Wike: The G5 Generalissimo Considered for N/Delta Affairs Minister
By Kabir Akintayo
The mention of former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike among the 28 ministerial nominees of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu may not have come as a surprise to many Nigerians.
This is because there have been speculations that he, Wike, will be compensated for the rift he had with his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the 2023 polls – which became instrumental to the victory of Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the polls.
Wike had accused the immediate-past PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu for siding with former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, during the party’s presidential primaries and people like Aminu Tambuwal, the ex-Governor of Sokoto State, for stepping down for him (Atiku) which most likely led to his defeat in the keenly-contested primaries.
Out of frustration, Wike demanded for Ayu’s resignation “claiming” that both the presidential candidate and chairman cannot come from the North. His refusal lead to formation of the G5 faction with Wike serving as the ‘Generalissimo.’
Five governors, Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) Samuel Ortom, (Benue), Seyi Makinde, (Oyo) and Wike himself were at the helms of affairs in the new faction formed, leading to the nomenclature, G5.
Nyesom Wike was Born on 13 December, 1967 to an Ikwerre Family from Rumuepirikom in Rivers State. He attended Government Secondary School Eneka in Obiakpor, Rivers State, where he sat for his O’level exams.
After graduating, he proceeded to the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUT), where he obtained a degree in Law. The former Governor then joined Nigeria Law School and completed his studies in 1997.
He holds a Masters degree in Political and Administrative Studies from the same university. After his education, Nyesom Wike worked briefly in the private legal practice before he ventured into politics in a bid to touch more lives.
He was elected as the Executive Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area (LGA) for two terms from 1999 to 2007 during which he distinguished himself as one of the best performing chairpersons of the council.
His wherewithal earned him the position of Deputy President, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, in 2004 and was later elected the President of ALGON. His rare administrative acumen propelled him to an African representative in the Commonwealth Local Governments Forum.
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Upon completing his tenure as LGA’s Executive chairman, he got appointed as the Chief of staff at the Government House in Port Harcourt to the then governor Rotimi Amaechi. He was also assigned as the general manager of the campaign team during Governor Amaechi’s re-election campaign.
On July 14th, 2011, he was appointed Minister of Rivers State for Education, and later as Minister of Education of the Federal Republic of Nigeria after Mrs Riqqayatu during President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, he however voluntarily resigned the position to vie for Governorship of Rivers State on the People’s Democratic Party’s ticket.
On December 8th, 2014, he won the Rivers State PDP gubernatorial election primaries and subsequently won the general elections in April the following year and was re-elected for a second term on April 3rd, 2019.
As a lawyer and politician, Wike’s significant contribution to the development of various government systems can not go unmentioned. During his tenure as the Minister of State for Education, he made a remarkable impact in the sub-sector of basic education through spearheading a nationwide reform of the nation’s education system.
Some of the notable programs he championed include: enabling access to quality education for about nine million Almajiri children in Northern Nigeria by constructing dedicated schools in affected states.
Again, he lead construction of basic education vocational training schools for out-of-school children in Southern Nigeria. Wike’s intellectual capacity saw the need of the less privileged in the country during his time in the Ministry of Education and successfully constructed Special Girl-Education Schools for less privileged girls in 16 states of the country.
He, through his unmatched leadership championed the free distribution of books across the nation, and since 2011, over sixty million textbooks and library resource materials have been distributed.
Wike’s performance as governor of the commercial center of the Nigerian oil industry was widely acknowledged owing to his incredible ability which developed the state beyond recognition, this can be confirmed through the magnitude of love he enjoys among the people of his state.
The G5 generalissimo without a flinch of doubt has positively revolutionalized all sectors of Rivers State, be it economy, health, agriculture, education or infrastructure among others.
The strings of flyovers to decongest a seemingly insurmountable traffic situation, road constructions and buildings scattered all over strategic points in Rivers are a clear attestation to what visionary and people-oriented leadership can do.
All these efforts earned him a meritorious award and the nick name ‘Mr Project’ by immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari.
Despite theatrics that have surrounded Nyesome Wike this past few months, his pragmatism and result-oriented style one can boastfully say qualifies him for the role of Niger Delta Minister.
