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  • APC Forum backs Wike

    APC Forum backs Wike

    • …rejects resignation, redeployment calls

    The North-Central All Progressives Congress (NC APC) Forum has rejected calls for the resignation or removal of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, warning that such demands could derail ongoing development in Abuja and undermine the gains recorded under the Bola Tinubu administration.

    The Forum also cautioned against pressure on President Tinubu to sack or redeploy the Minister, describing the agitation as politically motivated and detrimental to the interests of the North-Central zone.

    Calls for Wike’s resignation intensified following comments by the National Secretary of the APC, Senator Ajibola Basiru, who recently asked the FCT minister to resign and focus on the politics of Rivers State.

    Basiru’s remarks followed Wike’s warning to him to stay out of Rivers State affairs, while some groups have urged President Tinubu to redeploy Wike to the Ministry of the Niger Delta.

    Reacting in a statement on Monday, the Chairman of the Forum, Saleh Zazzaga, said the Minister should be allowed to continue his work in the FCT, which he described as an integral part of the North-Central region.

    “The North-Central All Progressives Congress, APC, Forum rejects calls for the resignation of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike.

    “The Minister is performing well in the FCT under an APC administration, and we frown at such calls, especially as it concerns the development of the FCT, which is part of the North-Central,” the Forum stressed.

    It pointed out that the pace of infrastructural development in the FCT had improved significantly since Wike assumed office, arguing that calls for his resignation or removal amount to an attempt to reverse those gains.

    “Some people stayed eight years as FCT minister without anything to show for it, but under two years, Wike has turned the FCT around.

    “Yet some people who we believe are serving their selfish interests are calling for his resignation. This is highly condemnable, and we will not allow it, even if the calls are coming from leaders of the party,” the Forum said.

    The group stressed that it had no interest in the political crisis in Rivers State, insisting that its sole concern was the development of the FCT and, by extension, the North-Central zone.

    Read Also: Wike: No one can push us out of Rivers politics

    “It is wrong for anybody who is considered a party leader to be calling for Wike’s resignation on the grounds that he is not a member of the APC.

    “We don’t want to join issues with the persons that are making these calls, but we advise them to back off,” the Forum added.

    It also warned that continued agitation against the FCT Minister could trigger mass protests in Abuja, urging those behind the calls to desist, adding, “We believe that those making this call, as well as others calling for Wike’s sack, do not mean well for President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

    “They also do not want the development of this country.”

    Zazzaga disclosed that the Forum had formally commended Wike for his infrastructural strides in the FCT, noting that the projects had positively impacted the North-Central.

    “Last year we sent a commendation letter to the FCT minister for his developmental strides in the FCT,” the statement said.

    While arguing that Wike played a critical role in the emergence of the Tinubu administration during the 2023 presidential election, the Forum added, “None of them calling for his resignation contributed as much as Wike to the coming of this administration, even though he is not a member of the party.”

    The group urged the Minister to ignore the calls and remain focused on his mandate, “We urge the minister to ignore these calls, no matter where they are coming from, and continue developing the FCT,” the statement added.

  • Wike/Basiru clash

    Wike/Basiru clash

    “From my records, he isn’t a member of the APC. I don’t see which authority or temerity he has to be dabbling into APC affairs. I am the head of the national secretariat of the APC. So, he has no locus whatsoever to engage me in any official activity that concerns the APC, until he joins the party”.

    These were the exact words with which the national secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ajibola Basiru reacted to scathing remarks against him by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FTC), Nyesom Wike. He had also asked Wike to resign from his ministerial position and face what he called, his obsession with Rivers politics.

    The altercation arose after Basiru led the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC to Port Harcourt, Rivers State during which they interfaced with Governor Siminalayi Fubara. In the course of that visit, the NWC members had reportedly endorsed Fubara for a second term.

    Basiru equally cautioned the national vice chairman of the APC South-south, Victor Giadom for making derogatory remarks against the governor.  Giadom had reportedly said at a political function that “Gokana is a no-go-area for anybody, be it the so-called governor”.

    Basiru contended that it was wrong for anybody to hide under personal loyalty or political allegiance to denigrate a governor elected by the people. Giadom is said to be an ally of Wike.

    Wike in reaction to the NWC visit to Rivers State warned Basiru to steer clear of Rivers politics. He alluded to those who go to Rivers State because they heard the state has N600bn allocation and accused them of going to the state to collect money only to open their mouths to talk anyhow.

