Nyesom Wike

Wike defeated Dakuku Peterside of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Tonye Princewill of the Labour Party in the 11 April gubernatorial elections to emerge as governor. In March 2022, Wike declared that he will be running for the office of the president of Nigeria under the platform of the People's Democratic Party ahead of the 2023 General election, he was defeated by Atiku Abubakar who won the primaries with 371 votes while Wike got 237 votes being the first runner up. during the People's Democratic Party presidential election primary which was held at the MKO ABIOLA National stadium, Abuja on 28 and 29 May 2022.

In May 2022, he contested for the People's Democratic Party presidential ticket but lost to Atiku Abubakar, He also supported Sim Fubara as the PDP governorship candidate in Rivers state

In 2022, he signed a measure into law that strengthens a women's right to inherit property. Upon signing the bill, he encouraged women to claim what is theirs and said they should not be afraid to do so because it is their legal right.

INEC declared Nyesom Wike winner of Rivers State governorship polls on Wednesday, 3 April 2019, after suspending the process for some days. Wike took his oath of office on Wednesday, 29 May 2019 at Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Port Harcourt as he commences his second term. In his address, he promised to put Rivers state first.

In line with his plans for educational reform, Nyesom Wike declared public primary and secondary education free. He disclosed this on Monday, 24 June 2019, in a meeting at the government house, Port Harcourt. This was joined with complaints and appreciation; The latter from parents and former Principals and headmasters in the state. However, the Government of Wike held its ground amidst the perpetual demur until they all dissolved.

In 2019, Wike through the State Ministry of Education announced free registration for participating locals of the state in the annual JAMB examination.

On 13 May 2015, the Election Tribunal for Rivers State, sitting in Abuja, commenced the hearing on the election of Wike. Dr Dakuku Peterside of the APC was asking the tribunal to nullify the election of Nyesom Wike of the PDP who was declared winner as governor in the poll held on 11 April 2015, on the grounds that it was fraught with malpractices and non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

The Rivers State governorship election tribunal nullified the election of Wike on 24 October 2015. The election tribunal ordered governorship election rerun in Rivers State within 90 days immediately after the day of judgment. Wike said he would appeal the ruling of the tribunal.

The Election Tribunal was informed that the Independent National Electoral Commission in Rivers awarded Wike votes almost five times higher than the actual, authentic total number of voters accredited with card readers and Permanent Voter Cards which was 292, 878, which was the total number of accredited voters for 11 April 2015, gubernatorial election in Rivers. The result was declared by the Returning Officer for Rivers State, Osasere Orumwense on 13 April 2015, stating that Wike was awarded 1,029,102 votes, thus winning the election.

The INEC document was signed by Mr. Ibrahim Bawa, the acting director in charge of INEC Legal Unit and Abimbola Oladunjoye, head of unit, Data Management, of the INEC's Information and Communication Technology Department. The commission's central server captured all actual validated and authenticated votes for the Rivers State elections on 11 April 2015, making fraud by manual accreditation impossible.

In that election, only those votes captured by the central servers from the PVC-SCR are deemed accredited and valid; manual accreditation is not allowed for governorship elections. The Court of Appeal has however ruled in the case of Agbaje vs Ambode that the non use of card readers is not a ground to nullify an election. The River State governorship election tribunal nullified the election of Wike on 24 October 2015. The election tribunal ordered governorship election rerun in Rivers State within 90 days immediately after the day of judgment generating uproar within the country as to alleged partisanship and corruption within the judiciary.

Wike was elected as a two-term Executive Chairman of Obio Akpor Local Government Area from 1999 to 2007. He was appointed Minister of State for Education on 14 July 2011. Wike was later appointed the Acting Minister of Education, after Mrs Ruqqayatu was sacked but resigned before finishing his term to campaign for Governor of Rivers State. He was replaced by Viola Onwuliri. In 2014, he won the Rivers State People's Democratic Party primary and chose former Secretary to the State Government Ipalibo Banigo as his running mate for deputy governor.

Wike began his political career as the Executive Chairman of Obio Akpor Local Government Area in Rivers in 1999, a position he held until 2007, after being re-elected in 2003. In 2007, he was appointed as the chief of staff to the governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi. In July 2011, he was appointed as the Minister of State for Education by President Goodluck Jonathan and was promoted to Federal Minister of Education in September 2013. He stepped down as Federal Minister to contest in the 2015 gubernatorial elections in his home state, Rivers State.

Wike attended Government Secondary School Eneka in Obiakpor, Rivers State where he sat for his O'level exams before proceeding to the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUT). He obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from RSUT before proceeding to Law School in 1997. Wike holds a Master of Arts degree in Political and Administrative Studies from RSUT.

Ezenwo Nyesom Wike CON (born 13 December 1967), is a Nigerian politician and lawyer who is the sixth and current Governor of Rivers State. He is an Ikwerre from Rumuepirikom in Obio-Akpor, Rivers State. He is a member of the People's Democratic Party and was educated at Rivers State University of Science and Technology.