Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has declared Wednesday, May 3 a public holiday for the president-elect, Bola Tinubu,in Rivers State.
According to The Sun, the holiday is to enable residents welcome Tinubu who will be in the state to commission some projects.
The Governor, in a statement by his Special Assistant, Media, Kelvin Ebiri, said the President-elect during his two-day official visit to Rivers would inaugurate Rumuola/Rumuokwuta Flyover and the ultra-modern Magistrates’ Court Complex, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday and Thursday.
Wike said in a state broadcast on Tuesday that during Tinubu’s presidential campaign tour to Rivers, he expressed a desire to have him launch several strategic projects in the state after the general elections.
He stated that following the general election, a formal invitation was extended to the President-elect, which he gratefully accepted.
Wike added that Tinibu’s visit to Rivers would be his first formal visit to any state since being elected President-elect.
He said: “For us, it is an honour to the government and people of Rivers State to host the President-Elect on this historic visit. Consequently, I urge all Rivers citizens to come out en mass to receive our President-Elect, His Excellency Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and display the traditional Rivers hospitality as he commissions these legacy projects to God’s glory and the advancement of our development.
“Given this, I hereby declare Wednesday, 3rd May 2023, a public holiday to enable the people of Rivers State to receive our President-Elect rousingly.
“Furthermore, all shops and business premises along Rumuola to Rumuokwuta roads in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the State shall remain closed from 8.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. on Wednesday, 3rd May 2023. I urge all labour unions and security agencies to comply with this closure order.”