    “I say it here; take this message to your national secretary. Leave Rivers State alone. Go and ask those who have done it before. Please, don’t take our support for Mr. President for granted. You have to be careful with the statements you make”, Wike warned.

    In the statement which Basiru personally signed (from which the introductory quote was lifted), the APC national scribe took strong exceptions to Wike’s allusion that he is interested in the N600bn allocation to Rivers State even as he queried his competence to dabble into the affairs of the APC.

    Read Also: 5.36m electricity customers remain without meters– NERC

    The issues raised by the APC national secretary on Wike’s current political leaning, highlights all that is wrong with the brand of politics played in this country.  And in it can be located why it has been pretty difficult for significant progress to be recorded in deepening the democratic culture on these shores.

    Wike has been a key member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) until the last controversial national convention of the party held in Oyo State when he was expelled. Even then, the group he leads has formed a parallel faction. They floated a factional national caretaker committee of the party which went to court to challenge the Oyo State convention. Until the issues in their litigations are resolved, he still remains a member of the PDP.

    Since after his support for President Tinubu in the last presidential election, Wike had been embroiled in a running battle with some key leaders of the party for the soul of the PDP. He owes his current ministerial position to that support.

    But the way he carried on with his group of four other former PDP governors (before Makinde pulled out) has not gone down well with others who feel his agenda is to decapitate the leading opposition party. As things stand, the PDP is a ghost of its former self as most of its governors have defected to the ruling party. The Osun State governor has pitched his tent in another party for fear of disqualification in the face of the series litigations by opposing factions with Wike at the centre of it all.

    So, he remains a PDP member until the issues in court are resolved. As the crisis in the PDP raged on, some of its state assembly members in Rivers State defected to the ruling party. They were followed quickly by Fubara.

    It was sequel to these defections that Basiru led the APC NWC to Rivers State. The altercation between Wike and Basiru is a fallout of events of that visit.

    When Basiru said Wike is not a member of the APC and has no locus to engage him in the running of the party affairs, he was just highlighting the obvious contradictions in the current political posturing of the FCT minister. That role had before now given vent to allegations that the federal government has a hand in the crisis rocking the opposition parties and the slide to one-party system.

    That is not all. By asking Wike to resign from his ministerial position and face his obsession with Rivers politics, the APC appears to be coming to terms with the incongruity in Wike’s current political posturing. Yes, he can hold his ministerial position.

    But he cannot be the face of a troublesome faction in the PDP and at the same time seek to control the affairs of the APC government of Rivers State. Basiru was within his rights when he argued that Wike cannot challenge his job in the APC when he is yet to join the party. It is however curious that the APC is realising the duplicitous role of the FCT minister in the PDP in the last two years.

    Not a few Nigerians had viewed with utter suspicion and dismay the double role he has been playing in both the opposition PDP and the ruling APC government. That suspicion came to a head when a couple of weeks back, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Wike were embroiled in serious altercations.

    The quarrel was sequel to the allegation by Makinde that Wike was attempting to weaken the PDP in support of President Tinubu’s second term ambition. He had alleged that Wike had during a meeting, openly offered to hold the PDP for the president ahead of the 2023 elections.

    But Wike quickly denied Makinde’s allegation describing it as a blatant lie. He said there was no such meeting. We are faced with Makinde’s words against that of Wike with no evidence to determine their veracity or lack of it.

    Even then, the body language and some utterances of the FCT minister have not helped matters. Not with recent unconfirmed reports that Wike is rooting for the former national secretary of the PDP, Samuel Anyanwu to fly the flag of the APC for the 2027 election in Imo State. Not with the impeachment notice to Fubara by the Rivers State House of Assembly last week.

    Wike’s politics in the PDP is responsible for suggestions that the federal government has a hand in the PDP crisis. His politics in Rivers conveys the unmistakable impression that one man determines the electoral swing of a state. That is the impression we get each time people say this or that local government area is no-go-area. It is no credit to our democracy that Wike postures to be of considerable influence in the APC and PDP. His altercation with Basiru exposes all that. It is time for him to take a stand or be compelled to do so.

  • Rivers: Wike knocks critics over call for his sack by Tinubu

    Rivers: Wike knocks critics over call for his sack by Tinubu

    • …reaffirms grip on Rivers’ votes

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Sunday described those calling for President Bola Tinubu to sack him as ‘jokers’.

    Wike said it is not within their power to advise Tinubu on what to do regarding his appointment as minister.

