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Wike Predicts Implosion In PDP ..As Makinde Inaugurates Emohua RSU Campus
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has said that the time of reckoning was coming for those who continue to insist that they can take everything to themselves in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The governor maintained that nobody can silence him from speaking against such injustice and the demand for the right thing to be done.
Wike spoke at the inauguration of Emohua Campus of Rivers State University, and the flag-off of staff quarters, performed by the Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde, last Wednesday.
The Rivers State governor said such persons would definitely account for every wrong thing that they have done when the day of reckoning comes.
“That is why I am telling the people there, look, it cannot work. You can’t take everything. If you take everything, it will purge you. So, better do the right thing now.
“Don’t sit there and think that you can muscle me, and you can do everything, you can manipulate anything. You can think you have the number to make sure you take everything, but the time is coming when you will account for it.”
Wike insisted that the delivery of quality projects by him and his colleague governors would serve the PDP well in their respective states.
According to him, it would be erroneous for PDP states that have failed to provide good governance to solicit for votes from the electorate.
“If any PDP state is not doing well, don’t think you will be voted for because APC is not doing well. If PDP state, for example, if in Rivers State, we didn’t do well, then, you’ll say because APC did not do well at the national, then, the people will vote for us. They’ll tell you, PDP didn’t do well in Rivers State. People don’t understand that. And that is why the party should respect us and know that we are the ones campaigning for the party: Because we have what to campaign with.”
The governor explained that his administration has avoided the pitfall most governments suffer because they do not set aside requisite budget for projects they conceptualise, and they end up littering the local governments with uncompleted projects.
He said when projects are conceptualised, his administration provides adequate budget to complete them, which was why no project awarded by him would be abandoned.
Wike pointed out that the establishment of multi-campus for RSU was strategic in increasing access to education, providing more space for effective teaching and learning to take place and grow the economy of rural communities.
“I told the pro-chancellor and chairman of governing council that we have to establish satellite campuses so that the main campus will leverage on other facilities that have been occupied by some of these faculties.
“Secondly, it will have to bring development to these areas. I do not believe in establishing so many universities for establishment sake. Yes, there is need for access to education, having created this campus, you are also creating access.”
The governor explained that it was his administration that began the release of capital funds for all the state-own tertiary institutions.
He said his administration has approved employment of academic and non-academic staff in all tertiary institutions in the state.
The governor directed the Chairman of Emohua Local Government Area, Dr. Chidi Lloyd, to, within the next three months; build a police station that would provide security to the new campus.
Wike also assured that the promise of reconstructing the Government Secondary School, Emohua, would be fulfilled, and directed the commissioner for education to do site inspection and report back to his office.
Performing the inauguration of the campus and flag-off of the staff quarters, Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde, noted that such multi-campus of a university promotes quality education, expands the scope of learning, and opens up access to tertiary education.
Makinde noted the endeavour by Wike as evidence of his vision and commitment to the good of the people of Rivers State.
“If children are doing all of these, I think what Nigeria needs are children. So, my brother (Wike), you can be rest assured that Nigeria appreciates you.
“Even the fight that we lost, we did not lose with our heads bowed. We stood for the truth and for what is good for the country. We will continue to fight for our space within PDP. We will fight for what is good for our people.”
On his part, Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Chinedu Mmom, said Wike has continued to give premium attention to the need for improvement in the quality of education by approving the recruitment of teaching staff for the various state-owned tertiary institutions in the state.
Also speaking, Rivers State Commissioner for Special Projects, Deinma Iyalla, said the staff quarters would have a total of 12 flats; six units of three-bedroom and six6 units of two-bedroom of two blocks of one-storey building.
On his part, the Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University, Prof Nlerum Okogbule, described Wike as a special gift to the institution and the state because his support has propelled RSU to an enviable height.
In his address, Emohua Local Government Chairman, Dr.Chidi Lloyd, noted that the campus has put Emohua on the global map, and would open up future development opportunities for the people.
A Coalition of civil society organisations has urged the Federal Government to take proactive steps towards addressing the persistent gas eruptions in Bille, Rivers.
The coalition, made up of the People’s Assembly and Bille Working Group, made the call in an open letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, and read to journalists in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Reading the letter, the coalition’s convener, Dr Isaac Osuoka, said that the persistent gas eruption in Bille had led to serious environmental and public health challenges.
