Head of government Ezenwo Wike,
Governor Status in legislature PDP led government | Deputy head of government Ipalibo Banigo | |
Date formed 5 June 2015 (2015-06-05) Member party People's Democratic Party Opposition party All Progressives Congress | ||
The Wike Executive Council, also known as Wike Cabinet is the current Executive Council of Rivers State of Nigeria. It is led by Governor Ezenwo Wike with Ipalibo Banigo as Vice-Chairman. The first set of appointments to the cabinet were made on 5 June 2015. The designees include Kenneth Kobani, Chukwuemeka Woke, Emmanuel C. Aguma, Fred Kpakol, Onimim Jacks, Emmanuel Okah and Opunabo Inko-Tariah. Governor Wike appointed Desmond Akawor, Ambassador to South Korea, to serve as Administrator of the Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority.
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On 16 July 2015, former Permanent Secretary of Rivers State Ministry of Environment Rufus Godwins was sworn in as the Head of Service.
Further appointments to the Wike Executive Council were announced formally on 20 November 2015 and included 20 commissioner nominees, all of whom were confirmed by the Rivers State House of Assembly and sworn in on December 18.
Executive Council members
The Wike Executive Council is currently composed of the following members:
Resignations, suspensions and replacements
Media and Publicity Special Adviser, Sir Opunabo Inko-Tariah resigned his cabinet position in a letter of resignation dated 6 November 2015. Inko-Tariah stated that unfolding developments in the state indicated that his services were no longer needed.
On 12 February 2016, Commissioner of Finance, Fred Kpakol along with Accountant General Abere Dagogo were temporarily relieved of their duties. The suspension lasted until 15 February before being lifted following interventions by different political leaders. Governor Ezenwo Nyesom Wike also suspended Kelvin Wachukwu indefinitely from his post as Commissioner of Works. The reasons given included negligence, dereliction of duty and poor project supervision. Wachukwu was replaced by Harrison B. Iheanyichukwu, who was officially sworn in to the Cabinet on 9 May.
On 31 August 2016, four commissioners, a special adviser and the Head of Service were handed a suspension of 3 months each for unstated reasons. The commissioners suspended from office include the Commissioner of Culture and Tourism Tonye Briggs-Oniyide, Commissioner of Finance Fred Kpakol, Commissioner of Sports Boma Iyaye and Commissioner of Chieftaincy and Community Affairs John Bazia. Others suspended include the Head of Service Rufus Godwins and Anugbum Onuoha, Special Adviser on Lands. Further reports, however, revealed that the Governor had taken his decision following an Executive Council meeting in August "which the officials attended late". They were later recalled to their various offices on 16 September.