    The minister also shunned criticisms trailing his political choices, insisting politics is driven by interests, power, and the will of the people, not sentiment or emotions.

    The Minister stated this during the grand finale of his “thank you” tour to Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, his political base, where he addressed a massive crowd of supporters and political leaders.

    While speaking, Wike said that his decision to venture into politics was deliberate and not accidental.

    To his detractors, the minister explained that he chose to be a politician and not a pastor, a trader, a public commentator or journalist, urging them to allow him play his politics.

    According to him, “I did not say I wanted to be a journalist. I did not say I wanted to shape public opinion through writing. I said clearly that I wanted to be a politician, and that is what I am.

    “For those who are crying left, right, and centre, it’s your business. You cannot be a politician and at the same time a trader, and at the same time a pastor. No, you must choose what you want to do.”

    Read Also: Wike hails Tinubu on Bonny Island road construction

    He added that his visit to Obio/Akpor was borne out of gratitude, noting that acknowledging support is a fundamental principle of leadership.

    “This time, I called on you, and you responded positively. I felt it was important to come back and say thank you. When someone does something good for you, you acknowledge it. Gratitude matters,” Wike said.

    According to him, there is no sentiment or emotion in politics; what matters is interest, the interest of the people.

    He added that, “power is not given but taken,” saying, “for the people of Obio/Akpor, we have the power to dictate who becomes a governor in Rivers.

    “Nobody has become governor in this state without Obio/Akpor making a pronouncement; nobody has become a senator of Rivers East without Obio/Akpor making a decision.

    “So, if you like, abuse us, after abusing us, come and look for our votes, and we will punish you with the votes.

    “Don’t bother about people who say ‘sack him.’ If my appointer believes that I cannot offer anything again, he has the right; it is not in your place to tell him what to do.”

    He said President Bola Tinubu knows his worth and, as such, does not need anybody to tell him what to do.

    The minister said Tinubu has done so much for Rivers people, stressing that the people would return the favour in 2027.

    He said, “We will use our strength to punish them. We will use our strength and punish people. So you have to take us softly so that we don’t get angry with you. Nobody has become governor in this state without Obio/Akpor making a pronouncement. Nobody has become a senator of Rivers East without Obio/Akpor making a decision.

    “So, if you like abuse us, after abusing us, come and look for the votes. And we will punish you with the votes.”

    Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, had earlier pointed out that Obio/Akpor has over 684,000 votes out of the 3.5 million registered voters in Rivers State.

    Chinda, who represents the LGA in the Green Chamber, said that with such voting strength, nobody would challenge the political power of the LGA in the state.

    “Just go home. Tell us what you want us to do, and we will do it,” he told the minister.

    Chairman of the Council, Dr Gift Worlu, described Wike as a “gift” to the LGA, the state, and the country, due to his outstanding performance in public service at the local, state, and national levels.

    Worlu thanked the minister for the many things he had done for the people of the LGA, adding that supporting the election of Tinubu in 2023 had led to the harvest upon harvest of benefits for the people.

    He assured the minister that the people know where to go in the 2027 presidential election in the state.

    Speaking on the gubernatorial election, the chairman said, “We do not know where to go yet, but we know where not to go.”

    Also, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, reassured the minister of the full support of the people in the local government area.

    Amaewhule added that members of the State Assembly would continue to pray for him and support his call for the re-election of Tinubu for a second term.

    “Tell Mr President that what we did for him in 2023, we will do even better in 2027. We have concluded this matter with our decisions in the house. I don’t need to talk too much again.”

  • Wike: No one can push us out of Rivers politics

    Wike: No one can push us out of Rivers politics

    • Fubara’s impeachment can’t stand if not sanctioned by NWC – Kalu

    • Elders forum warns against sack of Fubara, deputy

    Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike vowed yesterday that no one could push him and his supporters out or stop them from supporting the reelection of President Bola Tinubu in Rivers State.

    He said those who are now positioning themselves to deny him and his supporters their rewards for throwing in their lot with the President in 2023 would fail in their bid.

    Wike spoke in Port Harcourt as tension keeps rising over the impeachment move against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu by the majority members of the State House of Assembly.

    The minister who was on a thank you visit to Port Harcourt City Local Government, (PHALGA) recalled how the people of the state stood by him to elect Tinubu in 2023 against all odds.

    He added that now that the benefits were rolling in, he would not allow anyone to rush in at the last minutes and take the glory.

    “In 2023, we led the struggle here. We were members of the Renewed Hope Agenda from the very beginning and that was when we took the decision to support Tinubu,” he said.

