Group Condemns Gov Wike’s ‘Dictatorial’ State Broadcast, Arrest Of Exconmobil Workers

The Rivers Leadership Advancement Foundation (RIVLEAF) has tackled Governor Nyesom Wike over his state broadcast on Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Friday.

RIVLEAF specifically tackled Wike for alleged unguarded comments after the governor accused the federal government of trying to infect citizens of the state with COVID-19.

Wike had said in his broadcast: “People in Abuja are not happy. They want Rivers state to be infected. They want to kill Rivers people and I will not allow it. I was elected to protect Rivers people. Rivers State is not a pariah state.”

The governor had also announced the arrest and quarantine of 22 Exxon Mobil staff for allegedly violating the state’s lockdown order.

He added, “Nobody will use Rivers State as a toy. This Federal Government does not like us, but a government will come that likes Rivers state.”

But reacting through its spokesperson, Onyeche Nnatah Peters, on Friday, RIVLEAF cautioned Governor Wike against “destroying the vision of the founding fathers of the state”.

The group said the governor’s recent acts were unbecoming of a public office holder, “who should shape the hopes and aspirations of Rivers people.”

It said Wike must, “devise new ways of speaking on matters of state and national importance, while insisting that the utterances of the governor were doing incalculable damage to the people and image of the state”

RIVLEAF said that the governor must, “show a reasonable sense of responsibility when addressing the state as there are better ways of passing messages across without sounding boastful and vengeful.

“Time and time again, Governor Wike speaks as if he has conquered the state, as if he is the owner, creator, and benefactor of the state; he speaks as though he inherited the state from his father.

“Rivers people are not conquered and will never be conquered by a civilian dictator. Rivers people contributed sweat, grit and industry to bring the state to where it is and one man will not destroy it in eight years.

“There are much more decent ways of making statements without sounding combative and desperate. Nobody is flexing muscles with him and he should know that. The situation in the country calls for measured responses and decency.

“It is during occasions like this that you know those who are statesmen, those who will not play politics with delicate situations and who weigh their words rather complicating things.”

The group further charged Wike to to stop threatening residents and those doing business in the state, “but seek ways of mutual respect in bringing about greater development.

“It looks as though Governor Wike is targeting the oil and gas industry with the latest arrest of workers of ExxonMobil. This is unnecessary and capable of having an international backlash on Nigeria.

“The governor himself during his state broadcast exempted oil workers from the lockdown, one would have expected the governor to meet with the oil majors and fashion out mutual ways of ensuring compliance with the state’s directive.

“While the governor reserves the right to protect the state, he should do so in cooperation with various agencies of the federal government and corporate bodies, rather than threatening them all the time,” said RIVLEAF.