WIKE'S EXECUTIVE RASCALITY

Getty Image: Nyesom Wike
Rivers State Governor

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike display of strong arm's tactic in demolishing an hotel in Eleme for violating the state's lockdown order came as a surprise to many.

The question many legal minds are now asking is that, what exactly is the potency of the state's executive order when the constitution guarantees citizens right to own properties.

There are legal precedence that clearly indicates that the constitution has overriding powers over any state executive orders.

Another critical look at the state government's decision to spearhead the demolition gave room for commentators to conclude that, this could have a political undertone to score political gains as this building at the end of the day could be rebuilt by the state government especially as the owner of the hotel is thought to be a member of the peoples Democratic party, a political party which Wike himself belongs to.

The excesses of chief executives in time past, has been blamed for the impediments limiting the Nation's democracy.

Many had thought that in spite of signing the executive order into law on the May the 4th, 2020, which had stipulated  that every hotel operators should suspend operations or have their hotels demolished as part of efforts to contain the spread of covid-19 in the state, Wike could have sealed off the building instead and prosecute offenders.

This is not the first time that chief executive officers will be ordering the demolition of properties within their states, but what bogs the mind is the timing of this particular one.

It is coming at a time, many Nigerians have been groaning over critical economic hardship.