In the past 15 months, Nyesom Wike, Governor of Rivers State, has given at least N2.1 billion to four states and individuals outside the state.
Between January 2021 and October 2022, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governor made a donation.
On January 20, 2021, Governor Wike made a donation of N500 million to Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal to help him rebuild the destroyed Sokoto Central Market.
In a related matter in Kebbi State, the Governor of Rivers State had given Governor Atiku Bagudu N30 million to help the victims of the state’s fire.
In his statement, Wike stated that his administration will ensure that the affected market is rebuilt and functional in addition to funds donated to support disaster victims.
When he laid the foundation stone for the Akwa Ibom Teaching Hospital at Awa in the Onna Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State in May 2021, Governor Wike made a promise of N600 million.
On February 14, 2022, the governor of Rivers State gave N500 million to the Bayelsa State Medical Science University in Yenagoa, the state capital.
During his campaign for the PDP’s presidential nomination in 2023, Wike gave N200 million to displaced banditry victims in Kaduna three months after the N500 million donation.
At a conference held by the women in Lagos on Tuesday, the Governor of Rivers State made a promise to provide N300 million to support the projects of the wives of officials in Lagos State.
In a conversation with Punch, the APC’s response to Wike’s actions described the donations as a waste of resources and a sign of the state government’s lack of vision at a time when the state was facing challenges.
Darlington Nwauju, the APC’s state spokesperson, stated, “For us, as a party, we believe it is a total waste of taxpayers’ money.”Additionally, it clearly demonstrates that the government lacks vision.The state’s citizens were hurt by the governor’s decision to make these frivolous donations.There are still problems with pension arrears and teachers of demonstration secondary schools who haven’t been paid in five years.
“I also received a report this afternoon (Friday) that Rivers State University has issued a notice requiring returning students to pay their school fees or forfeit their ability to take their exams.These students’ tuition costs would have been substantially covered by the donations that have been given.At the moment, Rivers State students attending higher education institutions do not benefit from the bursary that his predecessors actually provided.”
In his response to the APC’s statement, Kelvin Ebiri, the media aide to Governor Wike, characterized the statement as an absurd and baseless claim made by the remnants of a dying political party.
“The needs of Rivers people are being met by the administration of Governor Wike, who was today conferred the Distinguished Award in Infrastructure Delivery for his excellence in public service by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari,” Ebiri stated.