Rivers Govt denies plot to levy students for Wike’s campaign

The Rivers State government has denied plot to levy students of tertiary institutions in the state to raise funds for the re-election campaign of Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike for a second term in 2019.

The state branch of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had last weekend alleged that the state government was planning to levy students of tertiary institutions in the state N20,000.00 each (Twenty thousand Naira) to fund the re-election campaigns Governor Wike.

Reacting to the allegation, the state Commissioner for Education, Dr (Hon) Tamunosisi Gogo Jaja described it as untrue and a figment of the imagination of the party’s factional chairman.

According to him, “the state government was rather busy consolidating its successes on the educational sector in the state and would not be swayed or distracted by baseless and unfounded allegations.”

The state owned Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUOE) which was mentioned in the chairman’s allegation has also denied and refuted the allegation.

The University’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mrs Ngozi Okiridu, in a statement circulated in Port Harcourt, said, “The administration of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education condemns in strong terms the recent statement credited to the factional chairman of the Rivers State All Progressives Congress, Hon Ojukaye Flag Amachree,

alleging that the authorities of the institution issued a circular requesting each student to pay a dubious entrepreneurship training levy of N20,000.00 and submission of typed project work with a similar amount for binding purported to be a grand design by the university to raise funds to support the Governor of Rivers State, Chief (Barr) Nyesom Ezenwo Wike’s 2019 campaign.

“This is not only laughable but a cheap publicity designed to incite students to destabilize the existing peace on campus as well as discredit the governor.

“We therefore advise members of the public to discountenance the said statement as the allegations are completely baseless and unfounded.”

It would be recalled that the Rivers State chapter of APC in a statement signed by its PRO, Mr Chris Finebone and dated August 28, alleged that the party has uncovered an ongoing plot by Gov.

Nyesom Wike to levy students of all tertiary institutions in Rivers State various sums of money through the heads of such institutions to support the 2019 campaigns of the governor.

The statement alleged that “the scheme has already commenced by the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt in a circular by the school authorities requesting students of the institution to pay a dubious entrepreneurship training levy of N20,000 each student”.