    “Now, those who were not there then, who went and supported Atiku Abubakar and refused to give him even 10 per cent votes are now coming that they want to lead the Renewed Hope Agenda. Is it possible?

    “You were not there from the beginning. You didn’t go to buy the pepper, you didn’t go to buy the salt, and you didn’t go to buy the oil.

    “You did not participate in all these things. Suddenly food is done; you now jump in and want to be the one that will eat first. Is that possible? Nobody in this state can push us out.”

    He asked his supporters not to give in to distractions but remain united and focus their energy on supporting the reelection of Tinubu.

    “These are the foot soldiers of the Renewed Hope Family. If there is one state that the President knows he can go home and sleep with his two eyes closed, it is Rivers,” he said.

    READ ALSO; FUNKE AKINDELE: Undisputed queen of Nigerian Box Office

    He also said he cannot be a leader forever and that he will have to leave the stage for others at some point.

    “Because leadership has come on you, there’s nothing you can do. And those of us too, we should know that today, I’m a leader. Tomorrow will be your own turn too,” he said.

    “No one man can be a leader forever. It’s not possible. God has never allowed that. So, everybody saying, Wike is our leader as it is today, yes. But it can never be forever.

    “Everybody has his or her own time. When your own time has come, you do whatever you can do to the satisfaction of the people, and to the glory of God. So, when you respect a leader, when it’s your own turn too, somebody will respect you.”

    He explained that the visit was to thank the people for the support in 2023 and to advise them to keep working together, assuring them that 2026 would be better than 2025.

    Earlier, the Mayor of Port Harcourt, Sir Allwell Ihunda, commended Tinubu for ensuring that democratically elected council chairmen exist in Rivers.

    Ihunda added that as a governor of the state for eight years, Wike had done wonders by executing numerous life-impacting projects to make life better for the people.

    “We are ready for your directives on what to do in 2027.  As soon as the directive comes, we will step into action,” he said.

    Fubara’s impeachment won’t happen if not sanctioned by NWC, says Kalu

    Former governor of Abia State and APC chieftain, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu said yesterday that the planned impeachment of Governor Fubara by the State House of Assembly would not come to pass except the party’s leadership sanctions the move.

    Kalu, who currently represents Abia North in the Senate,said  he was “not  sure that it (impeachment proceedings) is going to succeed if the NWC of the party are not with that decision.”

    Rivers elders warn against impeachment of Fubara, deputy

    The Rivers Elders and Leadership Forum (RELEF) has expressed concern over the impeachment notice issued to Gov. Fubara and Deputy Gov. Odu.

    The Acting Chairman of RELEF, Dr Gabriel Toby, a former deputy governor of Rivers, condemned the impeachment move in a statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday.

    Toby warned that impeachment was a grave constitutional process and must not be deployed as “an instrument of political vendetta or factional rivalry.”

    According to him, the reasons advanced by the lawmakers for the attempted removal of the governor are weak, insubstantial, and devoid of public interest justification or constitutional weight.

    “The allegations against Gov. Fubara appear to be driven by narrow personal interests rather than any sincere concern for good governance in the state.

    “The governor’s mandate was freely given by the electorate and can only be questioned in strict compliance with constitutional provisions, due process, and clear, compelling, and verifiable grounds,” he said.

    Toby cautioned that the current course of action could deepen political divisions and erode public confidence in democratic institutions.

    He added that it could further destabilise an already fragile political environment in the state.

    “Rivers State has yet to fully recover from the political, social and institutional disruptions of the recent emergency rule.

    “Our people are still bearing the consequences of that episode, and the present development risks reopening old wounds and heightening tensions,” he added.

    The elder statesman stressed that stability and focussed governance were urgently required and called on the lawmakers to immediately retrace their steps in the interest of peace and progress.

    He also urged the legislators to place the collective interest of the state above partisan or personal considerations and reaffirmed the forum’s commitment to peace, unity, justice and constitutional democracy.

    “We will not remain silent in the face of actions capable of threatening the stability, dignity, and future of Rivers State.

    “We appeal for wisdom and restraint to prevail in the overall interest of the people. We urge all stakeholders to allow the state to heal and move forward.” Toby said.

  • I can’t be Rivers’ leader forever – Wike 

    I can’t be Rivers’ leader forever – Wike 

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike on Saturday declared he cannot be a leader in Rivers State forever no matter the situation. 

