Governor Nyesom Wike has vowed not to be deterred by cheap blackmail and propaganda in a recent petition, signed by a certain Mr Needam

Promise Gogorobari, Owner of the Prodest Hotel.

According to a communique by the State’s Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr Paulinus Nsirim, the petition was to the effect that a certain ‘convicted’ Manager of Prodest Hotel, Mr Bariledum Job Azoroh, who recently tested positive for COVID-19 amongst 27 others, in a result released by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), may have been infected on the directive of the Government.

In its response to the petition, the Rivers State Government stated that it restricted itself from responding to previous similar publications by the same person, because the case was still before the court.

The Government, however, noted that it is now forced to reply what is termed as an “obviously spurious, deliberately misleading and intentionally provocative petition with a proper response, to set the records straight and caution the sponsors of this action from further peddling such falsehoods in the public space”.

“For the avoidance of doubt and for the information of the general public, let us state categorically here that the FACTS of this matter are very clear.

“A Port Harcourt Senior Magistrates’ Court on May 18th, 2020 CONVICTED Mr Bariledum Azoro, Manager of Prodest Hotel, Eleme and sentenced him to a fine of N50,000 for contravening paragraphs 3 and 4 of Executive. Order RVSG 07 2020 on closure of hotels, guest houses and related outfits and provision of manifests in the state.

“The Senior Magistrates’ Court also ordered that the convict, Mr. Azoroh should be quarantined at the Isolation Centre in Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia for 14 days to ascertain his coronavirus status.

“That while in the Court Ordered Quarantine, competent health officials carried out mandatory tests on all suspected Coronavirus individuals at the centre, including Mr.Bariledum Job Azoroh, to ascertain their Covid-19 status.

‘’It is important to state here that COVID-19 tests undergo World Health Organization, (WHO) and NCDC guidelines and are conducted under strict established medical protocols.

“That prior to the publication of the test results, the owner of PRODEST Hotel Eleme, Mr Gogorobari Needam had published one of his misleading petitions in an attempt to preempt the outcome of the test and the question we want to ask is: ‘Why did the hotel owner try to preempt the outcome of the test. Was he trying to cover up something?

“That on Sunday, 24th May, 2020, the NCDC announced that Rivers State had 27 recorded positive cases including Mr.Bariledum Job Azoroh, from tests, carried out in the state.

“That following the official announcement of the result and confirmation of his Manager’s Covid-19 positive status, the PRODEST Hotel owner has once again released another statement and this time is now calling for a state of emergency in Rivers State because his manager tested positive for Covid-19.

“Rivers people will recall that on May 19, 2020, we raised an alarm intimating the world of a clandestine plot by some Abuja politicians hiding under the cover of Covid-19 to instigate a State of Emergency in the state. Today, a hotel owner in Eleme, who lives in Lagos, is also now calling for a State of Emergency. Is there any wonder therefore as to who is beating the drum for him?

“Indeed there seems to be more to this than meets the ordinary eye and we are calling on all well-meaning people to see the need to interrogate this man and know that he is acting out a script. Infact, the entire petition sounds and reads like something lifted directly from the copybook of those who have been desperately trying to run down the Rivers State Government."

The Rivers State Government said it will be keen to see how the NCDC would react when they read Mr Gogorobari's description of a facility which the health agency described as a detention centre.

Governor Wike called on all residents of the State to work with the Government to combat COVID-19.