We shall counter Wike’s threat – Rivers

Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, and Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike
| credits: File copy

THE Rivers State Government has said it is planning massive youth engagement to counter the statement credited to the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike.

Wike, in a veiled reference to the State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, on Saturday, said he was ready to make life uncomfortable for the governor.

But the state government on Sunday said it was not worried by the threat of the Minister to make the state ungovernable.

The Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Mr. Tony Okocha, said on Sunday that Amaechi was putting a programme in place that would engage over 65,000 youths in the state.

Okocha argued that with such human capital development programme, it would be difficult for Wike to achieve his aim of making the state ungovernable.

He stated that the youths would be paid at the end of every month, adding that beneficiaries of the programme would shun any attempt by the minister or any other politician to engage them in any untoward activity.

Okocha said, “With Wike’s statement he has shown that he has shown to the world and Nigeria in particular that he is behind the negative things happening in Rivers and that is the man that has benefitted a lot from Rivers State.

“The governor is putting the state resources into very meaningful features. We have gone into human capital development and no fewer than 65,000 Rivers youths. Rivers youths will benefit from a new programme that will soon be put in place by the state government.

“This will go a long way to ensure that the youths are meaningfully engaged. We are sure that with this, those he (Wike) has been using and others he may want to use will call his bluff.”

Meanwhile, Wike said on Sunday that he and other prominent Rivers leaders had resolved to mobilise the people for President Goodluck Jonathan as a result of what he described as the negative plots against the President by few politicians in the state.

Wike spoke on Sunday in Gokana Local Government Area during the inauguration of Grassroots Development Initiative executives in the area.

He explained that leaders, politicians, women and youth groups in the state had agreed not to sit on the fence while a few politicians, who had lost grounds, attempted to create a negative impression about a performing President from the South-South region.

Wike said, “We are doing this to indicate to our people and the nation that we cannot allow our son, who is the President, to be harassed. Some people from our state are working to stop the President from completing his constitutionally allowed terms of office.