    Wike said this while addressing the people of Port Harcourt City Local Government, (PHALGA) as part of his ‘thank you’ tour of Local Government Areas in Rivers State. 

    He insisted that Governor Siminalayi Fubara has remained ungrateful and will be shown the way out. 

    Wike said he and his supporters will resist any threat from any quarters on the re- election of President Bola Tinubu. 

    He said nobody in Rivers State can stop him and his supporters from achieving their goals. 

    The Minister said he would also not allow anyone take the glory of what took him years to achieve. 

    According to him: “But, because leadership has come on you, there’s nothing you can do. And those of us too, we should know that today, I’m a leader. Tomorrow will be your own turn too

    “No one man can be a leader forever. It’s not possible. God has never allowed that. So, everybody saying, Wike is our leader as it is today, yes. But it can never be forever.

    “Everybody has his or her own time. When your own time has come, you do whatever you can do to the satisfaction of the people, and to the glory of God. So, when you respect a leader, when it’s your own turn too, somebody will respect you.

    “In 2023, we led the struggle here. We were members of the Renewed Hope Agenda from the very beginning and that was when we took the decision to support Tinubu. 

    “Now, those who were not there then, who went and supported Atiku Abubakar and refused to give him even 10 per cent votes are now coming that they want to lead the Renewed Hope Agenda. Is it possible? 

    “You were not there from the beginning. You didn’t go to buy the pepper, you didn’t go to buy the salt, and you didn’t go to buy the oil. 

    “You did not participate in all these things. Suddenly, food is done; you now jump in and want to be the one to eat first. Is that possible? Nobody in this state can push us out,” he said.

    Noting the activities of distractors, the Minister urged his supporters not to be afraid but remain united and focus their energy to supporting the reelection of Tinubu.

    “These are the foot soldiers of the Renewed Hope Family. If there is one state that the President knows he can go home and sleep with his two eyes closed, it is Rivers State,” he said.

    Mayor of Port Harcourt, Sir Allwell Ihunda, commended Tinubu for ensuring democratically elected council chairmen exist in the state.

    Ihunda added that as Governor of the state for eight years, Wike had done wonders by executing numerous life-impacting projects to make life better for the people.

    “We are ready for your directives on what to do in 2027. As soon as the directive comes, we will step into action,” he said. 

    Also, Mrs Blessing Amadi, representing Port Harcourt II Federal Constituency, commended the Minister for giving women a voice in the decision making table, by making women vice chairmen in all the LGAs of the state.

    “This is the only state in the country that has given women so much recognition and we applaud you for this,” she said.

    Smart Adoki, representing Port Harcourt II in the State Assembly, equally thanked Wike for taking the risk to support Tinubu in 2023, adding that today, the people of Rivers were reaping the benefits.

    His supporters turned out in large numbers for the occasion. 

  • Employment for Rivers people key to development – Wike

    Employment for Rivers people key to development – Wike

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has stressed the importance of creating more job opportunities for residents of Rivers State, noting that such efforts will enhance human empowerment across the state.

    Wike, who spoke during the commissioning of the corporate headquarters of Giolee Global Resources Limited in Port Harcourt, underscored the role of corporate social responsibility in driving development.

    He commended the company’s investment, describing it as a step that supports broader economic growth and community upliftment.

    He said, “When the managing director invited me to come and commission a corporate office, I was thinking it’s like a one-block building. On getting to this place, I never knew that we had such a gigantic infrastructure.”

    He praised the management and staff of the company for not only establishing the business but sustaining it to the level where it now boasts a world-class facility.

    “It’s one thing to establish a company, it’s one thing to run the company, manage it well, and it turns out this way,” Wike added.

    The former Rivers State governor stressed the importance of government support for investors, noting that access to land documentation, such as Certificates of Occupancy, is key to business growth.

    Read Also: Fubara lacks capacity to win Rivers for Tinubu in 2027 – Rivers Deputy Chief Whip

    “One of the things to ease the process of making business is to make sure that those people have access by having the certificate of occupancy… for them to have access to the bank,” he recalled from his tenure in office.

    Wike expressed satisfaction that Giolee Global chose to site the project in Port Harcourt rather than in Lagos or Abuja, describing the move as a boost to local employment and revenue generation.

    “I’m happy with you that you did not go and establish this in Lagos or Abuja… that you have to provide this here, employ our people, and pay taxes to the government, that is an encouragement,” he said.

    He also applauded the firm’s corporate social responsibility initiatives, which include the provision of a 500KVA transformer and sponsorship of school fees for 50 students.

