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Tag: Amaechi’s

  • Amaechi’s supporters berate Wike for ‘marginalising’ deputy

    Amaechi’s supporters berate Wike for ‘marginalising’ deputy

    A pan-Rivers group committed to the well-being of the state, Inter-ethnic Network for Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (INCRA), has berated Governor Nyesom Wike for allegedly neglecting Deputy Governor Ipalibo Harry-Banigo.

    It urged well-meaning persons to save the Office of the Deputy Governor from alleged despotic political manipulation.

    INCRA, yesterday in Port Harcourt, through a member of its Interim Management Team, Iselema Jack, expressed displeasure at the demeaning treatment allegedly meted out to Harry-Banigo, and her aides, by Wike.

    The group alleged: “We consider it pertinent to let out this outcry and salvage the revered Office of the Deputy Governor of Rivers State and its occupant from the vicious political manipulations, aimed at smothering Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo and reducing her office to a mere appendage of the governor.

    “Our concern derives principally from our core objective of engaging in activities that promote an efficient public process and advance good governance in Rivers State. As Rivers people, our interest in the progress of Rivers State rises above partisan limitations.

    “We have been observing series of events for a while and we consider the Rivers governor’s oppressive disposition towards the deputy governor and her office very vexatious and unbecoming at this point in time.

    “The Rivers deputy governor has been a victim of a consuming and high-level political power play within the Government House, Port Harcourt. Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo is no more than a glorified Personal Assistant (P.A.) to the governor and this position does not support democratic usages and the efficient and transparent running of the government.

    “More troubling is the fact that the Office of the Rivers Deputy Governor is now supine, decorative and does not serve any important administrative or political purpose. The office is poorly funded and Dr. Harry-Banigo is unable to pay the salaries and allowances of her appendages. One of her aides, Mrs. Ibinabo Marshall-Harry, has relocated abroad, while Messrs. Gilbert Brian, Asemota Uki, Frank Emenike and others have been relieved of their duties, due to poor funding of the office. Her daughter, who is also her Senior Special Assistant on General Duties, is understandably the only one left at the moment.”

    INCRA alleged that it is sad that Harry-Banigo has been unable to assess the main Government House, from her office, making her to go through the main gate as other visitors, to attend the Executive Council meetings, as a ‘mere participant’.

    It further alleged: “We are surprised that Wike will subject the deputy governor to this sort of mortifying treatment, considering that she lacks the political clout to unseat him or even pose a threat to him. Is this an indication of the governor’s rumoured misogyny or a reflection of his despotic tendencies?

    “It is evident to all that Dr. Harry-Banigo chooses to follow a noble political path and has not shown any flare for the kind of earthy politics the governor indulges in. We believe strongly that the deputy governor’s refusal to join Wike in his campaign of calumny against his predecessor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, now transportation Minister, is a major reason for the humiliating treatment the governor has subjected her to.

    “In the light of these undemocratic manifestations by Wike against his deputy, we call on the State Executive Council, the Speaker of House of Assembly, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, members, the Chief Judge, Justice Adama Iyayi-Lamikanra, as the head of the judiciary; civil rights groups, stakeholders and the public to rise to the occasion and speak against this emerging evil and highhandedness against the deputy governor.”

    The Head of Press Unit, Deputy Governor’s Office, Government House, Port Harcourt, Owupele Benebo, has said the relationship between Governor Nyesom Wike and his deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, is very cordial, as they work as a team.

    He alleged that INCRA wanted to cause disaffection between them.

    Benebo said: “Our first reaction was to dismiss the story with a wave of hand; since it has no iota of truth, but on a second thought, we felt keeping silent would mean an acceptance of the blatant lie.

    ”We wish to state categorically that Harry-Banigo and Wike enjoy a very cordial relationship. The governor has never in any disguise oppressed his deputy or undermined her office.”

  • Court okays suit seeking Amaechi’s, Onu’s trial over alleged link with arrested judges

    Court okays suit seeking Amaechi’s, Onu’s trial over alleged link with arrested judges

    A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday gave permission to a group, Kingdom Human Rights Foundation (KHRF), to proceed with its suit seeking to compel the arrest and prosecution of Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi and his Science and Technology counterpart, Ogbonnaya Onu.

    The group is seeking among others, an order of mandamus, compelling the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to prosecute Amaechi and Onu, named by some Justices of the Supreme Court as allegedly requesting them to influence the outcome of some cases in their favour.

