Wike’s bumpy road to office

Wike being sworn in as Rivers State Governor yesterday.

Governor Nyesom Wike’s path to office was strewn with controversies even to the point of his inauguration. Now what he makes with his opportunity is another matter.
The road to Government House, Port Harcourt for Barr Nyesom Wike after he was declared winner of the last governorship election was bumpy and rough.

Unlike President Muhammadu Buhari who got a call from President Goodluck Jonathan , his rival in the presidential election, congratulating him even before the final result declaring him winner of the poll was announced Wike was not that lucky. Rather his declaration as winner was stoked in controversy after some in the political class and election observers declared the election as laced in malpractices and violence.

Former Governor Chibuike Amaechi accused him of being behind politically related killings recorded during the electioneering periods in the state, an allegation he sharply denied The former governor went ahead to set up a Commission of Inquiry, headed by Chairman, National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Professor Odinkalu Chidi to look at the politically related  killings in the state within the period of the last  elections, a move many, including the Port Harcourt chapter of the Nigeria Bar Association condemned.

The  NBA in a statement by its Chairman, Mr Dennis Okwakpam had said the terms of reference of the commission was irregular because it made  the commission to seemingly assume the functions and responsibilities of the Police and the courts.

“It seems to us that your commission is being asked to unwittingly investigate crime. You will recall that the press release by the governor on your inauguration explained  that the reason for setting up the commission was to investigate why the victims were killed, who killed them, under what circumstance and for the commission to recommend appropriate punishment for the perpetrators and to make useful recommendations that will help government forestall future reoccurrence.

“We submit that the power or authority to investigate crime or criminal activities is vested in the Nigerian Police. While the power or authority to adjudicate and make pronouncement  as to the guilt or otherwise of any person is exclusively vested in the courts of justice established under law. Your commission is neither the police nor a court and cannot under any guise be vested with criminal authority. “

Others who also spoke against the commission said it was abnormal for the same government that was part of the elections and had reflected its opinion on some of the killings in public to go ahead to set up such a commission. The opposition, however, did not stop the work of the commission.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the platform on which Wike won his election at a time had to cry out that the former governor did not want to set up a Transition team to relate with the party on matters of handing over on May 29.

The party went ahead to constitute its own Transition Committee headed by the Deputy Governor of the state, Engr Tele Ikuru.

Recalled that the deputy governor parted ways politically with the governor when he dumped the APC for the PDP few days to the March 28 presidential elections.

Few days ago news filtered into the state of an aborted effort to stop the swearing in of the Governor Elect, Wike via a court process in Owerri, Imo State. A similar move in a court in Lagos failed this week.

The crisis over who should be chief judge of the state has lingered on for over a year. There were initial fears that this may hamper the swearing in of Wike until the former Attorneys General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohamed Adoke directed that the Chief Judge of Bayelsa, Justice Kate Abiri performs the oath of office on the governor elect in Port Harcourt on May 29.

At a special mass to celebrate Governor Amaechi at 50 he shocked some of his guests when he said he did not expect the church to congratulate the governor Elect Wike.

While congratulating the then President-Elect, Muhammadu Buhari on his victory at the presidential polls, Most Rev Dr Camillus Etokudoh had also extended greetings to then governor-elect in the state, urging the outgoing governor and the incoming governor to reconcile and work for the common good of the state.

It is certainly a bumpy road for Barr Wike as he gets ready to be sworn in today at the Liberation stadium instead of the traditional Government House, Port Harcourt where oath taking ceremonies for incoming governors have held in the past.