    “There are so many companies that don’t care about corporate social responsibility… you are paying school fees for 50 students, that is very, very commendable,” Wike stated.

    The FCT Minister further disclosed that the company had opened its doors to science students for excursions to expose them to practical industrial experience.

     “You have made it available so that students who study science can come here for an excursion and look at what it takes. That is also an encouragement to our people,” he said.

    He thanked the host community for supporting the quick completion of the edifice and urged local leaders to continue creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

    In his address, the Managing Director, Giolee Gloval Resources, Lesi Mail, thanked the Minister for gracing the occasion, noting the minister’s infrastructure development strides during his time as governor and currently as the Minister of the FCT.

    Maol said planned corporate social responsibilities of the company would include the provision of a 500 KVA transformer to the host community, payment of school fees of 50 graduate students, provision of employment for community youths, and allowing secondary school students to visit the facility on excursion trips.

  • Rivers: Wike hails Tinubu over construction of Bonny road

    Rivers: Wike hails Tinubu over construction of Bonny road

    • …says decades of suffering has ended

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, on Thursday, praised President Bola Tinubu for ending decades of suffering crossing the Bonny Island in Rivers State.

    Wike gave the commendation during his “thank you” visit to the Bonny Local Government Area of the state.

    The 37.8 km Bodo-Bonny Road project, now open to vehicular movements, provides the first-ever land connection to Bonny Island, a major oil and gas hub in Rivers State.

    The minister pointed out that the road has been a political road for decades, with many failed promises by previous administrations, until the Tinubu administration took the bold step to complete it.

    He applauded the Minister of Works, David Umahi, for ensuring that Tinubu’s dream becomes a reality.

    “Before, each time we wanted to come to Bonny for a campaign, we would look at ourselves and say, ‘How is the tide?’ Even in a helicopter, I will see the ocean and say God, let me come back today.

    “But today, as we are coming here, I say God, may you be glorified, and with this, tell me why Bonny people will not support Mr President?

    “Bonny people, God’s time is the best, and God’s time has come. You will continue to benefit from Tinubu’s administration,” he said.

    Wike advised the people not to be distracted by the current political crisis in the state, stressing that, “In politics, there is always disagreement. What is important is to disagree and agree.

    “When a place is united, you will see the benefits that would accrue to the people. As leaders, continue to work together so you will continue to bring more things for the people of Bonny.”

    Read Also: 2027: Rainbow Coalition will fill all elective positions in Rivers, says Wike

    Earlier, Mr Cyril Heart, representing Degema-Bonny Federal Constituency, commended Wike for championing women’s inclusion in governance in Rivers State and the country at large.

    Describing the move as an “unspoken legacy” of the minister, the lawmaker recalled how Wike insisted that women must be vice chairmen of local government councils in Rivers State.

    He said the National Assembly was making efforts to replicate what the minister did in Rivers State, through a bill that would institutionalise women’s inclusion in governance across the country.

    Also, Chairman of Bonny Local Government Council, Abinye Pepple, described Wike as the most “dependable, reliable and cheerful leader” of Rivers politics.

    Pepple commended the minister for the numerous projects he executed in the area during his tenure as the governor.

    He equally commended the minister for being the first to give the Ijaw people the opportunity to be governor in Rivers State.

    Pepple said, “Also, for the first time in history, our people can drive from Bonny to Port Harcourt. This is an overwhelming experience.

    “My father and mother didn’t experience that, but through you, Mr President has completed that project, and now you can come to Bonny through land, through water, and through air.

    “For this and many others, we will deliver Bonny to Tinubu in 2027.”

    The people of Bonny were happy and vowed to re-elect Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

  • 2027: Rainbow Coalition will fill all elective positions in Rivers, says Wike

    2027: Rainbow Coalition will fill all elective positions in Rivers, says Wike

    Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike yesterday gave an insight into those who will be voted into political offices next year.

    He said that candidates supported by his Rainbow Coalition, drawn from different political parties in the state, will win all elective positions in 2027.

    Wike dropped the hint during his “thank you” visit to Asari Toru Local Government Area of the state.

    The Rainbow Coalition is under the Renewed Hope Family, initiated by Wike to galvanise support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the state.

    The initiative, Wike said, collapsed all political party allegiance under one roof of the Renewed Hope Family in Rivers State.

    The FCT minister reiterated that Rivers politicians have moved beyond party politics to unite for the interest of all, under the Renewed Hope Family.