    Justices Sylvester Ngwuta and Inyang Okoro (of the Supreme Court) alleged shortly after their arrest by the DSS that Amaechi and Onu approached them with requests to influence court decisions in some election cases between 2015 and 2016.

    The Justices made the allegations against Amaechi and Onu in letters they wrote to the then Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed.

    They linked their arrest to their refusal to accede to the politicians’ requests.

    Following the Justices’ allegations, KHRF approached the court on October 31 this year and filed the suit.

    Defendants in the suit are Amaechi, Onu, DSS, EFCC and President Muhammadu Buhari.

    In its substantive application, the group asked the court to compel the DSS and EFCC to “perform their statutory obligation” by immediately arresting and prosecuting the two ministers.

    It wants an order of mandamus compelling President Buhari to immediately sack both ministers “in public interest and public morality” based on allegations of attempts to influence court decisions as alleged by the two Justices of the Supreme Court.

    The group, in line with the requirement under the court’s rule, applied for leave to proceed with the suit, which the court granted in a ruling on December 1.

    The Nation sighted a copy of the enrolled order made by Justice Ahmed Mohammed on December 1, granting leave to the plaintiff to proceed with its substantive suit.

  • Buhari behind Wike’s, Amaechi’s Abuja parley

    Buhari behind Wike’s, Amaechi’s Abuja parley

    Why did the police and Department of State Service (DSS) meet with some of the leading political lights of Rivers State in Abuja on Tuesday?

    The meeting, it was learnt yesterday, was informed because President Muhammadu Buhari is worried by the violence in the state.

    The DSS Director-General, Musa Daura, and Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris met with Governor Nyesom Wike, Transport Minister Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Director-General Dr. Dakuku Peterside,  on Tuesday at the DESS Headquarters in Abuja.

    The meeting was to facilitate the conduct of the senatorial rerun ordered by the Court of Appeal.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been unable to conduct the election since the order.

    A statement in Abuja on Tuesday by the Police Spokesman Don Awunah, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), said the meeting was held in an atmosphere of mutual respect.

  • Amaechi’s, Wike’s face-off deepens

    Amaechi’s, Wike’s face-off deepens

    THE face-off between Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi and Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike over alleged N82 million spent in hosting Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka to a birthday dinner has deepened.

    Amaechi hosted Soyinka to a birthday dinner while he was the state’s helmsman.

    Wike’s camp said yesterday that his administration would write to Prof. Soyinka to return the money, if he was given any cash during the birthday bash.

    The governor, through his Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr. Austin Tam-George, claimed details of the N82 million was made available to the state police command, adding that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would be involved.

    But Amaechi, through his media office in Port Harcourt, said his administration never misappropriated N82 million in hosting the Nobel laureate.

    The minister warned Wike as well as his “coterie of court jesters and attention-seekers”  to desist from peddling lies, making false allegations and criminalising legitimate government transactions in their desperate bid to discredit his person and reputation.

    The former governor asked his successor to go to court, if he had any case of fraud or misappropriation of the state’s funds against him.

    The N82 million allegation by Wike and his people, according to the Transportation minister, is aimed at “distracting Rivers people from the incumbent governor’s massive electoral fraud, which different tribunals and appellate courts confirmed, as well as Wike’s gross incompetence and abysmal performance in Rivers State”.

    Amaechi’s media office said: “Wike must stop these silly distractions. Rivers people are not interested in his lies and witch-hunt. Rather, Rivers people want to know what will happen to their children that he stopped and cancelled the funding of their scholarships abroad. Rivers people want to know why the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) set up by law, is no longer functioning. Why, instead of quality education, a standard set by his predecessor (Amaechi),  grasses and weeds have taken over the beautiful schools built by Amaechi.

    “Rivers people want to know why the standard health facilities and services put in place by the Amaechi administration are rotting away. Not this petty rambling.

    “Rivers people want to know why Wike’s government does not care about the security of life and property, as violence and criminals have taken over. Rivers people want to know why it feels as if there is no government in Rivers State, and this is despite the billions of naira accruing to Wike’s administration and the tens of billions of naira borrowed.”

    Amaechi warned the governor against dragging the names of respected Nigerians, who had made the country proud globally and known internationally to be honest and forthright like Prof. Soyinka, into his attacks.

    His media office urged the governor to go to court to prove his allegations.

  • …Amaechi’s supporters celebrate council’s dissolution

    …Amaechi’s supporters celebrate council’s dissolution

    Indigenes of the Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State yesterday staged a peaceful procession to express their support for the dissolution of the council by Governor Chibuike Amaechi.

