Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has said the secret of the success of his administration was contained in a list handed over to him by former governor of the state, Dr. Peter Odili.
The governor, who spoke at a public lecture cum book presentation in his honour in Port Harcourt on Thursday, however did not reveal items on the list that Odili gave him.
He said those who expect that his successor, Mr. Joseph Fubara, will act like him would be disappointed, stating however that the incoming governor would surpass his own performance in office.
Wike confessed that his administration enjoyed tremendous support from leaders and people of the state and would want same support to be given to Fubara because if the incoming governor fails, all the people that worked for his emergence as governor would have failed.
“He is somebody you can rely on. His yes is yes, that I can tell you. He is an accountant, they are very conservative. They don’t spend money anyhow. They spend the money where they know it will be useful. So, don’t rate us as the same. But he is a very good person,” Wike said.
The governor said no two persons are the same and therefore, people should not expect the same kind of relationship they had with his administration with the incoming government.
He assured that Fubara will be committed to deliver on what will make Rivers people happy.
“When people were struggling to be governors, he never one day came to me to say ‘Sir, I am interested’. Only those who don’t have the interest of the state were those masquerading themselves, running around, those who I know that would sell the State the next day and I thank God they have all left.
“If Rivers people were not in support of our administration, we would not have been encouraged to do what we have done. And so, I say to all of you our leaders, Rivers people that I appreciate every support you have given to us since 2015.”
Governor Wike also expressed appreciation to Dr Peter Odili, former governor of the state for writing down the list of things he should avoid if he wanted to succeed. According to him, that list helped him greatly.
In the inauguration lecture entitled, “Democracy, Transformational Leadership and Sustainable Development: The Rivers Experience, “Prof. Julius Ihonvbere acknowledged the tactically strategic politics of governor Wike that produced result in the state and beyond.
“Wike brought in a new phase of domestic and international appreciation of the location of the state in economic calculations.
“In terms of infrastructure, there is no one in the history of the state that you can compare comfortably with Wike. Like a man in a hurry to finish an assignment, he unleashed massive interventions, often at great cost, on practically every sector especially, health, education, administration of justice and rural development.”
Prof. Ihonvbere said Nigeria’s democratic practice is characterised by reactionary, opportunistic and anti-democratic actions that have tendency of bankrupting those who are not strong and focused.
According to him, the problem is in the fact that Nigerians are unwilling to think differently, work differently and interact differently.
He said what Nigeria has is not liberal democracy but illiberal democracy because it encouraged closed democratic spaces, extra-legal deployment of power and authoritarian tendencies.
Dr. Odili, former governor of Rivers State unveiled the four books that were written in honour of Governor Wike.
He described Wike as a phenomenal leader who confronted leadership challenges and came out victoriously, becoming an example and inspiration to those coming after him.
Vice-Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Prof. Okey Onuchukwu, said the books depict the kind of leadership styles that Governor Wike provided in driving development to meet present and future needs of Rivers people.
The four books presented to the public were, ‘Leadership, Governance and Sustenance in Nigeria, in honour of Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike’,edited by Prof. Okey Onuchukwu and Prof Chinedum Mmom, and ‘Transformational Speeches of Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike’, edited by Barr. E.K Beredugo.
The other books are, ‘Educational and Sustainable Development, a book in honour of Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, edited by Florence Ataka, and ‘Nyesom Wike, Leadership, Strategies in Governance, Faculties and Testimonials’, edited by Eric Osagie.
