Governor Wike sacks special adviser on Protocol

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has sacked his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Protocol, Sir Joe Akpa.

Wike, through his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, Friday in Port Harcourt, wished Akpa well in his future endeavours.

No reason was given for the sack of the top aide by Wike, a lawyer and former Minister of State for Education, but investigation revealed that Akpa was suddenly relieved of his appointment in view of a minor breach of protocol.

It was also gathered that the Rivers governor, who is a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), capitalised on the breach of protocol to remove the SSA, mainly for fraternising with some leaders of the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, ahead of the December 10 legislative rerun by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Elections in the Niger Delta state had been a battle between the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, a former Rivers governor, backed by APC’s governorship candidate in the state, during last year’s election, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, who is also the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and Wike, ex-Chief of Staff to Amaechi and Director-General of Amaechi Re-election Campaign Organisation in 2011, before the former governor recommended him (Wike) to former President Goodluck Jonathan for ministerial appointment.