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Ignore Restructuring, Fiscal Federalism At Your Peril, Wike Warns Buhari

Published

6 years ago

November 27, 2020

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari, to heed the clamour for fiscal federalism and restructuring, to douse brewing tension in the country.
Wike, said stakeholders in the South-South and other geopolitical zones that met with the delegation led by Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, have expressed their grievances, which must be genuinely addressed.
The Rivers State governor, stated this when he featured as a guest on Channels Television programme, Sunrise Daily, yesterday.
The governor noted that stakeholders in the South-South, last Tuesday, in Port Harcourt, ventilated their expectations, and what was now required was political leadership and will by the President to implement the demands.
“President Buhari, has an opportunity today, that Nigerians are saying these are the things we want; these are the things we think can move Nigeria forward. And you have to show leadership by saying, ‘I have listened to you and these are things we can implement’. You may not necessarily implement everything that the people are talking about or people may want. But let people say that under President Buhari, has been able to implement one, two, three and four demands by the people.
“But if he does not take this opportunity now, and does not implement some of these requests, I don’t think it will be very good for Nigeria and for his legacy. I don’t think that will mean well.”
The governor stated that despite reservations in some quarters about the readiness of the Federal Government to address issues raised, Buhari must avail himself the rare opportunity to address nagging issues militating against the stability of the country.
“If the president does not do this, given the opportunity he has now, then, he will put Nigeria on fire.”
Wike acknowledged that some of the salient demands of the South-South zone will require constitutional amendments to actualise, but implored the President to ensure that whenever the National Assembly passes constitutional amendment as it concerns restructuring, true federalism and resource control, he does not refuse to assent to it.
“But, again, if constitutional amendment is being made and the President vetoes or says no, he will not sign it like he did against the Electoral Act, then, it will become a problem for Nigerians.”
He dismissed insinuations by the Deputy Senate President, Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege, that National Assembly members and ministers from the zone were not consulted before Tuesday’s meeting with the presidential delegation.
“We are playing politics with issues that concern Nigerians; issues that concern the region. I don’t need to be told, assuming I am a legislator, and something like this happens, I will rush back to the state to meet the governor; to meet the stakeholders, and say: what do we do? You don’t need to wait for the governor to call you! It is your own responsibility as representative of the people. You heard that your state has been burnt down, for example, you don’t expect somebody who is bereaved to begin to call, to say I am bereaved.”
He described as regrettable the absence of the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, who arrived the Government House, Port Harcourt, with the Chief of Staff for the crucial stakeholders meeting on Tuesday, but failed to participate in the event for inexplicable reasons.
“When I asked the Chief of Staff: where is my own minister? he was also shocked, because he knew that the minister was at the airport with them.”
Wike noted that President Buhari has done the needful by appointing people to manage the affairs of NDDC for the interest of the region, but, regrettably, that those appointed were politicians who have refused to work with PDP governors in the region.
He accused the NDDC of pervasive corruption to the extent of claiming projects done by the Rivers State Government, as its own.
“Rivers State Government went to court and challenged NDDC that, you cannot do what you are doing without consultation, without approval of the state government. And the court agreed with the Rivers State Government. NDDC, you cannot do what you are doing. You are distorting the physical development of the stat”, Wike stressed.
The governor, lamented the continuous politicisation of security in the country to the extent that it has prevented the take-off of operations of the State Neighbourhood Safety Corps.
He accused the Nigerian Army, which ironically, has given tactical support to similar outfits in APC-controlled states like Lagos and Kogi, of preventing the State Safety Corps from operating, despite legislative backing.
He also wondered why the state Police Command would be contemplating community policing without the involvement of state governors.
“You are talking about community policing, and then, state governments are not involved. Who pays these officers or the men who are involved in community policing? You stay in Abuja, you take a decision, you recruit, then, you come and tell the state governments to come and pay, it does not work that way.
“And what do you mean by community policing? You are talking about how to provide security in various communities. Who is in-charge of these communities? And that is the problem we have in our own federal structure. You cannot say you operate a true federal system when you have only one police command”, Wike argued.
The governor dismissed claims that the state government owed personnel of the Rivers State Transport Company, and explained that state does not have such employees on its database.
He explained that before the advent of his administration, the state transport company had been operating as a franchise, without remitting proceeds to the state government.

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Rivers Capable Of Delivering Massive Votes For Tinubu, Chinda, Others -Fubara …Charges APC, Rainbow Coalition To Embrace Team Work

Published

1 day ago

November 13, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that the State is capable of delivering massive votes for President Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Rt. Hon. Kingsley Chinda and other candidates of the Rainbow Coalition in the 2027 general elections.

Fubara, who stated this yesterday at the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in Port Harcourt, said the surest path to victory is for the members of the Presidential Campaign Council drawn from the APC and the Rainbow Coalition to embrace the spirit of teamwork.

