers people have not been given any roadmap of development by the PDP government. Rather, what we see is acute persecution of APC members in Rivers State by the PDP government of Nyesom Wike.

    Is it not an aberration for anyone to go after his/her opponents when they have a case in court ?

    The case is at the tribunal and the processes are on, but there will be  lawlessness when people are unlawfully  brought into power. The lawlessness continues. And that is what you are seeing in Rivers State.  It is a state of anomie.

    There is a constant search for government vehicles and other items and thugs and security operatives burgle APC members’ houses. Is the search still on?

    One thing that Nyesom Wike-led government in Rivers State is  yet to tell us is whether the recovery of government vehicles or used vehicles was one of his campaign promises. It was not part of his campaign promises. So, why is he making it  a mandate or a campaign promise he made to Rivers people? That is not the problem of Rivers State right now. So, if he does not have a roadmap of development, he does not have a blueprint, he should come out openly because we are tired of the airwaves. We are tired of the noise in our eardrums concerning used vehicles, and the persecution of APC stakeholders in Rivers State. This is not the best way to play opposition. He is reacting to the fact that he never knew that APC was going to be the national party of Nigeria.

    What is your appeal to the Federal Government, the security forces, and the APC leadership?

    I am appealing to the Federal Government to look into the issues of Rivers State to protect the citizens of Rivers State, especially the APC members. During the election, we lost many youths; vibrant men and women were gunned down for the sake of the PDP and their quest for power in Rivers State. We buried a lot and many of them are still in the mortuary. Now, he has gotten the power.Why is he still coming after APC members? Is it that he wants to eliminate all of us ? Is that his own idea of playing opposition? We were in opposition before and we never went after him. And that was why he could do his electioneering campaign unmolested. So,  why is he molesting APC men and women in Rivers State and using the diversionary issue  of recovery of government properties? All what belongs to him and his PDP stalwarts, are they not also from government ? He was a minister. Did he return all the cars he used to the Federal Ministry of Education ? So, we are asking that Nyesome Wike should leave APC members alone, and I as the state woman leader, the deputy governor designate, that woman there should advise him to leave APC people in Rivers State alone.

    Have you written a letter to the police on the matter ?

    The party has written to the police. The party has followed the due process. Right now, our lives are being threatened and he is using the cover and falsehood of recovery government property. He talks about probing. We are not afraid of probing. But, the probe must be all-inclusive. It must not be a selective probing. But, he should allow the APC in Rivers State to function because we allowed the PDP to function when we were in government house.

    With this alleged abuse of power, do you see anything good coming from Wike’s government?

    Your guess is as good as mine.  That is my response.

     How do you hope to bring your members together and forge ahead, despite the defeat and the persecution by the state government?

    I want to bring your attention to the fact that the APC controls 22 of the LGAs in Rivers State as we speak, from counsellor to local government chairmen. So, nobody will tell us that we are not on ground. We control the grassroots in Rivers State as we speak. Even, as we are speaking, the local government councils are yet to be funded . In spite of the fact that the governor has come to Abuja for the meeting, he is yet to append his signature to call the FAAC meeting. He has refused to call the FAAC meeting in Rivers State as we speak . Meanwhile, the PDP refused to part take in the local government elections. All other political parties did. He thought these councils will never stay. He thought when he comes in, he would have the power to nullify the election and send them packing. Now that he has discovered that it is not possible, he has refused to call the FAAC meeting. The APC is on ground in Rivers State. We may not be in the secretariat, or in Government House, but in all the LGAs, we are there.

    So, how is he allocating funds to the LGAs ?

    He has not allocated any fund. He has refused to call them (the local government chairmen) for a meeting.

    His he disbanding the councils?

    He tried to disband the councils, but there is a court injunction on him as I speak not to disband the councils.  And that is why he is also reacting by ensuring that he does not call the FAAC meeting.

    So, how are they coping?

    That is the situation in Rivers State. There is no money in the council because he thinks by starving them of funds, he will be able to frustrate them.

    Are the chairmen and councillors yielding to the oppression?

    They are duly elected councilors and local government chairmen statutorily elected for the next three years. So, they cannot yield.

    Do you see the APC collapsing into the PDP because of the fear of intimidation?

    You should have put the question the other way. The PDP is a party that is going to collapse into the APC completely in Rivers State.

    How do you mean?

    Because they know that they are swimming against the tide. Also, we have a very good case at the tribunal. And we are hopeful that the tribunal will give us justice in Rivers State. So, PDP is a party that is actually going to collapse into the APC a few months from now.

    Do you think that the governor has the acumen to take the state to prosperity?

    I don’t discuss persons. I discuss ideas and that is why I am asking him to give us the roadmap of development. And he should play the politics of development, not the politics of persecution of APC members in Rivers State.

    A few days ago, Wike recognised Celestine Omehia as a former governor of Rivers State, despite the court judgment that sacked him from office…   

    He is recognising a fellow party member. Omehia is a PDP man. And if he comes out to recognise a PDP man, I have no comment on that. I think it is more of party affairs. But the question I still ask is, is that was a campaign promise when he was campaigning? To recognise the unrecognisable?  So, you can see he is entirely diversionary. He should face the main  problems of Rivers State. If the problems are so daunting that he cannot face it, then, he should come out to say that he does not have the wherewithal for governance in that state and step aside for the APC led-government. We have our roadmap of development for Rivers State. We are highly organised as a party. And we have the fear of God. We have God fearing leaders. So he should not divert public attention by going after individuals. He should not play the politics of personality. He should play the politics of ideas and development.