    He said: “After President Tinubu, the Rainbow Coalition will produce every elective position in Rivers State in 2027. So, if you don’t sincerely belong to this rainbow family, forget it.”

    Wike, who outlined some of the benefits the Rivers people have been enjoying for supporting President Tinubu in 2023, assured them that “this year will be better than last year”.

    He thanked the people for standing firm on their decision to support President Tinubu for the progress of the state.

    Read Also: Wike faults Fubara over termination of 10,000 jobs for Rivers youths

    The FCT minister also praised the community leaders for their support and loyalty, adding that the risk they took in 2023 was now yielding positive results.

    “Continue on this track and you will continue to reap good results. I assure you that I will stand with you at the appropriate time,” Wike said.

    Council Chairman Onengiyeofori George thanked Wike for all he had done for his local government, assuring him that the people were united under his renewed hope family.

    Chief Michael West, representing Asari Toru Constituency II in the House of Assembly, hailed Wike for galvanising support for President Tinubu.

    Describing the minister as a “good leader”, the lawmaker praised the minister for making an Ijaw man a governor in the state, the first since the return of democracy in the country.

    West pledged the continued support of the people, stressing they would follow him wherever he goes.

  • Wike faults Fubara over termination of 10,000 jobs for Rivers youths

    Wike faults Fubara over termination of 10,000 jobs for Rivers youths

    • ‘Recruitment process flawed, against civil service rules’

    In continuation of his visits to local government areas of Rivers State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has accused Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara of cancelling an employment procedure that he (Wike) put in place to provide jobs for 10,000 youths across the state.

    Wike alleged that upon resumption of office, Fubara cancelled what could have made the youths gainfully employed.

    However, a government source has stated that the process for providing the jobs was flawed and contrary to civil service procedure. 

    The FCT minister spoke at Ahoada main town during the Renewed Hope Family ‘Thank you visit’ to Ahoada East Local Government Area.

    Wike, who described Fubara as a “bad child”, knocked the governor for taking glory on projects that he (Wike) started in Ahoada and Emohua areas.

    He faulted the governor for claiming that the construction of the Ahoada-Omoku and Emohua-Kalabari Road, which the minister said he had paid up to 70 per cent for before handing over, was completed.

    “When I decided to dualise this Ahoada road, people thought it was impossible. But by the grace of God, today, Ahoada East, Ahoada town, is coming back to be the city it is supposed to be. I finished phase one of this dualisation.

    Wike said: “Then I flagged off phase two, which would end up in Omoku. The job was given the same day as that of Emohua to the Kalabari area. I gave it to Julius Berger and we signed an agreement for Julius Berger to collect N4 billion every month from our IGR. The total amount of that road, and the one from Emohua to the Kalabari area, was about N80 billion. So, I said, if they collect N4 billion every month, that would give them N48 billion, and that in two years, they would have completed.

    Read Also: Wike reaffirms loyalty to Tinubu amid rising APC tensions in Rivers

    “Today, I hear people are making noise. They even forgot who laid the foundation for that road. I gave it to Setraco. I paid about 70 per cent (of the contract sum).

    “I remember that day, they gave me 100 plots of land. I said, thank you, I don’t need land there. What is continuity?

    “I employed Rivers State youths, 10,000 (of them). The person we handed over power to, instead of allowing the 10,000 youths, he cancelled the job for 10,000 youths. A bad child is a bad child.”

    The FCT minister recalled that when he was the governor, Rivers was the envy of other states.

    He expressed consternation that Fubara failed to continue what he (Wike) started in the state.

    Wike added: “I handed over. See where I stopped. Please, make sure you continue with this programme that will make our state one of the respected in this country. When I was here, you know, Nigeria used to respect us. I don’t know what it is today. You will tell me. I didn’t make mistakes; we never made mistakes.”

    The Chairman of South South Development Commission (SSDC) and Leader of the Renewed Hope Family in Ahoada, Chibudom Nwuche, praised Wike for the numerous projects he attracted to Ahoada.

    The former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker gave the FCT minister a pat on the back for the sacrifice he made on the instructions to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and elect the Rivers State governor.

    He stressed that Fubara was elected as governor based on instruction.

    Nwuche noted that same way the state voted for President Tinubu as president, promising that Ahoada would always back the President.

    He promised that resients of Rivers State would always exhibit their loyalty to Wike.

    Nwuche said no governor had ever shown the level of commitment to the development of Ahoada as Wike has done.

