On-governor-wike-dispassionate-and-insensitive-response-in-rivers-state-amidst-the-coronavirus-pandemic-a-clear-case-of-abuse-of-power
September 7, 2020 | News
ON GOVERNOR WIKE'S DISPASSIONATE AND INSENSITIVE RESPONSE IN RIVERS STATE AMIDST THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC - A CLEAR CASE OF ABUSE OF POWER
Of all the reactive and proactive responses by the State Governors across the country in managing, curbing and addressing the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic situation in Nigeria, none has been so inconsiderate, dispassionate, without empathy, heartless and completely wicked than the actions exhibited by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesome Wike.
Aside from the seizure of vehicles amidst the total lockdown in Rivers State, which Governor Wike had already perfected plans to have them auctioned, the one that shocked most Nigerians was his recent demolition of two hotels in the State, all in the name of enforcement of a lockdown order. But one would have expected Governor Wike, to have sealed/shut down the said two hotels, for about a year or so, if it was discovered truly that they flouted his lockdown directive. Or better still, sue the owner(s) of the said hotels. Instead of destroying the entire two hotels to the ground.
By his actions, Governor Nyesome Wike has not only destroyed the sweat and hard work of the owener(s) of the hotels, but he has also put many families in more hunger, pains, stress, agony, and poverty. How can a sitting Governor, who was supposedly elected to provide and protect his people with State resources, use the same power to destroy the sweat of another man's entire life?
According to one Promise Gogorodari, said to be the owner of the hotel, he noted that: “I am based in Lagos but I am not in the right frame of mind to speak now. There is nobody who will not feel bad about this. It is a hotel that I built for the past seven years. The demolition of hotels is a setback to the state in terms of investment. That was an investment that was taking care of my family and relatives and people around me. There was no fair hearing before the demolition took place. With this, many people are out of jobs. I did not violate any order. The government was supposed to do some investigations before doing that. And if they found me wanting, then another procedure should be followed; not demolishing a structure like that”.
The big question is: Is this the best way a Governor should respond in the midst of a health pandemic situation? It is also imperative to ask if a proper investigation was carried out, to ascertain if indeed the said hotels flouted the Governor's lockdown directive? Were a proper investigation and fair hearing conducted, before the said Task Force of Governor Wike, carried out the hotels' demolition? To even think that Governor Wike had to personally supervise the said hotels' demolition, clearly suggests that height of insensitivity. It makes one wonder if the Governor has something else against the owner(s) of the said hotels. These are questions that need to be considered and looked into?
We are in a democratic setting, and we should always be civil and ideal in handling of issues. A Governor cannot just wake up and enforce draconian orders against his people, just because he can, by virtue of the Office he occupies. Doing that is tantamount to gross abuse of his Executive Powers.
The Coronavirus situation has already made life more difficult and trying for Nigerians as it is. So, a Governor should be seen to be making things a little bit bearable for his people, and not to make things worse. You don't solve a problem that way. Well-meaning Nigerians should also not hesitate to speak out against Governor Wike and his Officials who are seen to abuse their Executive powers.
Zik Gbemre.
May 11, 2020.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
Of all the reactive and proactive responses by the State Governors across the country in managing, curbing and addressing the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic situation in Nigeria, none has been so inconsiderate, dispassionate, without empathy, heartless and completely wicked than the actions exhibited by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesome Wike.
Aside from the seizure of vehicles amidst the total lockdown in Rivers State, which Governor Wike had already perfected plans to have them auctioned, the one that shocked most Nigerians was his recent demolition of two hotels in the State, all in the name of enforcement of a lockdown order. But one would have expected Governor Wike, to have sealed/shut down the said two hotels, for about a year or so, if it was discovered truly that they flouted his lockdown directive. Or better still, sue the owner(s) of the said hotels. Instead of destroying the entire two hotels to the ground.
By his actions, Governor Nyesome Wike has not only destroyed the sweat and hard work of the owener(s) of the hotels, but he has also put many families in more hunger, pains, stress, agony, and poverty. How can a sitting Governor, who was supposedly elected to provide and protect his people with State resources, use the same power to destroy the sweat of another man's entire life?
According to one Promise Gogorodari, said to be the owner of the hotel, he noted that: “I am based in Lagos but I am not in the right frame of mind to speak now. There is nobody who will not feel bad about this. It is a hotel that I built for the past seven years. The demolition of hotels is a setback to the state in terms of investment. That was an investment that was taking care of my family and relatives and people around me. There was no fair hearing before the demolition took place. With this, many people are out of jobs. I did not violate any order. The government was supposed to do some investigations before doing that. And if they found me wanting, then another procedure should be followed; not demolishing a structure like that”.
The big question is: Is this the best way a Governor should respond in the midst of a health pandemic situation? It is also imperative to ask if a proper investigation was carried out, to ascertain if indeed the said hotels flouted the Governor's lockdown directive? Were a proper investigation and fair hearing conducted, before the said Task Force of Governor Wike, carried out the hotels' demolition? To even think that Governor Wike had to personally supervise the said hotels' demolition, clearly suggests that height of insensitivity. It makes one wonder if the Governor has something else against the owner(s) of the said hotels. These are questions that need to be considered and looked into?
We are in a democratic setting, and we should always be civil and ideal in handling of issues. A Governor cannot just wake up and enforce draconian orders against his people, just because he can, by virtue of the Office he occupies. Doing that is tantamount to gross abuse of his Executive Powers.
The Coronavirus situation has already made life more difficult and trying for Nigerians as it is. So, a Governor should be seen to be making things a little bit bearable for his people, and not to make things worse. You don't solve a problem that way. Well-meaning Nigerians should also not hesitate to speak out against Governor Wike and his Officials who are seen to abuse their Executive powers.
Zik Gbemre.
May 11, 2020.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes