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Tag: Wike

  • Wike accuses Perm Secs of aiding last-minute ‘cash withdrawals’

    Wike accuses Perm Secs of aiding last-minute ‘cash withdrawals’

    •Governor vows not to victimise civil servants

    The governor spoke at a meeting with the permanent secretaries at the Government House, Port Harcourt yesterday.

    Wike ordered permanent secretaries to produce the bank statements of their ministries for the last 18 months.

    He  advised  the permanent  secretaries  to  shun partisan politics  as career civil  servants,  saying the roles some of  them played in  the  closing  days of the immediate  past administration  were politically  motivated.

    Wike added that some permanent secretaries helped the immediate past administration to illegally withdraw funds from the State Government coffers.

    He said: “I want full details and print out of every ministry’s account in the last 18 months. I will not accept any handover note without an accompanying account details.

    “The government was coming to a close and some of you were busy signing cheques on 26, 27 and 28 of May. On 28 of May, the Transition Committee called most of you and you refused to cooperate because they told you I will not be sworn-in.”

    The  governor  noted  that  he  would  not witch hunt any civil servant irrespective  of his/her role in the electioneering  period . He, however, said that no civil servant would be allowed to sabotage the efforts of his administration.

    He urged the  permanent  secretaries  to  work  with  his administration  to revive  the  state  and put back smile  on  the  faces of  the  people.

    “Those of you who want to work with us to develop Rivers State will get the necessary support.  You are career civil servants and not politicians.  As civil servants, don’t play the role of politicians,” he said.

    The  Rivers  State  governor  pointed out  that  “back-dated employments  and indiscriminate  issuance  of certificates  of occupancy by the  immediate  past administration”  would be  re-visited.

    He directed the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands and Survey to produce the relevant land documents for examination.  The permanent secretaries were led to the meeting by the Head of Service,    Samuel LongJohn.

    Others  who attended  the  meeting  were the former  Minister  of  Sports,  Dr  Tammy  Danagogo,  Former  Deputy  governor,  Tele  Ikuru  and Secretary  of  the  Transition  Committee,   Frank Owhor.

  • Wike dissolves Board of Greater PH Authority

    •Sanitation workers directed to resume work

    The Rivers State Government has dissolved the Board of Directors of Greater Port Harcourt Authority with immediate effect.

    A statement in Port Harcourt, the state capital, by Emma Okah said the former Administrator of the Authority “is hereby directed to hand over the administration and all property of the authority in her possession to the Secretary of the authority with immediate effect”.

    The Nyesom Wike administration also directed refuse disposal contractors to resume work immediately to ensure that Port Harcourt returns to its former “Garden City” status.

  • APC, PDP disagree on Wike’s defection plan

    APC, PDP disagree on Wike’s defection plan

    The leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State have disagreed on the move by the state governor-elect, Chief Nyesom Wike, to join the APC.

    The Rivers State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Chris Finebone, on Thursday in Port Harcourt, disclosed that there was a subterranean move by Wike to jump defect to the party.

    The Rivers Chairman of the PDP, Chief Felix Obuah, however, dismissed the APC’s claim, describing it as malicious, baseless and a mere wishful thinking of propagators of such falsehood.

    Wike, a former Minister of State for Education, was declared winner of the April 11 governorship election in the state by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), while the governorship candidate of the APC, Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, has concluded arrangements to file a petition at the state’s election petitions tribunal in Abuja.

    Finebone said Wike’s move to defect to the APC was aimed at obtaining the cover of the ruling party in the state and avoid a judicial dethronement.

    He said: “Wike’s latest move comes as no surprise to those who know his antecedents. Having back-stabbed his mentors like former Senator John Mbata in the past and more recently Governor Chibuike Amaechi, he would only be living true to the unreliable ally that he has grown to be.

    “Wike’s history is replete with sabotage and dual personality, often unstable among peers. So, we are not surprised at his latest move to dump the PDP and join the APC. Such a move portrays him as unstable in relationship, having at several instances, bitten the finger that fed him. He thinks that by hiding under the canopy of APC membership, elders of the APC will prevail on Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, the governorship candidate of the party at the April 11 election, to abandon his quest for justice.”

