Wike had on Sunday personally monitored the demolition of Prudent Hotel, Eleme, and Etemeteh Hotel in Onne Local Government Area of the state for allegedly flouting the state’ Executive Order put in place to curb the spread of Coronavirus.
Nigerians reacted in diverse opinion on the governor’s action.
Here are some of the reactions:
“Human rights organisations (SERAP) have described the action of the governor as impunity and a reminder of the military era.”
A former minister of aviation, FFK also reacted:
“Rivers hotels demolition: I am utterly amazed at Wike’s action” – Fani-Kayode
Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Minister of Aviation, has reacted to the demolition of two hotels for flouting government lockdown order in Rivers State.
Reacting, Fani-Kayode, said he was utterly amazed by Wike’s action not to close down the hotels and arrest the culprits.
“The Governor did not see fit to close down the hotels and arrest the culprits, but instead, he KNOCKED them both down? I am utterly amazed!” – according to the nation
Peoples Democratic Party has thrown its weight behind the governor, saying he acted in the interest of his people.
National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, insisted that the governor’s action was aimed at protecting his people.
He had explained that the hotel was demolished because one of the Coronavirus cases in the state originated from there.
Ologbodiyan maintained that the party was not silent about the incident, adding that the internal mechanism of the party was handling the matter and there was no need to blow it out of proportion.
He berated those criticising Wike for not speaking up when Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, demolished a mosque and blocked access road in the state.
Ologbodiyan said, “Because it is Wike and PDP they must destroy him.
“This is double standard and is totally unacceptable to us. Those who are aggrieved can resolve with the governor but if they strongly want to go to court.”
A human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, described Wike, who is also a lawyer, as an embarrassment to the body of benchers.
He called on the Nigerian Bar Association to sanction the governor for acting like an emperor.
Falana said any offender regardless of the crime committed should be charged before a court and tried in line with the law.
A civil society organisation, the Socio-Economic Right and Accountability Project has also threatened to institute legal action against the government.
Reacting via Twitter, SERAP accused the Rivers governor of using COVID-19 to perpetrate human rights violation, noting that his “executive rascality” must stop.
“We condemn the reported demolition of Prodest Hotel by Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike. Using COVID-19 to perpetrate human rights violation is executive rascality and Mr Wike must stop this now,” the organisation said.
A former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore weighed in too. Here is what he said …
Deji Adeyanju, has this to say on the issue : though he is obviously on the fence…
Streetwisenetwork 