Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has said that Local government election will hold this year.
Responding to questions during an interview in a Rythm FM radio program on Saturday “ViewPoint” , the governor said that the election won’t be based on any political endorsement.
It will be recalled that upon assumption of office in 2015, the Governor removed the LGA Chairmen who were inaugurated by the past administration of Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi and appointed Caretaker administrators instead.
He said that aspirants for the post should show the zeal to work and should also get popular in their various LGAs.
Reacting to criticism for his visit to Madrid last year, the Governor said that his government is proposing to create a football academy in the state to help nurture young talents, stressing that he could as well make the trip on his own as an individual.
Wike also stated that there is nothing like marginalization in Rivers politics, saying that some people have contested elections in the state consistently but did not win.
The Governor who was referring to the claims that the Ikwerre ethnic group were marginalizing the riverine parts of the state said that it is not an ikwerre “Thing”, stressing that After his tenure, they would look amongst the zones and do the needful.
He said: “We have gone past tribal politics and sentiments. I canvassed for votes, made campaign promises and delivered all within my first four years in office, why won’t they vote for me? My antecedents are there even when I was a minister of state for education,why won’t they vote for me?”
“Almost all leading newspapers and international bodies have been conferring on me ‘The governor of the year award’. Uptill date, I am still getting numerous invitations .I must commend everyone for beckoning on me to recontest. It is my prerogative to do just that”
Asked why there has been no promotion for civil servants in the state,
He said: “I have been paying pensioners every month since I resumed office till date. Pensioners have written to me commending me for prompt payment of their pensions. So far we have spent over 800million.The former IT personnel that conducted biometrics on them did not submit some names, the new SA on IT had just done that. It’s been reviewed and tackled. A large chunk of pensioners in Rivers state are been paid”
