Rivers Govt. reopens Petrol station, hotels sealed by Wike’s administration

Tuesday, June 13, 2023 10:39 am

Siminalayi Fubara

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Business outlets owned by political opponents of the former Governor Nyesom Wike, which were sealed at heat of pre-election politics on the orders of Wike have been reopened.

The Petrol station owned by former federal Lawmaker, Chinyere Igwe, sealed by the security attached Government House due to political disagreement has been reopened for business.

It has been observed that the the Police vans stationed at the sealed Petrol station for about Ten months had left the premises ten months after it was sealed.

Wike had accused the former Lawmaker of engaging in illegal oil bunkering which former Lawmaker denied. Igwe described the action of Wike’s administration of merely witch-hunting him for supporting of teaming up with the likes Hon. Austin Opara, former Deputy Speaker House of Representatives in support of Atiku Abubakar.

The former lawmaker representing Port Harcourt Federal Constituency 2 was an ally of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, who had a running political battle with the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.

The Petrol Station is located at Adelabu-Ojoto Street, Mile 2 Diobu Axis of Port Harcourt, has been unsealed and is operating without hindrance.

Also, Policemen said to be attached to Government House security had also sealed Priscy’s Lounge at Elekahia in Port Harcourt. The said Lounge is owned by Hon Jones Ogbonda. Preray Hotel, Eagle Island owned by Ikechi Chinda,who is the former PDP Chairman in Port Harcourt was also hotel sealed.All the three business owners are associates of Austin Opara.

Recall that the former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, had on Thursday midnight August 18, 2022, ordered the shutdown of the Petrol/Gas station and the arrest of the owner.

Austin Opara, Dr Abiye Sekibo, Senator Thompson Sekibo, Senator Lee Maeba, Chief Uche Secondus, Chinyere Igwe, Celestine Omehia and others were at loggerheads with Wike over their support for Atiku Abubakar, PDP Presidential candidate against his aspiration.

Although the Rivers Police Command and the state government were yet to speak on the reopening of businesses owned by the political opponents of Wike, however, observers of Rivers politics are interpreting the latest development as a fence mending moves by Fubara to heal the wounds of the past.