Wike Hosts Tinubu In Port Harcourt, Rivers State

By Charles Igbo

President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu,  will visit Rivers State on Wednesday 3rd May, 2023. The visit is on the invitation of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.

With the visit, Rivers has become the first State to be visited by Tinubu, officially, after his Presidential victory.

Governor Wike announced Tinubu’s visit in Porthacourt on Wednesday, 26th April while on an inspection of two projects. He was accompanied on the inspection by the State’s Governor-elect, Sim Fubara.

He said that while in the State, Tinubu would commission two projects, the 12th flyover built in the State Capital by his administration, located  at the Rumuokwuta and Rumuola junctions in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, and a Magistrate Court constructed along Moscow Road in Porthacourt Local Government Area.

The President-elect returned to Nigeria on Tuesday after a one month trip to France where he said he went to rest after a hectic Presidential Campaign and election.

Wike, a Peoples Democratic Party Governor, worked for Tinubu, then the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, against the Candidate of his own Party, Abubakar Atiku. Atiku had ignored Wike in the choice of his running mate. He preferred Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa to Wike, an action which angered Wike no end, and resulted in his factionalising PDP Governors.

Wike is the leader of the  G5 Governors – Samuel Ortom, Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Enugu, and Seyi Makinde, Oyo – all of whom worked against Atiku in the Presidential election.

Wike’s invitation to Tinubu for the commissioning of the projects is seen by many as a celebration of Tinubu’s Presidential victory.

Speculation is that Wike would likely be rewarded by Tinubu with a  Ministerial appointment.