He said what the state was witnessing in the current political season is a repeat of the successful mobilization done in 2022 and 2023, when a large campaign council worked in unity to deliver victory for him and for President Tinubu.

He added that the present council is bigger, wider and better coordinated and should therefore achieve even better results.

He noted that the beauty of the new council is the fact that some persons who were in the opposition camp during the previous elections are now part of the team, saying their inclusion has made the task easier, provided everyone works as one team and with sincerity of purpose.

The governor thanked the Coordinator of the Presidential Campaign Council for Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, and other leaders who worked tirelessly to bring the council to fruition, stressing that nothing is impossible especially when people work together for a common purpose.

He expressed optimism that with seriousness and commitment, the state would record a higher number of votes than it recorded in 2023.

Fubara, while congratulating members who made the list, appealed to those whose names were omitted not to be discouraged, as there are still sub-committees to be constituted and the list can still be updated, even as he warned against double loyalty.

He said the state has gone past the stage of division and is now looking to the future and what God holds for Rivers people, expressing confidence that with the strategy already put in place, the APC and the Rainbow Coalition would come out victorious in 2027.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Coordinator of the Campaign Council, Chief Nyesom Wike, while inaugurating the Council, lauded Fubara for finding time to attend the ceremony and other engagements of the Council in spite of his busy schedules.

Wike, who is also the National Leader of the PDP/ Rainbow Coalition, reminded members of the Council that they were chosen based on their capacity to participate in the activities of the group and deliver positive results.

He charged them to work hard to win votes for the candidates of the APC and the Rainbow Coalition for the Presidential, Governorship, National Assembly as well as State House of Assembly elections next year.

He disclosed that apart from the Presidential Campaign Council and its sub-committees, the Local Government Campaign Councils will soon be inaugurated to ensure better coverage of the grassroots during the current campaign season.

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RSG Floats MNET Culture Content Promo

Published

1 week ago

November 6, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism has floated a culture content platform in collaboration with digital television group, Multichoice.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Freddy Ndigbara, disclosed this after a meeting with MultiChoice Head of Content Acquisition, Don Dotun Ojon, in Port Harcourt.

He assured that content entrepreneurs and film makers would enjoy the platform by promoting culture and other contents to sell the states tourism potentials.

He said MultiChoice M-net was now open to increase its patronage for content shots on locations in Rivers State, describing the State as one that has numerous potentials for film tourism.

“We were privileged to have Don Ojon with us at the Rivers International Film Festival (RIFF) at the weekend in Bonny and he saw, first hand, the numerous sites and opportunities that are open to creatives in the State. After that, we felt it was important to deepen the conversation and he obliged. This is a cheering news for the sector in the State,” he said.

Ndigbara stated that “Rivers State has many more untold stories to tell, many more contents to reel out and the assurances from the M-net Acquisition Manager is an indication that the industry in the state will soon enjoy a new lease of life”.

The Permanent Secretary thanked Ojon for the visit and assured that creatives in the State would grap this opportunity and show the world that Rivers State is a major hub for film tourism in Nigeria.

On his part, Ojon said the visit was to discuss on ways of promoting tourism in the State using creatives and film.

Ojon said although the company has recently been acquired by canal+ France and is undergoing restructuring, he would promote the chances of Rivers State to host the MultiChoice talent factory in the State.

With Asaba, capital of Delta State, being saturated, Ojon said the next port is Rivers State, which he said is capable of building fresh crop of creatives, new locations, new story lines and concepts.

He, therefore, called for collaboration from stakeholders in the State.

Kevin Nengia

Featured

APC Presidential Campaign Storms PH, ‘Morrow

Published

1 week ago

November 6, 2026

The Tide

Barring last minute changes, the presidential campaign train of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will storm Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, tomorrow.

This is according to a campaign timetable released by the APC Campaign Council last month.

The Tide reports that the APC presidential campaign kicked off in Kaduna on October 24 with President Bola Tinubu in attendance.

The campaign train later moved to Cross River, Gombe, Nasarawa, and Ekiti on November 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively with the Vice President, Kashim Shettima representing the President at the rallies.

President Tinubu is personally scheduled to attend 12 states including Rivers, Kaduna, Plateau, Oyo, Borno, Enugu, Bauchi, Sokoto, Delta, Kano, Adamawa and Lagos.

The Rivers State rally, scheduled to hold at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, is expected to witness a large crowd of party supporters drawn from a coalition of political parties in the State.

The party is expected to round off its presidential campaign in Lagos State on January 9, 2027.

The Tide reports that Tinubu has not visited Rivers State as President since he assumed office in May 2023. His last physical visit to the State was before his inauguration on Wednesday, May 3 – Thursday, May 4, 2023, when he was hosted by then Governor Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt to commission the Rumuola/Rumuokwuta Flyover and the Magistrates’ Court Complex.

Tomorrow’s visit will be his first to the State since assuming office.