Why We Demolished Bayelsa Properties – Wike

Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike, has said the demolition of two properties belonging to the Bayelsa State government in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital was not for political reasons.

Following the demolition, the Bayelsa State government through the commissioner for lands and housing, Andrew Esua, had expressed reservations about the action of the Rivers State government.

He said the demolition of the properties should not have occurred as both Rivers and Bayelsa are sister states and have a long history of cordiality, even as he believed that the issue could have been amicably resolved.

But at the international wing of the Port Harcourt International Airport at about 2am on Thursday just after returning from a foreign trip, Wike said the demolition of the Bayelsa State properties is not the first to be carried out by his administration as part of his urban renewal plan.

The governor said the Rivers State government has previously demolished properties belonging to other states, including the Edo State government after due consultation with the governor at the time, Adams Oshiomhole.

He listed persons and corporations that have been affected by his urban renewal policy to include Mr. Mike Adenuga, the Nigeria Railway Corporation and the Nigeria Airways.

Explaining that the Rivers State government plans to use the demolished sites to build more quarters for judges in Rivers State, Wike said no one can decide for the government how to plan the development of Rivers State.

The governor blamed the demolition of the buildings on Governor Douye Diri whom he said failed many times to keep to his promise of renovating the properties.

He said apart from writing to the Rivers State government to beg for time which he never honoured, Governor Diri also failed to honour the promises he made to him personally and at other time before Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State.

Wike said the Rivers State government carried out the action when what was supposed to have taken the Bayelsa State government a few months to handle lasted for about 20 months with no solution in sight.