The outgoing governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, who recently issued a quit notice to African Independent Television (AIT) and operators of Ray Power Radio Station located at Ozuoba, to vacate the property, has effected the demolition of the sprawling premises. The media businesses under DAAR Communications are owned by businessman and politician, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi.
The property belonged to Radio Rivers before it was handed over to the DAAR Group by the administration of Dr. Peter Odili who was governor of the state from 1999 to 2007.
Upon the issuance of the notice to quit, several organizations and individuals had appealed to the governor to review his decision to demolish the premises.
Ignoring the pleas, Wike, mobilized truckloads of soldiers and policemen to the site on Monday, March 27, 2023 and commenced the demolition to pave way for the proposed of Government Reservation Area (GRA) Phase 5.
A statement issued by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Rivers State Council and signed by the Chairman and the Secretary Mr. Stanley Job Stanley and Ike Wigodo, respectively, had called on the governor to drop the demolition plan and engage in dialogue considering the role the media organisation had played in the state and the huge resources invested in the facility by DAAR Group investment.
National Point visited the scene and observed that the demolition exercise had commenced in earnest. Apart from the broadcast outfits owned by Daar Communications PLC, other buildings and businesses within the premises were also brought down. Residents were seen wandering the streets of Ozuoba and adjourning roads, having been rendered homeless.
Speaking with National Point, a resident and businessman who simply gave his name as Emmanuel told this medium that the demolition came to them as a surprise. “Nigerian leaders do not have the people at heart.
They wake up and issue threats and carry it out. Wike has rendered us homeless and our businesses closed, where do we start from here in the already difficult troubles? I’m a family man and have others who depend on me for survival but, with the demolition of my business life is now unbearable,” Emmanuel lamented.
Wike and Dokpesi became rivals after Wike’s failed attempt to clinch the Presidential ticket of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries in May, 2022 leading to the just concluded Elections of 2023. Dokpesi who is the chairman of DAAR Communication, operators of AIT and Ray Power is an ardent supporter of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, who eventually picked the PDP presidential ticket.
