‘Hold us accountable’ Stop giving us awards, Wike tells journalists

The governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike, has urged Nigerians journalists to hold government officials accountable, instead of giving them awards on the basis of “relationship or friendship”.

Freelanews reported that Governor Wike stated this on Friday, October 30, when the national leadership of the Nigerian Guild of Editors visited him at the government house in Port Harcourt.

A statement by Governor Wike’s media aide, Kelvin Ebiri, indicated the governor said there was a need for Nigerian journalists to put in more efforts as the “strong voice and conscience of the society”.

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He said:

“What I have seen of you is that you praise us and give us award because of relationship or friendship. That’s not the way it should be. Challenge us — the people in authority — and we will sit up to our responsibilities.”

Meanwhile, Freelanews previously reported that Governor Wike signed an executive order to reinforce the ban on Indigenous Peoples Organisation of Biafra (IPOB) and its activities in Rivers state.

The Rivers state governor announced this on Wednesday night, October 28, via a statewide broadcast, according to the press statement released through his media aide, Ebiri.

Governor Wike maintained that while Rivers state remains the home to all tribes and ethnic nationalities, the state government is opposed to the presence and activities of the legally proscribed IPOB and whatever it stands for.

In other news, Governor Wike has announced the donation of N20 million each to families of soldiers and policemen killed recently by members of IPOB.

Five soldiers and three policemen were killed on Wednesday, October 21, in Oyigbo local area of the state.

The area command, Oyigbo and Afam police stations were also burnt down when members of the proscribed group launched an attack in the area amid the #EndSARS protest.

Rtn. Victor Ojelabi

Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.