    Obuah, however, claimed that it was most unthinkable that the governor-elect who is also the PDP leader in Rivers State, was considering dumping the party for the APC, saying doing so was like preferring hell, which the APC allegedly represents, to paradise.

    He said: “Rivers State is a PDP state, as demonstrated in the just-concluded general election and cannot be betrayed by the leader and holder of its mandate, who has given all he has to ensure the party is not killed by self-seeking individuals, the bulk of whom make up the membership of the APC in the state.

    “Rather than do that, the governor-elect, Chief Wike, will do all within his powers to deliver on his electioneering promises to the people to ensure they are not disappointed and to strengthen their support and belief in the PDP.”

     

  • Okocha expresses fear over who swears in Wike

    Okocha expresses fear over who swears in Wike

    Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) OCJ Okocha has expressed concern over the absence of a Chief Judge who will swear in Rivers State Governor-elect Nyesom Wike.

    Okocha said the constitution empowers only the Chief Judge of a State, the President of a Customary Court of Appeal and a Grand Khadi of a Sharia Court of Appeal to administer oath of office on a governor-elect before he can legally perform the functions of a governor.

    Okocha, who spoke yesterday on a radio interview monitored in Port Harcourt, said Rivers State may be in for a constitutional crisis on May 29 if Governor Rotimi Amaechi does not appoint an acting Chief Judge.

    He said: “Any of these three can administer the oath. For us, it is usual that it is the Chief Judge of Rivers State. We don’t have a Chief Judge, neither do we have an acting Chief Judge. We also do not have a President of the Customary Court of Appeal.

    “If these things remain as they are now, there may be constitutional crisis. Right now that office is vacant so is the office of President of the Customary Court of Appeal of Rivers State and we are facing this looming, as you say, constitutional crisis.

    “Well, I hope and believe that reason will prevail and the governor will see it fit to do what is needful to ensure he appoints the appropriate person as stipulated in the constitution as acting Chief Judge so that at least, we can have our new governor sworn-in by the acting Chief Judge so appointed,” Okocha said.

    Justice Lambo Akanbi of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt last year ruled that the National Judicial Council (NJC) cannot force the governor to accept whoever it recommends to him for appointment as Chief Judge.

    Justice Akanbi also said that the decision of the NJC to prefer Justice Daisy Okocha and disqualify Justice Peter Agumagu was wrong, null and void.

    Dissatisfied with this decision, Justice Okocha approached the Court of Appeal to set aside the decision and till now, the matter is still undecided.

  • Rivers guber polls : INEC declares Wike winner

    Rivers guber polls : INEC declares Wike winner

    Former Education Minister, Nyesom Wike, has been declared the winner of the Rivers State governorship election by the Independent  National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Wike, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  won with 1,029,102 votes, while  the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Mr Dakuku Peterside, had 124,896 votes.

    The result was announced by the Returning Officer, Professor Faraday Oruwense at the INEC office in Port Harcourt early Monday morning.

    Below is the breakdown of result:

     

    Abua/Odua PDP 46,392, APC 790

    Asari Toru   PDP 32,150  APC 566

    TAI                PDP 32,988  APC 2,219

    OMUMA.      PDP. 10,735 APC 3,376

    Eleme         PDP 3,079. APC  10,522

    Ahoada West PDP 15,575. APC 13, 175

    Andoni    PDP,  70,317.  APC 5, 278

    ONELGA  PDP 67,864.  APC 9,532

    Opobo/Nkoro PDP 2,345. APC 5,455

    Khana  PDP 33,559..  APC  9,532

    Ahoada East PDP 14,100, APC 4,011

    Gokana      PDP 62,218, APC 734.

    Ogu/Bolo PDP   33,559. APC 742.

    Obio /Akpor    PDP 274,049. APC 12,045

    Oyigbo.       PDP 7,559.  APC 6,529

    Akuku Toru p PDP 64,498. APC 3,010.

