Chieftains of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, and Barrister Princewill Dike have commended Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike for making utterances befitting a governor of a highly respected state such as Rivers during the official flag-off of civil engineering works for the establishment of the Nigerian law school campus at Rumueme town in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, on Saturday.
In two separate statements circulated in the social media, the duo said it was comforting to watch the governor speak without using foul language or mentioning either President Muhammadu Buhari or Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation in any negative way.
In his statement, Eze advised Gov. Wike to keep up this manner of speaking, adding that If he could do so, he (Eze) will not have any reason either to be so hard on him or look like an enemy to him.
The statement reads in part;
“To many, I am the worst critic of Governor Nyesom Wike but what many don’t understand is that I only criticize him positively in order for him not only to improve but give us as a state the best he could”.
“Today, in line with my considered elderly counsel he spoke like a Governor and refused the temptation of mentioning either President Buhari or his son, Rt. Hon. C. R. Amaechi the Minister of Ministers in any negative way”.
“I must confess that I am so enthusiastic and happy after watching the conduct of the Governor during the event of today”.
“I must thank God on this special day that the wisdom and strength He imparted in me is taking effect on Gov. Wike. If he can continue like this, I will not have any reason either to be so hard on him or look like an enemy to him. We all are brothers and have no reason to create bad blood amongst our people while we are being mocked and laughed at by the outside world”.
“Let us give honour to whom honour is due to and have peace and unity amongst all those that God has used Amaechi to set up politically”.
“Congratulations Gov. Wike for the manner you conducted yourself and for the commissioning of the Legacy Project of today. Keep it up and God bless”.
In his own statement, Dike recalled how he made the governor to stop attacking his predecessor Rt. Hon. Amaechi.
“I had written several times, that Wike became my enemy singularly on the fact of his ingratitude to Amaechi. If I was watching TV and saw him, I would turn it off”.
“But something happened, and I started following him up on social media. And he won my heart. I fell in love with him. I saw 100% of him in me”.
” Only integrity holding me to not follow him!
“There is this song they sing for him with Ikwerre dialect thus:
” Wike speak your mind, what will(banze) foolish people do to you”
“That is pristine me. I speak my mind without minding whose ox is gore!
“I wrote severally that the Governor should forget about Amaechi and move on. And he obliged”.
“The Governor who responded on my criticism against siting the Port Hart Law School in the metropolis; today in foundation laying ceremony of the campus couldn’t mention Amaechi. It would have been a great kill for him”.
“He would have mentioned how the Yenagoa campus would have been in Port Harcourt and Amaechi rejected it”.
‘Unlike Wike, he spoke without politics. And I commend him for that!
Meanwhile, at the ceremony, Gov. Wike said that his administration is poised to build, furnish and deliver the best campus of the Nigerian Law School in Port Harcourt.
He further said Rivers people will be the greatest beneficiaries in terms of employment opportunities the campus will offer and the attendant economic activities within the precinct of the institution.
“People are saying what a wonderful project; what a wonderful decision that we took. I’m sure every Rivers man and woman, even persons who have a clear heart who are not going to play politics will know that decision of siting Law School campus in Port Harcourt is very key”.
“Not only will it help to reduce the number of those who ordinarily will not have the opportunity of going to law school at the time they finish their law programme at the university, but it will also improve the economy of the State. It will also create employment for our people”, he stated.
The governor pointed out that the Port Harcourt campus will be part of the contribution of the State government to legal education in the country.
He particularly acknowledged the apolitical consideration given to his request by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN, despite his being a major critic of the APC-led Federal Government.
The governor handed over the certificate of occupancy of the land on which the campus is being built and the land where the staff quarters will be built opposite the Hotel Presidential to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
He announced that the Rivers State government has approved subvention for the running of the Law School for the next four years.
The Rivers state governor further declared that he has the capacity and political will to complete the construction of the Law School on schedule.
Performing the flag-off, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), who was represented by the Chairman, Council of Legal Education, Chief Nnaemeka Ngige, SAN, recounted how the journey leading to the foundation laying ceremony started with the request made by Governor Wike for a Law School in Port Harcourt.
He asserted that the Council of Legal Education has resolved that henceforth, any State Government or group of persons wishing or offering to build a campus of Nigerian Law School in any other part of the country must comply with what is now called the Rivers’ Model.
“I, therefore, use this medium to congratulate Governor Wike, the government, and the good people of Rivers State for the vision and proactive stance in attracting monumental project to Port Harcourt, Rivers State. It is epoch-making and a landmark achievement, which posterity will rate very highly in the history of Rivers State.”
He explained that following Governor Wike’s request, the Council of Legal Education has accepted to name the Port Harcourt Law School campus after legal luminary and former Attorney General of the Federation and Commissioner for Justice, Justice Nabo Bekinbo Graham-Douglas, SAN.
The Director General of the Nigerian Law School, Professor Isa Huyatu pop up Chiroma, who commended Governor Wike for his zeal to advance legal education, said academic activities are expected to start at the Port Harcourt campus in the next six to eight months.