Fireworks as Wike braces 100 days’ tape in Rivers

Despite several landmines laid along his path, Nyesom Wike, Rivers State governor, has clocked 100 days in office pointing at over 14 key achievements. Fireworks have however, rocked the state’s political firmament to mark the milestone, with some hailing and others booing the new bulldozer of Rivers politics.

Wike took off on day one announcing the reopening of the courts which had been shut down for one year following series of bombings arising from political crisis rocking the state in the endless battle between him and his former mentor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

The governor was hailed all of last week where he went about commissioning completed projects, including the Law Faculty Building of the University of Science and Technology (UST), the new Iloabuchi Road, a strategic road that allows a section of the commercial centre of Port Harcourt, Diobu, to have alternative exit other than Agip route, etc. Opunabo Inko-Tariah, special adviser to the governor on media and publicity, said in a statement that the feat was a promise made by Wike when he was yet a candidate in the April 11 election.

These apart, Wike is credited with appointment of the state’s chief judge that had caused an upheaval in the state between the Amaechi administration and the Nigerian Judicial Council (NJC), the passing and signing into law of an executive Bill on anti-kidnap, launching Operation Zero Potholes, especially in Port Harcourt, resumption of projects left by Amaechi, clean-up of the state capital, and rebuilding of Onne Road and Industry Road to boost commercial activities.

Wike is also being hailed for the Rivers Chieftaincy Law; payment of salaries of civil servants, pensioners, and sportsmen; rescue of stranded Rivers scholars abroad with N712million; engagement of Julius Berger, CCECC, and RCC to rebuild the state; and ongoing repair of roads including Diobu, Borikiri, Iwofe, GRA, Akpajo, Elioparanwo, Tombia extension, Eagle Island, Elelenwo, Trans-Amadi, Orazi, etc. Others count the recall of striking lecturers in the UST as additional achievement.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has expressed satisfaction with the programmes and activities of the governor, describing his development efforts and initiatives as “meaningful, monumental and sustainable”. The party saw this as pure pragmatism, commitment, courage and most importantly, prudence and transparency.

The PDP, according to the state chairman, Felix Obuah, who doubles as chairman of the Rivers State Waste Management Agency, said it was proud of Wike, saying the governor has proved the party right in making him its gubernatorial standard-bearer. Full of enthusiasm and confidence in Governor Wike, the PDP observes that in just 100 days on seat, he has broken the jaws of criminality, insecurity and other social vices in the state with his unprecedented supports and encouragement of the security agencies, as well as sponsorship of executive bill on anti-kidnapping which has been passed into law. The party called for more support for and patience with the Wike-administration.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state led by Davies Akanya has rather written off the Wike administration in the first 100 days in office, saying Wike had assumed the position of sole administrator.

The APC said while the President in Abuja had given a time to appoint ministers, Wike neither constituted his cabinet nor gave indication when he would do it.

In a statement in Port Harcourt, Chris Finebone, the APC state publicity secretary, said: “What many may not know is that the governor is carefully executing his grand scam laced with superficial quick-wins meant to deceive the gullible and wow the not-so-informed of our people.

“As a sign that the governor was not ready to deliver good governance to the people, he constituted a committee to write a blueprint for his government weeks after having been sworn in to office”.

He went on: “Again, Wike has been unable to name a single project or programme his government will undertake for the people. While there is nothing wrong in completing projects started by his predecessor, he has refused to do the simplest thing: acknowledge and give credit to the initiator of the projects he is now completing and claiming as his achievements in 100 days”.

The APC blamed the governor for not disclosing the contract sums of any of his projects, saying they were mere asphalt surfacing of roads.

The APC seemed to deal a blow by accusing Wike of building some roads for which his companies had abandoned after collecting substantial amounts of payments during Amaechi era when both men were political confidants and allies. “Does he have any explanation that some of these projects were awarded to him in the past and he abandoned them after collecting huge sums? Indeed, does Wike tell anyone that most of those projects are being executed by his companies using fronts?”

The APC said it was aware of a plan by the governor not to ever constitute the state cabinet by appointing commissioners on the excuse that he would prefer the petition over the election that brought him to power to be dispensed with first. “Knowing full well that he will not survive the tribunal, Governor Wike is determined to govern alone as a sole administrator for the period his government will last with himself as the commissioner for works, the due process office and everything else”.