Wike is a television Governor, Rivers NLC chairperson fumes

The Chairperson of the Rivers State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mrs Beatrice Itubo, has alleged that Governor Nyesom Wike is more interested in showmanship than governance.

The Labour leader said this while commenting on issues surrounding the plight of workers in the state.

In an interview with a Punch correspondent, Itubo highlighted issues plaguing the Rivers states workers which include, lack of promotion, unpaid pension arrears and gratuities.

She said the state government under the leadership of Wike has continued to ignore their pleas despite several consultations.

Beatrice also accused Wike of being tone deaf deaf and lacked compassion for workers and retirees of the state.

She said all efforts by the Labour union to bring the governor to the negotiation table had hit a brick wall.

"The man (Governor Nyesom Wike) does not give labour the opportunity to talk. Does he look like somebody who wants to talk to labour?" she told Punch.

Beatrice claimed Wike is a showman who has continued to erect overhead bridges across the state to the neglect of other vital sectors including, education, health, and agriculture.

"He is a television governor and not people’s governor. He is also an overhead bridge governor. All other sectors are dead. Education, zero; health, zero; agriculture, zero; and welfare of workers, zero. Is it when we all die, then our spirits will begin to use the flyovers?"

On the presidential ambition of Wike, the labour leader expressed her doubts over the possibility of him ruling Nigeria.

"For now, with this present stance, I don’t think he can be the President of Nigeria. I am not saying he may not be, but he will not have my support and also the support of the workers of Rivers State," she said.

Beatrice then appealed again to the governor to begin payment of workers' gratuities, pension arrears, as well as promoting workers and increasing their salaries.