    The ex-Deputy Speaker described politics as local, urging those interfering in Rivers politics to steer clear.

    He also urged the people of the state to concentrate on working for the re-election bid of President Tinubu in their states.

    Nwuche said: “Therefore, wherever you go, we shall go there. And, may I offer some advice to some interlopers. Politics is local. Go to your states and show your strength. Leave Rivers State alone. Rivers State has its own peculiar politics, which we all understand.

    “We are a political family. When a leader chooses one of us, we expect that the person should show gratitude and work with all the team. When you divide a team, that is not how to show gratitude.”

    “So, please, those who are interfering, mind your business. Go and show your strength in your various states. Go and win your state for the President, if you can.”

    Wike’s supporters cheered him and his entourage.  

    But a government source yesterday faulted the process for the employment of the 10,000 jobs for Rivers youths.

    The source said the process was faulty and contravened civil service procedure.

    The source, who is close to Governor Fubara, wondered why Wike failed to provide the jobs before leaving office.

    He said: “He (Wike) was a governor for eight years but did not employ anybody into the civil service. Even after his first term, he still did not employ people. He should have done that at the beginning of his second term so he could manage the problems that would come from it.

    “But he waited till the end of his administration before beginning the process.”

    The source noted that the process of recruiting the 10,000 youths was filled with irregularities and against the civil service rules.

    He said: “The process was filled with irregularities and sharp practices. It was designed to saturate the civil service with politically exposed individuals. The FCT minister should tell the public the names he penciled down for employment into the civil service.”

    “Most of them were party chiefs and card-carrying members of political parties. In that process, local government chairmen were asked to send between 200 and 300 names for recruitment. All the known processes of recruitment were circumvented.

    “It was designed to hire unqualified and incompetent persons into the service and to reward family members and cronies at the expense of qualified individuals.

    “When most of them came, they couldn’t even express themselves. Just imagine what the civil service would have been if that process was allowed by the current administration.”

    The source stressed that throughout the period of Wike’s administration, the then governor failed to promote civil servants, adding that the service was more politicised under him.

    “There were no promotions and no employment under Wike as a governor,” he said.

    According to him, Fubara had hinted that a fresh process of recruitment that would encourage professionalism would be established in line with the civil service rules for employment.

    The source said it was not true that the governor failed to give credit to Wike for the projects he initiated while in office.

    He said: “The governor has always given him credit for what he started. In the spirit of continuity, the governor had completed most of the projects.

    “Others would have abandoned those projects and started new ones, but our governor has been initiating and completing his new projects while also finishing the ones started by his predecessors. People should not be dishing out half-truth because of politics.”

  • Rainbow coalition ‘ll produce all elective positions in Rivers – Wike

    Rainbow coalition ‘ll produce all elective positions in Rivers – Wike

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday said candidates supported by his Rainbow Coalition, made up of members of different political parties in Rivers State will win all elective positions in the state come 2027.

    Wike stated this during his “thank you” visit to Asari Toru Local Government Area.

    The Rainbow Coalition is under the Renewed Hope Family, initiated by Wike to galvanise support for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu.

    The initiative, Wike said, collapsed all political party allegiance under one roof which is the renewed hope family in Rivers State.

    The Minister reiterated that Rivers politicians have moved beyond party politics to unite for the interest of all, under the renewed hope family.

    He said: “After Tinubu, the rainbow coalition will produce every elective position in Rivers State in 2027. So, If you don’t sincerely belong to this rainbow family forget it”.

    Wike, who outlined some of the benefits the Rivers people were currently enjoying for supporting Tinubu in 2023, assured them that “this year will be better than last year”.

    Read Also: Aggrieved ex-police officers seek Tinubu’s intervention over court-order reinstatement

    He thanked the people for standing firm on their decision to support Tinubu, for the progress of the state.

    He also commended the community leaders for their support and loyalty, adding that the risk they took in 2023 was now yielding positive results.

    “Continue on this track and you will continue to reap good results. I assure you that I will stand with you at the appropriate time,” Wike said.

    Chairman of the council, Onengiyeofori George, thanked Wike for all he had done for the LGA, assuring him that the people were united under his renewed hope family.

    Chief Michael West, representing Asari Toru Constituency II in the State Assembly, commended Wike for galvanising support for Tinubu.

    Describing the Minister as a “good leader’ the lawmaker praised the minister for making an Ijaw man a governor in the state, the first since the return of democracy in the country.

    West pledged the continued support of the people, stressing they would follow him wherever he goes.