Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Chief Felix Obuah, has condemned reactions of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Rivers former Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr. Austin Tam-George, to the July 30 revocation of the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) of Novotel Hotel, Port Harcourt by Governor Nyesom Wike.
Obuah, in an online statement yesterday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Jerry Needam, insisted Wike’s order was in order and not a threat to Rivers’ economy.
He described Tam-George’s remarks on the issue as treacherous.
Rivers APC, through its Publicity Secretary, Chief Chris Finebone, condemned the revocation order.
It said Wike was de-marketing the state through his “irresponsible and ill-advised” actions.
Tam-George, who resigned as commissioner, shortly before the Rivers governor sacked all his commissioners, said: “The revocation of the C of O of Novotel Hotel in Port Harcourt by Wike disappoints and saddens me.
“If a business premises is suspected or established to be a crime scene, the police, acting on a court order, could move in to take control.
“It is extraordinary for a state government to revoke the C of O of a business simply because opposition politicians lodged there (on July 29 for APC’s local government congress). Politicians in the state might think this is part of politics.
“It (revocation) is a hostile signal to the business and investment community that Rivers State is a toxic environment and that a 99-year land lease could be withdrawn impulsively at any minute by the governor.
“As Commissioner for Information in Rivers State, I held 41 media events, including world press conferences and television appearances to make the case for the state as Nigeria’s best investment destination.
“Even now, the Wike’s administration is running an expensive advertorial on CNN, inviting foreign direct investment into Rivers State.
“The whimsical attack on Novotel Hotel, Port Harcourt feeds the noxious narrative that Rivers State is a risky place to invest.
“It is a direct kick in the face of the administration’s own efforts to attract investors to the state, in order to create jobs.”
Reacting, Obuah said Rivers people should ignore APC leaders and the ex-information commissioner.
According to him: “Rivers PDP wishes to disagree with the claim of the opposition APC that Governor Wike, by his action on Novotel Hotel, Port Harcourt, is ‘de-marketing’ Rivers.
“No sensible and responsible government or head of government will sit and watch anyone or institution engages in acts or be used in perpetrating acts that threaten the prevailing peace and security in its domain.
“Allowing any person or group of persons, including someone that ought to carry out legally-approved business activities, conduct himself or itself in a manner capable of throwing the state into chaos, is absolutely unacceptable.”
He added: “All those carrying out genuine businesses in Rivers State must do so according to the law and must resist the attempt by politicians or any individual in the state to use them or their business premises to perpetrate their evil deeds and actions that breach the peace of the state.
On the ex-commissioner, Obuah said: “Tam-George’s statement is coming from a treacherous man, an ingrate and double-crosser, who cannot be trusted, even by his new-found love, the APC.”
The Rivers PDP chairman also dismissed claims Wike is power drunk, admonishing all genuine business operators in the state not to be apprehensive over the “inciting” claims and “ill-conceived” utterances of the APC.