Wike Declares Public Holiday In Rivers For Tinubu’s Visit

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has ordered businesses to shut down even as he declared a public holiday in the state for the visit of president-elect, Bola Tinubu.

Announcing the decision on Tuesday during a statewide broadcast, Wike directed that Tinubu would be visiting the state for a 2-day working visit to commission some legacy projects executed by his administration.

The governor is of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, while Tinubu is of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Although the Governor supported Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election against the candidate of his party, Atiku Abubakar, he has remained a PDP member, even as rumour remains rife that he would decamp immediately he steps down as governor.

His tenure runs out on May 29, the day Tinubu is expected to be inaugurated as president of Nigeria.

There are also reports that Wike has been pencilled down as Minister of Interior when Tinubu takes over power.

The report has not been disputed and his camp has refused to comment.

The governor was the arrowhead of the five governors who boycotted the PDP presidential campaign over disagreement in the region the candidate should come from and its former National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu ‘s refusal to quit.

As he moves closer to the APC, Wike expressed admiration for Tinubu stating it’s an honour to have the president-elect visit the state, his first state visit since he was declared the winner of the election.

As he grounds businesses for the visit, he specifically ordered that businesses located along Rumuola to Rumuokwuta roads in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the State should be closed on Wednesday, 3rd May.

Tinubu is billed to commission the Rumuola/Rumuokwuta Flyover and the ultra-modern Magistrates’ Court Complex, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday 3rd, and Thursday, 4th May 2023, respectively.

He said, “For us, it is an honour to the government and people of Rivers State to host the President-Elect on this historic visit. Consequently, I urge all Rivers citizens to come out en masse to receive our President-Elect, His Excellency Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and display the traditional Rivers hospitality as he commissions these legacy projects to God’s glory and the advancement of our development.

“Given this, I hereby declare Wednesday, 3rd May 2023, a public holiday to enable the people of Rivers State to receive our President-Elect rousingly.

“Furthermore, all shops and business premises along Rumuola to Rumuokwuta roads in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the State shall remain closed from 8.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. on Wednesday, 3rd May 2023.

“I urge all labour unions and security agencies to comply with this closure order,” he declared.