Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has reportedly invited Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to commission the iconic Nkpolu-Oroworukwo flyover bridge in Port Harcourt, the State capital.
Political analysts has described Governor Nyesom Wike’s action as his latest political mind game against the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
The invitation card which showed that the bridge will be commissioned on Thursday, 17 November, 2022 is being shared ‘aggressively’ by supporters of the Labour Party candidate since it surfaced online.
Wike and his allies in the PDP have vowed not to support the presidential ambition of Atiku until Iyorchia Ayu quits office as the national chairman of the party.
They had called for removal of Ayu from office after the emergence of Atiku as the PDP 2023 presidential candidate.
The PDP national chairman, like Atiku, is from the Northern part of the country.
But the Rivers State Governor and his allies said he must vacate office for somebody from the Southern part of the country to take over leadership of the party.
Ayu, however, had vowed that he will not be stampeded out of office.
Atiku had also said it will not be wise to change leadership of PDP when the 2023 election is just some months away.
However, Wike and his allies had also insisted that they are not contemplating leaving the PDP.
Wike’s invitation of Peter Obi to commission the project is being interpreted by his supporters, the “Obidents” as an endorsement of his Obi’s candidature by Wike.
The contract for the construction of Ikoku flyover, Port Harcourt was awarded to Julius Berger Plc on 2 March, 2021 at Government House Port Harcourt with 12 months stated as period for completion.
With the commissioning slated for Thursday, 17 November, the bridge took less than nine months to be completed.