By: Felix Ikpotor
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike on Thursday approved the appointment of Mr. Ossaowa Andrew Uchendu, son of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Andrew Uchendu as a member of the Rivers State Board of internal Revenue.
Senator Uchendu is a member of the Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi’s faction of the All Progressives Congress and regular critic of Wike.
Though the senator led the failed attempts to end bitter political rivalry in the state post 2019 elections, he has become an object of political caricature in the hands of the governor.
According to a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, Ossa’s appointment takes immediate.
The appointment, though not Wike’s first in bringing members of the family of opposition parties members into his government, caused uproar on the Internet on Thursday.
Most internet users especially Magnus Abe loyalists took to the internet to taunt Uchendu and accuse him of anti-party for not persuading his son to reject the appointment.
They alleged that when Dr. Peter Medee was appointed a commissioner in Rivers State, Senator Uchendu went on National Television to accuse Abe of romancing with Wike and also nominating his ally for the position.
Meanwhile, the senior Uchendu in an attempt to exonerate himself was quoted as saying that his son is not a robot, stressing that Wike didn’t do his son any favour by appointing him.
“I didn’t train my children to be my robots. Ossa is 43 years old and I cannot take any decision on his behalf. By the trainings and exposure he has, I don’t think Wike has done him any favor. The underlying purpose is to spite me and make you all doubt me. He has failed woefully. I beg all of you, leave me out of this. I’m a man of unquestionable character and integrity,” he said.
