Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has openly condemned the selection of the Udi Odum who was sworn in as Minister of State for Environment by President Muhammadu Buhari last Wednesday as representative of Rivers State in the Federal Executive Council while regarding him as an embarrassment to the State.
Governor Nyesom Wike had made this declaration about the new minister appointed by President Buhari to replace former Rotimi Amaechi who resigned as Minister of transportation to contest for the presidential ticket of the ruling party on Sunday.
The Governor described the appointment of Odum as an aberration, claiming that he did not have the requisite intellectual acumen to represent Rivers State as a Minister in the Federal Executive Council.
Kelvin Ebiri, Special Assistant Media to Governor Wike, quoted his boss as describing the appointment of Odum as an embarrassment to the state, while swearing in his five newly appointed Commissioners on Saturday.
“I have never seen an embarrassment like that in my life. Yes, you must appoint those who are loyal, but educated people are also loyal. It has never happened in our State. Everything cannot be politics. The image of the State is key.”
However, findings have shown that Udi Odum first came into public life as Chairman of Abua/Odual local government area in 2003. After a one-year as Chairman, he gained admission into the University of Port Harcourt to study Management.
In 2008, he was again elected chairman of Abua/Odual LGA. In 2009, graduated from the University of Port Harcourt with a Bachelors degree in Management Sciences. He continued his studies.
In recognition of his exemplary services, the state decorated him as the Best-Performing local Government Chairman in 2008/2009.
Odum Udi is a champion of community organizing. Hungry for self-improvement, he continued his studies. In 2012, he earned a postgraduate diploma in Management.