The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Saturday, conferred the highest honour in the state on his Kaduna State counterpart, Nasir El-Rufai and seven other individuals.
At a pre-inauguration dinner held at the Banquet hall of the Government House in Port Harcourt, the governor also conferred the Grand Service Star of Rivers State (GSSRS) on the Rivers State Governor-elect, Siminalayi Fubara, former Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio and his Imo State counterpart, Hope Uzodinma.
He equally conferred the Distinguished Service Star of Rivers State (DSSRS) on 160 persons for their contributions to the development of the state while 15 got the third highest honour – the Governor’s Medal of Service (GMS).
The recipients of this honour include the governor’s security aides and drivers in his convoy.
11 persons, including five primary school teachers, went home with the Rivers State Medals Award (RSMA) for their service to the state in the last eight years.
Curiously, many recipients of Rivers State’s highest honour are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), thus fuelling rumours of the governor’s romance with the ruling party ahead of the new dispensation.
Wike will hand the baton of leadership in Rivers State to Fubara, the state’s former accountant-general, on Monday.
