Senator Mpigi Barinada (PDP, Rivers) said over five million people from the state supported ex-Governor Nyesom Wike’s ministerial nomination and urged his colleagues to free him.
This is even as Wike says he won’t abuse the faith President Bola Tinubu has in him to the extent of nominating him for a ministerial post.
Expressing his willingness to serve, Wike thanked the president, pledging his loyalty. “I thank Mr. President for nominating me. I believe, knowing how hungry Mr. President is to solve the problems of Nigeria, we have no choice but to give him that required support.
“And I can assure you, if I am confirmed in whatever capacity, Mr. President will not regret nominating me,” Wike said.
Wike declared this at the Senate while being screened by members of the hallowed chamber.
He gave an account of his entry into politics as a chairman of Obiakpor LGA before becoming National President of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria – ALGON. He also served as the Chief of Staff before becoming a governor.
Wike argued that he had done enough to merit his nomination as a minister, reiterating his achievements during his tenure as governor of Rivers State.
“As governor, it’s on record that I changed the landscape of Rivers State. In four years, I constructed 12 flyovers. Not by any contractor but Julius Berger Nigeria limited,” Wike said.
He said that his administration’s impact on the lives of the common men in Rivers State was so massive that the women were filled with words of praises when he left office.
“I left as a hero. Women escorted me home, brought out their wrappers and laid them on the ground and said march on the wrapper, welcome our son, you have done very well”.
He added that he executed and inaugurated a series of capital projects across Rivers State when he was governor.
“Everyday, I was commissioning projects. Mr President will not regret nominating me as a minister,” he said.
Akpabio then asked the former Rivers governor to take a bow and go, following a voice vote.
Earlier, a senator had asked Wike if he was ready to continue “the wonderful thing you did in Rivers”, to which he responded in the affirmative.
He was the second nominee to be screened on day one of the exercise.
A total of 16 of the 28 nominees were lined up for screening on Monday.
The senate had earlier extended its sitting time to be able to accommodate the nominees.
