Wike Flags Off Three Flyover Bridges 

Last week was remarkable in the annals of the second term  administration of the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike as he flagged off three flyover bridges in strategic  parts of Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The flyover bridges which were named after the immediate communities where they were sited are the one at Rumuokoro Roundabout named Okoro Nu-Odo Flyover Bridge, the one at Garrison Roundabout named Rebisi Flyover Bridge and the third one at Artillery  named Rumuogba Flyover Bridge.
The Governor said it was fair to name projects after the original communities where they are sited than such names as Garrison and Artillery which were mere military mentality.
The Governor said the three flyover bridges will cost about N21 billion and to be completed in 16 months . Contract agreement between the contractor, Julius Berger and Rivers State Government was officially signed penultimate week in Government House, Port Harcourt.
The management of the company assured the Government and people. of Rivers State that it would deliver standard work within the 16 months agreement and commended the Governor for having confidence in the ability of the company to deliver quality jobs.
The company said it would continue to partner the state government in executing  key projects for the development of the state .
Also last week , the Supreme Court upheld the victory of Governor Wike in the 2019 gubernatorial election.
In a judgement delivered by a panel of three justices on Friday, the apex court upheld Wike’s appeal against the decision of the Court of Appeal which reinstated the petition of the Candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) Biokpomabo Awara.
The tribunal had earlier in October dismissed the petition of AAC candidate, Awara, declaring Wike winner of the poll , which was later challenged by the AAC candidate at the Court of Appeal.
The apex court also upheld Wike’s appeal against Awara with appeal number SC1111/2019 over a judgment by the lower court dismissing the appeal by the governor that the appointment of counsel to Awara, to file court processes.
In a landmark judgement by the three Justices led by Inyang Okoro, the Supreme Court ruled that hearing of an abandoned petition amounts to no other purpose than academic, adding that the hearing was an exercise in futility.
The counsel to Wike, Barr Ferdinand Orbih SAN, noted that the two judgements were landmark pronouncements by the Supreme Court.
Orbih stated that by the two judgements, the matter filed by the AAC in Rivers State has received its final nail on its coffin, describing it as dead and buried forever.
In his own reaction, Governor Wike, who had been confident of victory, said he expected the confirmation of his reelection by the apex court.
In an interview over the weekend, Wike said from the very beginning there was no issue because the AAC candidate posed no problem since he was unknown to the people of Rivers State.
He expressed confidence in the capacity of the judiciary to always act in the best interest of the nation’s democracy.
“ We give God the glory. Some of us have confidence in the judiciary, even though you can’t expect perfection. That doesn’t mean that they have not done well. So I am happy with what happened on Friday at the Supreme Court”, Wike said.
Another major event that took place in Brick House within the week under review was the release of the N200million which Governor Wike promised the family of late Ferry Gberegbe.
It would be recalled that Governor Wike announced a N200million scholarship for the four children of the late Dr Gberegbe, Khana Local Government Area Governorship Election Agent of PDP who was killed during the election. The pledge was made when the governor paid a condolence visit to the family.

Chris Oluoh