The Attention of the Office of the Deputy Governor of Rivers State is drawn to a publication written by a Group called The Inter- Ethnic Network for Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi Purporting to save the Office of the Deputy Governor of Rivers State from Despotic Political Manipulations.
Our first reaction is to dismiss this write up with a wave of the hand since it has no iota of truth in it, but on a second thought keeping silent would mean an acceptance of this blatant lie.
We wish to state categorically that the Deputy Governor, Dr. (Mrs) Ipalibo Harry Banigo and the State Chief Executive, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike enjoy a very cordial relationship and the Governor has never in any disguise oppressed the Deputy Governor or undermined her Office.
The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has marshalled out the duties of the Vice President and the Deputy Governors of the 36 States and these roles are being played by Dr. Banigo without hindrance.
Insinuations that she is a victim of high level political power play within the Government House is a figment of the imagination of the authors.
The Issue of poor funding of her Office is laughable. Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has continued to demonstrate the fact that he is a prudent manager of human and material resources; this is why a large chunk of the budget is dedicated to capital expenditure to fast track the development of the State. Would you rather have a situation whereby recurrent expenditure far outweigh capital expenditure for the Deputy Governor to share money around at the expense of the development of the State? In any case her office is well funded. We wonder why the author chose to cry more than the bereaved or be more Catholic than the Pope.
We all know that comments are free but facts are sacred. All her aides are adequately and promptly well remunerated and they are all at their desks working. Mr. Gilbert Nria, Uki Asemota and others are still in her team. Mr. Ibinabo Marshall Harry was relieved of his position as Acting Head of Protocol and has since been replaced not because of paucity of funds, so it is very uncharitable and mischievous to allude to that.
It is unfortunate that persons who are not members of the State Executive Council could come up with an idea that the Deputy Governor or indeed any other member of the State Executive Council is a mere participant. Exco decisions are taken after robust debates, so this argument holds no water.
The purported allegation that Governor Wike treats his Deputy Governor shabbily because of his rumoured misogyny is a lie from the pit of hell.
Under his watch we have had two female Chief Judges from back to back; the President of the Customary Court of Appeal is also a Woman. He has appointed several female Permanent Secretaries and Cabinet Commissioners, Members and Chairmen of Local Government Care Taker Committees, so what more do they want from him?
His Excellency, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Con, GSSRS is in a hurry to turn around the hitherto comatose State he inherited from Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, and therefore does not have the time for frivolities.
How can anyone insinuate that the Governor is angry because his Deputy refused to cast aspersions on the former Governor? It doesn’t make sense at all.
For the records, Governor Wike has never and would never condescend to such levels he is too busy with the NEW Rivers Vision.
One can understand that Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is a drowning politician who has nothing to offer to the Rivers People. Using a faceless group to whip up this un solicited support for the Office of the Deputy Governor is a smoke screen to cause disaffection between the State Chief Executive and his Deputy of course, this will not work.
The relationship between Governor Wike and his Deputy is very cordial they work as a team she has continued to represent him at the National Executive Council Meetings, The Nigeria Governor’s Forum Meetings and several other National and International engagements, so the question of the Governor being despotic is a fallacy.
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