    Amaechi Thursday night announced the dissolution of the council with immediate effect.

    The procession, led by the former Caretaker Committee Chairman, Chikordi Dike, and members of his committee, took off at the Rumuigbo Civic Centre and went through some major streets in the area, including parts of the Ikwerre Road.

    The peaceful protest led to the blocking of one side of the dual Ikwerre Road, causing heavy traffic as vehicles were jostling for space on the other side.

    The protesters, comprising men, women and youths were chanting solidarity songs, expressing their support for the dissolution and the defection of the governor to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    They, in their songs, thanked the governor for his decision to take them to a party that is progressive.

  • Court to sit over Amaechi’s suit

    Court to sit over Amaechi’s suit

    Justice Emmanuel Ogbuji of a Port Harcourt High Court yesterday assumed jurisdiction in the application by Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi against his suspension by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP suspended Amaechi last month for alleged anti-party activities.

    Amaechi approached the court to challenge his suspension. He is seeking to vacate the action.

    Counsel to the PDP, Donald DENwigwe (SAN), filed a counter motion challenging the jurisdiction of the state court in dealing with the matter. He insisted that the aspect of jurisdiction in the matter should be decided before any other issue.

    Justice Ogbuchi in his ruling said he would first assume jurisdiction to determine whether or not he has full jurisdiction on the matter.

    An appellant counsel, Emenike Ebete, said the Judge acted in accordance with the law.

    “If a judge is faced with a case in which his jurisdiction is being challenged, the law says that the Judge should first assume jurisdiction to determine whether or not he has jurisdiction, if it is discovered at the end that he has no jurisdiction, he should back out of the matter.”

    The judge ordered both parties to respect the fact that the matter is pending before the court and desist from taking any action that could affect the determination of the suit.

    He adjourned the matter till July 8, for hearing the motion on jurisdiction.

    DENwigwe said: “Amaechi is saying that the Party suspended him and that the party should be restrained.

    “At this stage we cannot decide whether or not the party will be restrained. We are saying that the court has no jurisdiction to deal with the matter on the grounds we stated out in our motion papers and I told the court that until that is decided, we cannot deal with any other matter, so the matter is adjourned to deal with those matters.

    Adebayo Adelodun (SAN), Amaechi’s lead counsel said “by the ruling, the suspension that had been handed over to our client should not be given any effect until the court decides the legality or otherwise of such suspension in the first instance.

    “That means no further steps should be taken and he should not be denied any of his rights as a member of PDP in consequence of that purported suspension.”

    Amaechi yesterday restated that he has no intention of leaving the PDP.

    Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Mr. David Iyofor, in a statement, dismissed as outright lies and a figment of the devious imagination the claims that Amaechi had approached the ACN leadership to join the party.

    “Governor Amaechi has no intentions of leaving the PDP. And everyone knows that he’s already fighting his purported suspension in court. He believes, it’s a PDP issue and in due course the matter will be resolved. He has never met with anyone to discuss his leaving the PDP to join ACN or APC or any other political party”, Iyofor stated.

  • ‘Amaechi’s passion has elevated education’

    ‘Amaechi’s passion has elevated education’

    The Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board (RSUBEB), Chairman, Sir Alli Oruitemeka, has said Governor Chibuike Amaechi’s passion for education has improved the sector in the state.

    Oruitemeka, who said this during a send-forth/award ceremony for some retired members of the board in Port Harcourt, also pointed out that the Amaechi- led government has invested a lot of resources into education, especially in equipping the teachers.

    “Amaechi’s passion for education is enormous. He has put so much resources into education, which includes soft ware equipment for teachers”, Oruitemeka noted.

    The RSUBEB boss, who congratulated the awardees for their efforts in building better education system in the state, also said that the reason for the event was to appreciate their effective years in service.

    While appealing to them to continue to contribute to the success of the sector, he also assured of the continuity of the award programme.

    In her speech, the Commissioner of Education, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi, thanked the board for giving the retirees and other awardees the well-deserved opportunity.

    The commissioner, who was represented by the Director of Education, May Solomon, also said they should be grateful for divine grace to be alive to receive the awards, adding that many of their colleagues had left the planet earth for years.

    In his vote of thanks, the Permanent Board Member I, Sir Lucky Worlu, whose team organised the event commended Oruitemeka for setting a landmark in RSUBEB.