    Okrika          PDP 47, 891    APC 1631

    Port Harcourt City Local government APC 24,367  PDP 82,289

    Ikwerre LGA,  APC 10,555 PDP  23,511

    Etche LGA, APC 6,488, PDP, 33,954

    Degema LGA,  APC, 1,244, PDP 31,103

    Bonny LGA, APC 5,822, PDP 10,156

    Khana LGA, APC 180, PDP 72, 505

    Emohua LGA cancelled

  • APC kicks as Wike leads in Rivers

    APC kicks as Wike leads in Rivers

    All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters in Rivers State have rejected the results of last Saturday’s declared by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The elections were marked by violence –  shooting, ballot box snatching and killings.

    The irregularities made the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dame Gesila Khan, to declare elections inconclusive.

    She said elections would be held the next day at Abua/Odual, Ward 1, Asari/Toru Ward 13, Bonny Ward 12, Degema Ward 11, 12, 13, Emohua Ward 4, Obio/Akpor Ward 15 and 16.

    APC agents at the INEC collation centre were amazed when returning officers of the local government area where shooting and ballot box snatching said there was no problem in those areas.

    They also discovered that unregistered political parties appeared on the result sheets in six local government areas.

    In Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, the retuning officer said there was no violence. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  was declared winner with 67,894 votes. The APC was said to have recorded 9,532 votes.

    The APC chairman in the area, Mr. Felix Ejechi, who confirmed the killing of its members  in  Saturday’s elections, said the returning officer lied that there was no violence in the area.

    He said most of the polling units in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area witnessed shootings and hijacking of INEC materials by armed thugs allegedly suspected to be members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    He said: “Gunmen took hostage of most of the wards and units in the area. Our APC youth leader in the area and a party supporter were killed.  Most of the materials brought in were fake and we protested. I wondered why the returning officer could not say the simple truth.”

    At about 11 am yesterday, there were shootings in Emohua Local Government Area after a disagreement between supporters of APC and the PDP over which ward and units were cancelled by INEC.

    The REC cancelled Emohua Ward 4 over irregularity but APC leaders in the area said it was  not only Ward 4 that was marred with irregularities and demanded the outright cancellation of the result.

    In Etche Local Government where a police officer was arrested with ballot papers and result sheets, the APC supporters yesterday protested that election did not hold in their area.

    When The Nation visited the area on Saturday, there were no INEC officers or Corps members in the three Obite communities in Etche. Voters waited till 4pm before they departed to their various homes after they discovered that election was not going to take place.

    A House of Assembly candidate for the Advance Congress of Democrat (ACD)  in Etche, Hon. Samuel Ali, said elections did not  take place in the area. He said: “The people of the area are calling on the  INEC to come and conduct election in the area.

    “This morning we discovered that why election did not hold in the area is because some certain politicians hijacked both the INEC officials and the materials to their houses where election for the area took place. Don’t forget we arrested police officer with electoral materials.

    “One person was killed in the area and an INEC official was caught diverting electoral materials. There is no election. INEC must admit that all these things took place on Saturday. We are saying INEC must conduct election in my area.

    In Obio/Akpor Local Government area, the home town of the PDP governorship candidate, Chief Nyesom Wike, got 224,888 votes as against the APC’s 9,844 votes, in spite of  the fact that armed men invaded  the area and carted away electoral materials during the elections.

    At  Obio/Akpor   Ward 15 and 16, INEC materials were hijacked but APC supporters ensured the elections were cancelled.

    After the declaration of the result in the area, APC leaders allegedly said the results were written in Wike’s bedroom.

  • Amaechi neglected rural schools, says Wike

    Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate Nyesom  Wike has accused Governor Rotimi Amaechi of abandoning schools in rural communities.

    Wike, who spoke in Isiokpo yesterday after visiting Model Secondary School, has denied over a million Rivers children access to quality education.

    He said the dilapidated nature of the school in Isiokpo, the home local government area of the governor, was disappointing.

