Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state is undoubtedly one of the most talked about state governors in the country....CONTINUE READING
He is also known for being open about reasons behind his policies/actions not minding whether or not he will be criticised or vilified by the public.
Governor Wike of Rivers state sacks at least two commissioners for taking decisions without seeking his approval.
On Monday, December 13, the Rivers state governor announced the sack of one of his commissioners, Professor Princewill Chike, at the State Executive Council Chambers.
In a situation of this nature, especially in Nigerian politics, many governors would not reveal the reason behind the sack.
However, in what is now generating mixed reactions on social media, Governor Wike disclosed that the commissioner was relieved of his duties for not seeking the state government’s approval to host the preliminary session of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria in Port Harcourt.
According to the governor, the decision of the commissioner to host the conference without the consent of Rivers government was most embarrassing.
It was also gathered that Wike was enraged the sacked commissioner solely approved the hosting of the conference without due process. He went on to note that he only knew about the conference through a text message from the commissioner while on a trip.
Dr Igbiks Tamuno
A similar thing had happened before. Governor Wike in March sacked the commissioner for environment, Dr Igbiks Tamuno.
Speaking on Wednesday, March 31, at the signing of contracts for the Trans -Kalabari Road project and the Saakpenwa-Bori -Kono Road project at Government House, Wike said he sacked the commissioner because he did not know the limit of his power.
The Rivers state governor explained further that the sacked commissioner wrote to Julius Berger to stop construction work in the state without his approval.
Governor Wike said the former commissioner’s act amounted to sabotage.
His words:
“I don’t know how a commissioner can write to a company to stop work without my approval. And Julius Berger for that matter, to stop construction in the entire State. I have never heard of such thing before. I didn’t know that commissioners have so much power like that.”
Wike slams governors depending on federal allocation
In other news, Governor Wike has faulted governors depending on federal allocation, saying no state in Nigeria is poor.
He made this known while delivering a lecture to the participants of the Executive Intelligence Course 14 of the National Institute for Security Studies in Abuja on Wednesday, September 29.
Wike who berated his counterparts depending on the monthly revenue from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) urged them to make judicious use of the resources in their states.
