Wike appoints 14,359 aides, slammed by opposition parties

The Labour Party and the African Action Congress have criticised the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, over the appointment of 14,000 advisers for various political units in the state.

Wike had announced the appointment through his media aide, Kelvin Ebiri, on Tuesday in Port Harcourt.

The statement quoted the governor as saying the advisers, who were not named, would play pivotal roles in the administration.

The statement read, “In addition to the 14,000 advisers, Governor Wike has also appointed 319 Ward Liaison Officers and 40 Local Government Area Liaison Officers.

“The appointments are with immediate effect.”

But the National Vice Chairman, South-South of the Labour Party, Favour Reuben, in an interview with The PUNCH, described the appointments as political.

He said, “I think what the governor is trying to do is for politics. He is just trying to plant boys that will do politics for him. I keep saying the governor is afraid that his candidate cannot win the election in the state. What does he mean by political units?
“14, 000? People that will never see him or talk to him and you say they are advisers. What are they advising?

“He is just trying to use them to build political strength for his governorship candidate, Sim Fubara, knowing full well that the man is not popular.”

On his part, the Publicity Secretary of the AAC, Felix Enumini, said it was a move to sway votes in the 2023 general elections, but said the people are wiser.

Enumini said, “You know this is the electioneering period. What the Rivers State Governor is doing is because he has failed the Rivers people.

“So he is just trying to make some people happy. Aside from building flyovers all over the city, he has not done anything. For the past seven years, no civil servant has been promoted.

“No employment, except the one he did recently in the state university he gave to his Ikwerre brothers. So, we know his antics. He thinks with this, people will be moved to vote for his stooge, Sim Fubara.”

GOGAN TV