First Wike Executive Council

The First Wike Executive Council was the Executive Council of Rivers State between 5 June 2015 and 24 June 2017. It was led by Governor Ezenwo Nyesom Wike with Ipalibo Banigo as Vice-Chairman. The first set of appointments to the cabinet were made on 5 June 2015. The designees included Kenneth Kobani, Chukwuemeka Woke, Emmanuel C. Aguma, Fred Kpakol, Onimim Jacks, Emmanuel Okah and Opunabo Inko-Tariah. Governor Wike appointed Desmond Akawor, Ambassador to South Korea, to serve as Administrator of the Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority.[1]

First Wike Executive Council
Cabinet of Rivers State
5 June 2015 – 24 June 2017
Date formed5 June 2015 (2015-06-05)
Date dissolved24 June 2017 (2017-06-24)
People and organisations
GovernorEzenwo Wike
Deputy GovernorIpalibo Banigo
Member partyPeople's Democratic Party
Status in legislaturePDP led government
Opposition partyAll Progressives Congress
History
Election(s)Rivers State gubernatorial election, 2015
Legislature term(s)8th Rivers State House of Assembly
Budget(s)
SuccessorSecond Wike Executive Council

On 16 July 2015, former Permanent Secretary of Rivers State Ministry of Environment Rufus Godwins was sworn in as the Head of Service.

Further appointments to the Wike Executive Council were announced formally on 20 November 2015 and included 20 commissioner nominees, all of whom were confirmed by the Rivers State House of Assembly and sworn in on December 18.[2]

Executive Council members

The Wike Executive Council was composed of the following members:

Office Incumbent Term began
Governor Ezenwo Nyesom Wike 29 May 2015
Deputy Governor Ipalibo Banigo 29 May 2015
Attorney General Emmanuel C. Aguma June 2015
Secretary to the State Government Kenneth Kobani June 2015
Chief of Staff Chukwuemeka Woke June 2015
Head of Service Rufus Godwins July 2015
Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement Igonibo E. Thompson February 2016
Media and Publicity Special Adviser Opunabo Inko-Tariah June 2015
Administrator (GPHCDA) Desmond Akawor June 2015
Commissioner of Agriculture Onimim Jacks June 2015
Commissioner of Budget and Economic Planning Isaac Kamalu December 2015
Commissioner of Chieftaincy and Community Affairs John Bazia December 2015
Commissioner of Commerce and Industry Bright Jacob December 2015
Commissioner of Culture And Tourism Tonye Briggs-Oniyide December 2015
Commissioner of Education Kaniye Ebeku December 2015
Commissioner of Employment Generation and Empowerment Ephraim Nwuzi December 2015
Commissioner of Energy and Natural resources Shedrack Chukwu December 2015
Commissioner of Environment Roseline Konya December 2015
Commissioner of Finance Fred Kpakol June 2015
Commissioner of Health Theophilus Odagme December 2015
Commissioner of Housing Emmanuel Okah June 2015
Commissioner of Information and Communications Austin Tam George December 2015
Commissioner of Justice Emmanuel C. Aguma June 2015
Commissioner of Land and Survey December 2015
Commissioner of Local Government Affairs Rodaford Long-John December 2015
Commissioner of Power Mike Anwuri December 2015
Commissioner of Social Welfare & Rehabilitation Damiete H. Miller December 2015
Commissioner of Special Duties Monday Onyezonwu December 2015
Commissioner of Sports Boma Iyaye December 2015
Commissioner of Transport Hon. Ibinabo Michael West March 2018[3]
Commissioner of Urban Development Chinyere Igwe December 2015
Commissioner of Water Resources and Rural Development Walter Ibibia December 2015
Commissioner of Women Affairs Ukel Oyaghiri December 2015
Commissioner of Works Bathuel Harrison Iheanyichukwu May 2016
Commissioner of Youth Development Prince Ogbogbula December 2015

Resignations, suspensions and dismissals

Media and Publicity Special Adviser, Sir Opunabo Inko-Tariah resigned his cabinet position in a letter of resignation dated 6 November 2015. Inko-Tariah stated that unfolding developments in the state indicated that his services were no longer needed.[4]

On 12 February 2016, Commissioner of Finance, Fred Kpakol along with Accountant General Abere Dagogo were temporarily relieved of their duties.[5] The suspension lasted until 15 February before being lifted following interventions by different political leaders.[6] Governor Ezenwo Nyesom Wike also suspended Kelvin Wachukwu indefinitely from his post as Commissioner of Works. The reasons given included negligence, dereliction of duty and poor project supervision. Wachukwu was replaced by Bathuel Harrison Iheanyichukwu, who was officially sworn into the Cabinet on 9 May.[7][8]

On 31 August 2016, four commissioners, a special adviser and the Head of Service were handed a suspension of 3 months each for unstated reasons. The commissioners suspended from office were the Commissioner of Culture and Tourism Tonye Briggs-Oniyide, Commissioner of Finance Fred Kpakol, Commissioner of Sports Boma Iyaye and Commissioner of Chieftaincy and Community Affairs John Bazia. Others suspended included the Head of Service Rufus Godwins and Anugbum Onuoha, Special Adviser on Lands.[9] Further reports, however, revealed that the Governor had taken his decision following an Executive Council meeting in August "which the officials attended late".[10] They were later recalled to their various offices on 16 September that year.[11]

On 15 February 2017, Theophilus Odagme was dismissed from the office of Commissioner of Health. He was the second commissioner dismissed openly from the cabinet.[12] On 22 June 2017, Wike fired Bathuel Harrison Iheanyichukwu from the post of Commissioner of Works, making him the second cabinet official in that ministry to be removed from office. A day after Harrison's abrupt removal, Commissioner of Information and Communications Austin Tam-George handed in his letter of resignation.

The Executive Council was dissolved on 24 June 2017.[13]

See also

References
  1. Ebiri, Kelvin (22 June 2015). "Greater Port Harcourt city phase I gets five-year completion period". The Guardian. Port Harcourt. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  2. "Wike To Swear-In Commissioners, Today …Special Advisers, Tomorrow". The Tide. 18 December 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  3. "Ministry of Transport – Government of Rivers State, Nigeria". riversstate.gov.ng. Archived from the original on 2018-07-31.
  4. "Full text of Sir Opunabo Inko-Tariah's resignation as Governor Wike's Media Aide". DailyPost. 7 November 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  5. Dennis Naku (13 February 2016). "Wike suspends Finance Commissioner". National Mirror. Archived from the original on February 14, 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2016.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. "Gov. Wike lifts suspension of Finance Commissioner, Accountant-General". Global Patriot News. 15 February 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
  7. "Wike suspends Wachukwu, works commissioner". National Mirror. 2 April 2016. Archived from the original on February 14, 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2016.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. Nkiru Homann (9 May 2016). "BREAKING: Gov. Wike Replaces Works Commissioner, Says No Room For Compromise". Nkiruhomann.com. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
  9. "Wike suspends 4 commissioners, others". Vanguard. Port Harcourt. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  10. Kevin Nengia (2 September 2016). "'Why HOS, Others Were Suspended'". The Tide. Port Harcourt. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  11. Jimitota Onoyume (17 September 2016). "Wike recalls commissioners, Head of Service, aide". Vanguard. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  12. Kevin Nengia (17 February 2017). "Wike Sacks Health Commissioner". The Tide. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
  13. "Wike Dissolves Cabinet". Thisday. 24 June 2017. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
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