Rivers: New political appointees hit the road as PDP prepares to unveil its candidates
Governor Nyesom Wike appoints more than 14,000 political appointees as PDP prepares for the 2023 gubernatorial elections.14,000 political advisers who are to coordinate activities at the Rivers grassroots have been appointed by Governor Nyesom Wike.
Also appointed are 319 Ward Liaison Officers, WLOs, and 40 Local Government Area Liaison Officers, LGALOs.
Kelvin Ebiri, Media Assistant to the Governor who announced this Tuesday said the appointments take immediate effect.
Ebiri disclosed that appointees who are coming on board as the government intensifies its focus on the grassroots will play crucial roles in administrative matters at various levels, including political units.
This number of political appointments is coming as the State Chapter of the PDP led by Governor Wike prepares to unveil its candidates.
No date has been fixed for the unveiling ceremony, but many Insiders say it may not be too long in coming.
Meanwhile, mixed reactions have greeted the decision by Governor Wike to make that volume of fresh appointments.
Said a female blogger and media practitioner who spoke exclusively to the Port Harcourt Telegraph Tuesday night, “No Government in Rivers State has appointed such a number of advisers in one swoop.
“It is a strategic move, a masterstroke by the Governor which indicates he may be aiming at a very high level of political inclusiveness, especially of party men as well as technocrats, in his government.”
“If he (Wike) touches the civil service”, she continued, “that will be all. Members of the political opposition in the State will be completely neutralized.”
Some of the APC members who recently returned to the PDP“The volume of political appointees introduced by Wike will raise the morale of PDP members”, a concerned APC member whose surname is Amadi remarked, “Imagine the impact that these appointments and those who would benefit from them will have on the rural economy.
“This is besides the fact that they, I mean the PDP and their supporters, have so many things on ground to campaign with.
“Regrettably our party has nothing to motivate its members with at this time except mere pep talk. What have we got in seven years?
“They have done nothing, nothing for us since the APC rode to power at the national level even when we had someone who was considered powerful. How can we fight Wike and this army of appointees who are motivated and ready to roll?”
Within the PDP in Rivers State, there are indications that Governor Wike has simply tightened his grip on the party.
“Where will those who are betraying Rivers interests come from”, a PDP chieftain asked.
“Wike has just installed 40 Local Government Area Liaison Officers, 319 Ward Liaison Officers and 14000 advisers.
“Not even the opposition can survive the momentum that will be brought to the table when the campaign begins”, the chieftain who refused to allow his name in print added.
Recall that Governor Wike had promised a few weeks ago that a new strategy which would guarantee sweeping victory for the PDP would be put in place.
As the party prepares to launch its campaign across the State, Rivers politicians are beginning to catch a little glimpse of how the PDP intends in 2023 to retain its hold on power.
Wike had hinted that this time politics will not be played around big guns in the party.
He said that those who are really active in the field on election day would the actual focus under a new strategy that he has cultivated.