Gov Wike Under Fire For Officially Hosting President-Elect, Tinubu In Rivers

Governor Wike has come under fire for officially hosting President-Elect, Tinubu in Rivers State.

The Publisher reports that the Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, Dr. Sam Amadi has slammed Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State over his decision to declare a public holiday as President-elect, Bola Tinubu visits the State.

Amadi said that Wike probably thinks that the President-elect is an official position, noting that Tinubu’s visit cannot be official.

His statement is contained in a post via his Twitter handle on Tuesday.

Recall that Wike had declared Wednesday May 3 a public holiday for the people to receive Tinubu.

The Publisher  reports that Bola Tinubu is expected to commission some projects, including a flyover at Rumuokwuta and Rumuola junction in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area and a Magistrate Court complex at the Moscow Road in the Port-Harcourt City Local Government Area, during his visit to the State.

However, Amadi wrote, “Governor Wike probably thinks ‘President-elect’ is an official position. The visit of @officialABAT cannot be an ‘official’ visit. It is so painful that leaders would degrade statecraft with pedestrian actions.

“If you degrade language, you degrade leadership, ala George Orwell.”

Meanwhile, The Publisher reports that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has dissociated itself from the visit of President-elect Bola Tinubu to the state on Wednesday.

A statement on Tuesday by APC Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju said the party had nothing to do with Tinubu’s visit.

The spokesperson told the governor “to play less divisive politics and exercise restraint in planting seeds of discord amongst opposition political parties”.

Nwauju accused Wike of working to paint a false perception of the collapse of the APC structure in Rivers despite his boast “in previous well-documented interviews”.

He said the governor wants the President-elect to believe “his false narrative that there is no other opposition political party existing” in the state.

Nwauju added that the APC is “focused on pursuing justice by challenging the outcome of the flawed March 18 elections at the Elections Petitions Tribunal”.

Wike has declared Wednesday a public holiday and urged the people to come out in large numbers to give Tinubu a rousing welcome.