By Florence Uwaeme
Yekini Nabena, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC says Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, demolished properties belonging to the Bayelsa State Government in Port Harcourt because of his failed presidential ambition.
The state government had last week demolished two residential quarters for workers of Bayelsa State Government, which were sited on a large expanse of land on 5 and 9, Akassa Street, Old GRA, Port Harcourt.
The state government also said the buildings not only constituted a “public nuisance” but also defaced the Rivers State Government’s urban renewal infrastructural development policies.
However, the Bayelsa State Government, through the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Andrew Esua, reiterated that the demolition was avoidable as the two states had a long history of cordiality.
But Wike argued that the said demolition was not the first to be carried out by his administration as part of its urban renewal plan.
Speaking on the matter, Nabena in a statement on Friday believed Wike’s excuse was a mere smokescreen cooked up to mask his real motive.
He said: “In 2019, when the going was good between the two, Wike even spearheaded the Supreme Court case against the APC. At this time Wike did not think of demolishing Bayelsa State properties.
“But because Governor Diri failed to support his failed presidential ambition during Peoples Democratic Party’s primary election, he has suddenly woken up to remember that Bayelsa state properties are defacing an area in Port Harcourt. This is unacceptable.
“I will, therefore, call on Governor Wike to limit his dictatorship and political drunkenness to Rivers state. The Ijaw Nation will not tolerate disrespect, Bayelsa people will not bow to Wike’s god and as a state. Wike cannot force his political interest over us. Bayelsa is not Rivers.”