    Wike said: “I cried as I moved round the classes of the Model Secondary School in Isiokpo. If Amaechi can do this to his people, you can imagine the damage he has done to education in Rivers State.

    “We shall take very proactive steps to address education in the rural communities of Rivers State. We shall develop a comprehensive boarding school system in the state to ensure that our children have access to proper education.

    This outgoing administration is built on deceit and lies. The APC is a party comfortable with falsehood. That is why Amaechi repeatedly takes Buhari and others to just one school in Port Harcourt, while the schools in rural areas have been destroyed due deliberate neglect.”

    He donated 5000 books to the school and promised that it would be among the first set of schools to be rehabilitated if he is elected.

    The PDP candidate also met with chiefs of Isiokpo town and also held campaign rallies for wards two and three in Ikwerre Local Government Area.

    Wike pledged to reconstruct the road leading to Isiokpo and provide water and facilities for the community.

    During a visit to Ward 18 in Port Harcourt yesterday, Wike pledged to rehabilitate Diobu residential area. He assured the people of improved basic amenities.

     

     

     

     

  • •Wike: governor blackmailing me

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has accused Governor Rotimi Amaechi of blackmailing him.

    Wike said the people were determined to end “the unpleasant days of Amaechi and his associates”.

    He spoke during his campaign tour of wards 15, 16 and 17 of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area yesterday.

    Wike said Amaechi has failed to provide basic amenities for the people.

    He assured the people that he would stop the seizure of lands from the people.

    “This election is about stopping the negative legacies of Amaechi and setting Rivers State on the path to development. The people have pledged their support to PDP, because this is the only way to speedy development.”

    The state PDP governorship candidate hailed the Akpor people for always supporting his political ambition.

    He promised to rehabilitate its link roads and improve on internal roads, saying the blackmail adopted by Amaechi and his associates would not stop the PDP.

    Wike urged the people to vote President Goodluck Jonathan as well as other PDP candidates and said Nigerians would not allow the country to be dragged backwards by the APC.

     

  • APC is unfair, says Wike

    APC is unfair, says Wike

    The Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Nyesom Wike, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of being unfair to the people.

    He spoke yesterday at Wards 12 and 14 in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

    Wike said: “Democracy is about service to the people. It is the use of God-given opportunity to improve the living condition of the people.

    “What we have in Rivers State is a dysfunctional administration which is premised on the oppression of the people and the illegal acquisition of the people’s resources.”

    He said he would fund the renovation of the home of an Ikwerre icon, Obi Wali.

    The Rivers State PDP governorship candidate said he would construct internal roads in Wards 12 and 14, build markets for the critical communities of the wards and develop basic amenities for the people.

    He charged the people to vote President Jonathan and all other PDP candidates for the people to benefit from the tenets of transformation agenda.

    The Rivers State PDP Governorship Candidate had meeting with traditional rulers of the wards visited, where he received traditional endorsements.

  • Wike to APC candidate: stop attacking me

    Wike to APC candidate: stop attacking me

    The Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Nyesom Wike, has warned the Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Dr Dakuku Peterside, against attacking his personality

    He spoke at the Mega Rally of Ward 18, Eagle Island in Port Harcourt yesterday.

    Wike warned the Rivers APC governorship candidate against uncontrolled allegations during political rallies, threatening to open up on the former Commissioner for Works.

    “He shouldn’t dare me because I will publish these facts the way we published Amaechi’s actions in Government House and they are yet to respond.”

    Speaking on his contract with the people of Eagle Island, the Rivers PDP governorship candidate promised to build a public primary school in the area, reconstruct internal road in the area and site a security post in the community.

    He added that his administration would develop a beach in the area and improve the living condition of the people.

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence, Senator George Sekibo advised the Eagle Island residents to vote for PDP as the future of the state rests with a PDP victory.

    House of Representatives member Blessing Nsiegbe assured Barrister Wike that the residents of the Island will join other Nigerians to ensure he becomes the next governor of the state.

    The Rivers State PDP Chairman, Felix Obuah, hailed the people to vote for Wike and the PDP.