Applause as Wike is introduced as ‘minister-designate from great Rivers state’

Nyesom Wike, immediate past governor of Rivers state, received the loudest ovation during the swearing-in of ministers-designate at the banquet hall of the presidential villa.

It all began when event compere Ajuri Ngelale, who is the special adviser to the president on media and publicity, introduced Wike as “minister-designate from the great Rivers state”.

A deafening applause and raucous laughter erupted in the hall afterwards, as Wike tried to suppress a smile.

Behind Wike, Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi, led the cheerleaders as the minister-designate took a bow with his citation being read.

Wike’s reaction after taking his oath of office elicited more laughter from the audience. He shook and held President Bola Tinubu’s hand for longer, as both men beamed into the cameras.

There was even more laughter as Wike walked to his seat in a somewhat cocky and unusual manner.

It took Ngelale’s baritone to restore sanity to the hall.

“I would now request that we keep the noise down a bit,” Ngelale bellowed into the microphone.

President Tinubu has named Wike, a politician from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).

Wike was one of 48 ministerial nominees screened by the senate.

BACKGROUND

The Rivers-born politician reportedly worked against Atiku Abubakar, his party’s standard bearer in the February 25 election.

Wike was among the group of five or “G5” governors who insisted that the presidency must return to the south after former President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years of two-terms in office elapsed.

The governors announced that their decision was based on equity, justice, fairness and a gentleman’s rotational arrangement.

Wike would go on to hobnob with Tinubu and chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the buildup to the general election and after a winner was declared by the electoral umpire.

Wike thereafter invited then President-elect Tinubu to Rivers state to inaugurate infrastructure projects.

He was also in and around the presidential villa for meetings with the president and members of his kitchen cabinet as Tinubu set out his stall for governance.

Wike is a member of the PDP campaign council ahead of off-cycle elections in Imo, Rivers and Kogi.