Declare your assets, Rivers APC tells Wike

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress has challenged the State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, to declare his assets.

The state APC explained that such step was necessary in keeping with the requirement of the Office of the Governor and in line with the mantra of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to promote transparency and accountability.

State Chairman of the party, Dr. Davies Ikanya, said in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Tuesday that the people of the state were interested in knowing his (Wike) financial status.

Describing Wike as a caretaker governor, Ikanya said, “In line with the code of conduct for elected public officers in Nigeria, we wish to advise Chief Wike to hasten to declare his assets.

“They have been waiting for their caretaker governor to follow the path of honour by declaring his assets, but he has conveniently chosen not to do so because he apparently has skeletons in his cupboard.

“There is, however, no hiding place for Wike as assets declaration is not optional but compulsory.”

Reacting, the Special Adviser to the State Governor, Sir Opunabo Inko-Tariah, described the tagging of Wike as a caretaker governor by the APC as irresponsible.

Inko-Tariah explained that Wike was voted in by the people and would serve out his first tenure and a second tenure should Rivers people need him again.

He advised the APC in the state to stop thinking that the court would stop the governor, adding that the opposition party does not have any proof that will annul the mandate given to Wike by the people.

“It is mere illusion on the part of the APC to think that the court would remove the APC. It is irresponsible of the opposition party to refer to an elected governor as caretaker governor.

“Let them know that Governor Wike is not a three-month governor because they (APC) don’t have any proof to make the court remove him. Gain, they should know that the tribunal is a first instance court because there are two other courts.

“It is not that the tribunal does not have the power to annul election, but the state APC does not have the facts to support their claim,” Opunabo said.

On the call on Wike to declare his assets, the State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Felix Obuah, said the APC was crying wolf where there was none.

Obuah described Wike as a transparent governor, who was aware of the dictates of the law and would not flout it.

“Declaration of asset is a constitutional matter and we do not need the APC to remind us or the governor to do that. He (Wike) knows already that a public servant will declare his assets.

“No governor declared his assets immediately after his inauguration. So, why is the APC unnecessarily worried? The truth is that the APC in Rivers lacks the credibility to talk on Wike’s declaration of assets.

“The governor has begun to perform less than a month that he assumed office. The Rivers APC should stop crying wolf,” the state PDP chairman said.