Osuoka, also the Executive Director, Social Action, urged Tinubu to establish a presidential task force to investigate and contain the gas leak in Bille.
He also called for the immediate relocation of residents to safe shelters, provision of clean water, food and healthcare services.
Dr Emem Okon, the Executive Director, Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, stated that gas had been bubbling from the ground, creeks, boreholes and hand-dug wells in the community since October 2025.
Okon said that the gas had triggered several fires and explosions, and that residents of the community had reported respiratory problems, vomiting and other illnesses associated with exposure to the emissions.
According to her, preliminary investigations by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) have yet to identify the source of the gas.
Mr Kentebe Ebiaridor, the Coordinator, Oilwatch International, called for the publication of results from preliminary soil and water tests conducted in Bille for the residents to know the nature and extent of the contamination.
Ebiaridor urged the Federal Government to deploy medical teams to screen and treat affected residents, and immediately commence an independent study on the health impacts of the leak.
He further called for the suspension of oil and gas operations around OML 18 and 24 until the source of the gas leak was identified and the affected areas declared safe.
Ebiaridor urged the government to hold current and former operators of the oil leases accountable for environmental damage on the community.
Another speaker, Dr Bieye Briggs, urged the National Assembly to fast-track the NOSDRA Amendment Bill, 2025 to provide the agency with statutory funding and stronger enforcement powers.
Briggs urged the Federal Government to activate the regional Spill Command Centre, and make the Upstream Remediation Fund accessible for the Bille crisis and other affected communities in the Niger Delta.
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has banned drone operations and fireworks in Uyo and announced temporary traffic restrictions ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s visit to the State today.
The state Commissioner of Police, Baba Mohammed Azare, announced the measures yesterday while briefing journalists at the Police Headquarters in Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo.
He said the restrictions were part of security arrangements to maintain public order, protect strategic locations and ensure the smooth movement of the President’s convoy during his engagements.
“There will be total restriction on the operation and flying of drones within Uyo metropolis throughout the period of the visit. Members of the public, drone operators and service providers are advised to strictly comply with the directive,” he said.
The police commissioner also announced a ban on fireworks, knockouts and other explosive sound-producing devices within the state capital during the visit.
He said the measure would prevent panic and allow security personnel to respond effectively to genuine security threats.
The command also announced temporary restrictions on public access to designated routes and locations in Uyo to facilitate the movement of the presidential convoy.
The affected areas are Airport Road, Shelter Afrique Junction, Oron Road, Nung Oku Junction, Mbierebe Junction and Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.
“Motorists are urged to plan their journeys, exercise patience and cooperate with traffic and security personnel deployed along the corridors.
“Members of the public are advised to avoid the routes during the restriction and use alternative routes,” Azare said.
He also urged residents to plan their journeys, exercise patience and cooperate with traffic and security personnel deployed along the affected corridors.
The commissioner said the command, working with other security agencies, had put in place security arrangements to ensure a peaceful and hitch-free visit.
He appealed to residents to understand that the temporary restrictions were necessary security measures and not intended to cause hardship.
Azare urged members of the public to remain law-abiding, avoid restricted areas and report suspicious movements to the nearest police station or through police emergency channels.
Tinubu’s visit to Akwa Ibom is a working visit during which he is expected to inaugurate major infrastructure projects executed by Governor Umo Eno’s administration under its ARISE Agenda. The projects cut across aviation, road infrastructure, tourism, healthcare, land administration and security.
Among the projects scheduled for inauguration are the international terminal building and airport hospital at Victor Attah International Airport, Aviation Village, ARISE Palm Resort, the 14.5-kilometre Nsit Atai–Okobo Road, Ring Road 3, the Command and Control Centre and the AkwaGIS building.
The state government had earlier announced plans for the President to inaugurate projects as part of activities marking Akwa Ibom’s 39th anniversary in September.
The airport projects are particularly significant to the state’s ambition to expand aviation, tourism and investment.
The international terminal is expected to strengthen the airport’s capacity to handle international operations, while the Aviation Village is intended to provide accommodation for aviation workers. The airport hospital is also among the facilities lined up for inauguration.
The road projects are also expected to improve connectivity. The 14.5-kilometre Nsit Atai–Okobo Road links communities in the two local government areas, while Ring Road 3 is designed to improve movement within Uyo and ease pressure on existing roads. The Command and Control Centre, meanwhile, is intended to strengthen security surveillance and coordination in the State.
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.
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