Rivers professionals under the aegis of Rivers Professionals for Wike (RIVPROW) have endorsed Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike for a second term.
The Rivers professionals announced their endorsement of Wike during their solidarity visit to the Rivers State governor at the Government House, Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
Leader of RIVPROW, Mr Enemi Alabo George said that professionals in the state were satisfied with the performance of Wike, hence their decision to support his re-election.
He said: “As professionals, we subscribe to your vision. We are willing to work for the success of the New Rivers Vision.
“You were elected by Rivers people and you have proved to be a good governor. Professionals have resolved that they want to be part of the process and to add value.”
He added that the professionals are ever ready to make their contributions to ensure that Wike continues to succeed in the state.
George stated that the policies of Wike have led to the growth of the economy of the state and the emergence of growing small and medium sized businesses.
Responding, Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike charged professionals to be directly involved in politics in order to shape the direction of the society.
He said it is unwise for professionals to allow hooligans to hijack the governance structure, noting that the society would suffer for professionals staying away from politics.
“Professionals cannot give their destiny to those who don’t know anything. Professionals must show interest in politics to churn out quality policies.
“Don’t be afraid. You have the tools to make contributions for the development of the society. Don’t hand over Nigeria to hooligans”, he said.
The governor challenged Rivers people who are well-to-do to contribute their quota to the growth of the state.
He wondered why some politicians continue to fight the administration instead of attracting development to the state.
“When I talk about Rivers people, I mean indigenes of Rivers State, people born in Rivers State and people who live and do business in Rivers State.
“If they allow the ports to work, jobs will be created in the state. If the airport is working, more jobs will also be created”, he said.
He berated the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government for failing the country, noting that the administration only intimidates Nigerians with insecurity.
He assured Rivers professionals that his administration would work with them by creating more employment opportunities for them.
Wike said that the state government would, in the coming weeks, employ 7,000 professionals into the state civil service and 14,000 teachers into the state education sector.
Highpoint of the solidarity visit was the presentation of the communique endorsing the governor by an official of RIVPROW, Golden Tamuno.
The group also presented a condolence letter to Wike through the Secretary, Prince Nyekwere.
Goodwill messages were delivered by the Deputy Governor, Dr Ipalibo Harry Banigo, Head of Service, Barrister Rufus Godwins and Commissioner of Sports, Boma Iyaye.
Also, the Rivers State Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party-Grassroots Support Foundation, has endorsed the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike for second term in office based on his sterling leadership qualities, commitment to grassroots development and prudence in the management of state resources for the good of Rivers people.
Addressing newsmen shortly after an indoor meeting of the group, the Rivers State Coordinator of the group, Comrade Bala Abiye, revealed that the endorsement was unanimously approved by the members of the group after considering the innumerable result-oriented projects executed by the governor since inception in 2015.
The state coordinator said the PDP-Grassroots Support Foundation, a non-profitable group affiliated with the People’s Democratic Party, could not afford to ignore the relevance and performance of Governor Nyesom Wike in sustaining democracy and good governance.
He opined that the governor, so far, had delivered government of transparency and accountability which had transformed the trajectory of governance from the woeful performance of the past.
According to him, the Wike-led administration has proved to all and sundry that it was delivering in her campaign promises and making lives of Rivers people much better through quality projects and programmes.
X-raying some of his achievements, Abiye said the governor was truly ‘Mr. Projects’.
“Everyone in Rivers State will agree with me that our jubilee governor is working. He started working on his very first day in office”, the state coordinator stated.
“Let me remind you that on the day of his inauguration on May 29, 2015, Wike declared ‘Operation Zero Potholes’ and had completed 23 out of the 26 strategic road projects inherited from the previous administration in the third year in office”, he said.
Abiye, confirmed that the group also saw on record the construction, reconstruction and rehabilitation of several roads, schools and hospitals, reclamation of lands, agricultural development and provision of other critical infrastructure across the state.
On human development and empowerment, among several others, the Wike-led administration, early this year, awarded a five-year full scholarship to 100 Rivers State indigent students to study medicine and surgery and other medical-related courses in one of the reputable indigenous medical universities.
“This, the governor promised, would continue for the next five years. Many other scholarships have also been awarded to several indigene students in different tertiary institutions”, Abiye said.
Abiye reiterated the commitment of the group, to work together with the governor and other pro-PDP organizations, stakeholders, countless members of the party and all well-meaning Rivers people in ensuring that ‘Mr. Projects’, was re-elected and returned as the governor of Rivers State come 2019.
Also speaking, Secretary of the group, Comrade Mbaba Smart, described the governor as Nigeria’s democracy icon who defends Rivers people.
His stout defence of democracy, according to him, has prevented the country from sliding into full-blown dictatorship.
Mbaba further disclosed that one of the greatest achievements of Wike was the creation of access to justice in the state.
“At inception, the governor opened the courts which had been closed down for two years by the past APC-led administration. Wike also swore-in the first female state Chief Judge and President of Customary Court of Appeal, and granted financial autonomy to the judiciary,” he said.
Commending the efforts of the governor, the Legal Adviser of the group, Barrister Tamunotoku Obelemabo, said the Wike-led administration has allocated a cumulative sum of over N12billion of the yearly budget to the relevant line-ministries to implement various youth and women development.
According to her, the administration has so far created over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs through projects, family empowerment, among others.
“Just recently, the Rivers State Government has started the process of recruiting 10,000 teachers and 4, 000 non-teachers into all the state-owned schools”, Obelemabo added.