The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has criticised Governor Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike for retiring 14 permanent secretaries from the state civil service and suspending the activities of Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA).
Mr Chris Finebone, Rivers State APC Publicity Secretary, in a statement in Port Harcourt on Saturday described the retirement of the 14 permanent secretaries as conceived and executed in bad faith with the sole aim of punishing people related to those who worked for the administration of former Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
In a statement in Port Harcourt by his Special Assistant on Electronic Media Simeon Nwakaudu, the governor approved the compulsory retirement of the following permanent secretaries: Ms. Kadilo-Brown, Sir. Somieari L. Isaac–Harry, Barr. Michael M. West, Nuka Nadum Nwikpasi, Mrs. Iragunima Comfort M and Collins Davidson.
Also retired were: Barr. (Mrs) Otonyetarie I. Okorie, Asoelu Gayamos Ogo, Dr. Mrs. Jumbo Justina A., Kingsley F. Hart, Austin Orlu-Orlu, Sir. Samuel J. Egbe, Sam Woka and Ngozi Yagba Abu.
The governor in another statement by Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs. Oninim Jacks, ordered the suspension of the services of RSSDA, citing threat by workers to embark on strike as the main reason.
Rivers APC’s statement reads in part: “The Rivers State Chapter of All Progressives Congress views the compulsory retirement of 14 Permanent Secretaries in the Civil Service of the Rivers State Government by Gov. Nyesom Wike as an act conceived and executed in bad faith to punish people, relations or spouses of those (who) worked for Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi administration or sympathetic to the APC.
“The APC considers the sudden retirement of these exemplary senior civil servants as a vindictive act by Governor Nyesom Wike. Whereas these individuals toiled to keep the civil service of the state, which is the engine room of government, working for the good of the people, Nyesom Wike has decided to punish them for doing their legitimate duties as civil servants. Instead of acknowledging and rewarding them with recognition, the vengeful governor decided to summarily send them away on compulsory retirement just to exact needless pound of flesh.
“The APC similarly notes that Governor Wike has formally shut down the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA). Instead of the governor tasking his intellect for once to find an acceptable solution to the matter or doing the very basic thing of paying the seven months’ salaries owed the RSSDA workers from the numerous bank loans he has collected, he rather chose the primitive option of closing down the agency and had the shameless audacity to formally announce the mean decision (Friday).
“The APC condemns these wicked decisions by Wike and urge those directly affected to remain strong and prayerful as God will ultimately see off the Wike rogue regime. There is no doubt at all that God will complete what he has started by getting the so-called election of Governor Nyesom Wike finally dumped into the abyss of history very soon.”