Wike’s 200,000 assistants will cost Rivers N42 billion, This is Executive Rascality – APC

Yesterday, Governor Nyesom Wike quadrupled the number of Special Assistants, or SAs, he had just hired to handle political unit affairs, which was projected to cost the state N42,000,000,000.

Wike declared a jump from 100,000 to 200,000 as he officially welcomed the second batch of new SAs from the Rivers East Senatorial District at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Omagwa, Ikwerre Local Government Area.

N42.127bn allowance

There were hints yesterday that the 359 Constituency and Local Government Area Liaison Officers’ salaries will remain at N50,000 while the newly hired 200,000 Units SAs will earn a monthly stipend of N30,000.

This means that Rivers would give the appointees N42.127 billion between now and May 29, 2023, when Wike’s term will expire.

It is executive rascality — APC

However, the move received bashing from some stakeholders and opposition figures in the state.

Rivers State Chairman of .the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr. Emeka Beke, described the appointment of 200,000 persons as Special Assistant on Political Units by Governor Wike as a show of executive rascality, adding that the governor was bereft of ideas.

Beke alleged that what the governor has done was a tactical way of buying off votes of those acclaimed SAs, adding that the APC would resist every attempt of vote buying in the state.

He regretted that the governor was spending tax payers’ money recklessly, alleging that Rivers was among the states in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC’s, watchlist.

Beke said: “I think the Governor is confused right now. He does not know what to do again. The governor is just displaying executive rascality.

“This is just a way he is restyling vote-buying. It is a way he wants to use to buy votes. You will also find out that Rivers State is one of the states that wants to pay salary by hand.

“It is pure recklessness for the governor to use tax payers’ money to buy votes and we will resist every of these attempts.”

It’s vote-buying, says Gbemrr
To Zik Gbemre, Coordinator, Niger Delta Peace Coalition, what Wike did “is obvious vote buying with the so called SAs as polling units canvassers of vote in favour of Wike’s PDP guber candidate and other flag bearers of the party.

“But the Governor is driving the impunity with defensible tact. Whose relative of the almost 200400 beneficiaries including the Liaison Officers would speak against the offer?

“But then is there any incumbent governor who is not indulged in disguised vote buying ahead of the 2023 election? Even Federal Government, the Presidency, has been the most guilty.

“The Markets Trader Money Vice President Yemi Osibanjo has been sharing to APC faithful over the years, who doesn’t know it’s vote buying?”

It’s vote-buying, says Gbemrr

To Zik Gbemre, Coordinator, Niger Delta Peace Coalition, what Wike did “is obvious vote buying with the so called SAs as polling units canvassers of vote in favour of Wike’s PDP guber candidate and other flag bearers of the party.

“But the Governor is driving the impunity with defensible tact. Whose relative of the almost 200400 beneficiaries including the Liaison Officers would speak against the offer?

“But then is there any incumbent governor who is not indulged in disguised vote buying ahead of the 2023 election? Even Federal Government, the Presidency, has been the most guilty.

“The Markets Trader Money Vice President Yemi Osibanjo has been sharing to APC faithful over the years, who doesn’t know it’s vote buying?”