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Tag: Rivers

  • Rivers PDP crisis: I’m not fighting Amaechi; I’m for peace, says rival chair Obuah

    Rivers PDP crisis: I’m not fighting Amaechi; I’m for peace, says rival chair Obuah

    The Rivers State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Felix Obuah, has stated that he is not fighting Governor Rotimi Amaechi, while insisting that he and members of his executive are for peace.

    He said his executive would ensure good governance at the state level and in all the 23 local government areas of Rivers State being controlled by the ruling PDP.

    Obuah stated that there was no faction in the Rivers PDP in line with the April 15 judgment of an Abuja High Court presided over by Justice Ishaq Bello which sacked the Chief Godspower Ake-led executive.

    In an interactive session with reporters at the state secretariat of the PDP, along Aba Road in Port Harcourt yesterday, Obuah wished Amaechi well, as he marks his 48th birthday on Monday.

    He stated that since assumption of office, his executive committee had made efforts in moving the party in Rivers State to the next level, while recently inaugurating various committees to help re-engineer the party.

    He noted that the blackmail of referring to persons who constructively criticised Amaechi’s administration as those wanting to share Rivers’ money must stop forthwith to avoid sanctions.

    The party boss said he and members of his executive had never dreamt of impeaching the Rivers governor, but wanted development of the state, especially the grassroots, thereby transforming the 23 local government areas.

    He further said: “We are for peace. We want to move Rivers State forward. We want to bring everybody together.

    “We must remain one family. Rivers State has been a PDP state since 1999, and it must remain so.”

    He expressed optimism of emerging victorious at the Court of Appeal, while urging members of the party and Rivers people to continue to give peace a chance.

    The Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, had earlier told Obuah and members of his executive to bear in mind that “the governor is the leader of the party in the state.”

    Wike, a former Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt and the Director-General of the Amaechi Campaign Organisation in 2011, noted that the PDP had regulations.

    He further said: “What is important to know is that the governor of the state is the leader of the PDP in Rivers State. That is the structure of the party. As a minister, I am not the leader of the party.

    “A leader of the party is a member of the party, and, therefore, the party is supreme. Supremacy of the party is very important. Let me advise the party chairman, go and bring back your children, but one thing that is paramount in this party is that the party must not compromise.

    “What you must know in life is that change is difficult to accept. When there is change, you do not expect people at the same time to embrace the change. Sometimes, they have no choice, but to embrace it.

    “We must at all times respect and follow the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We cannot negotiate it. He (President Jonathan) is our son and in-law. By the special grace of God, we will continue to be wherever he is, until he tells us otherwise.

    “We are in the PDP. We will follow the programmes of the party. We have no choice, but to support his government. I am appealing to every true PDP member that we will continue to support the President and Commander-in-Chief, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. That is important.”

    The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Rivers chapter, through its Publicity Secretary, Jerry Needam, also yesterday asked Rivers labour leaders to avoid undue involvement in the PDP’s deepening crisis, but to focus on activities that would positively impact on the lives of their members.

    The party considered the planned two-day warning strike from Monday and the eventual indefinite strike by Rivers workers as unnecessary, uncalled for and an undue interference in an avoidable crisis which it alleged had opened a can of worms in the ruling PDP.

    The party also said the PDP had failed to call itself to order through amicable resolution of its internal crisis.

    It pointed out that attempts by labour and trade union leaders to drag themselves into the PDP’s crisis would not only cause more tension and disaffection in the state, but would heighten the state of insecurity and distrust.

    The ACN said: “We call on the labour union leaders to reject the temptation of withdrawing the services of their union members through strike.

    “Rather than embark on such damaging, disgraceful and unwarranted action, the unions could better demonstrate more civility by showing genuine concern to their members in ensuring that the numerous welfare packages denied civil servants since the inception of the present administration in the state, are restored.

    “Governor Rotimi Amaechi illegally withheld federal allocations for four local government councils for four months on flimsy excuses that the affected council chairmen did not attend meeting on time and were not loyal. Labour leaders in the state did not kick, especially when their members in the four local government councils were denied salaries for four months.”

    The opposition party urged the labour leaders in the state not to act in a way prejudicial to the decision of the courts on the PDP’s crisis.

    It also told the members of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) not to allow themselves to be dragged into political matters, especially that of the Obio/Akpor council.

    The ACN then urged the labour and the trade union leaders to rather help to bring an end to the PDP crisis in Rivers State and not to fuel it.

  • Rivers PDP crisis: Workers begin two-day warning strike over sealing of local govt secretariat

    A NOTICE to embark on a two-day warning strike to protest the continued closure of Obio/Akpor Local Government Headquarters was yesterday served by workers on the payroll of Rivers State government.

    The strike, slated to begin on Monday is to protest the locking out of workers under the aegis of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) from their duty posts and the non-payment of their salaries.

    They urged the government and the State Police Command to take immediate action, failing which the workers threatened to embark on indefinite strike that could bring the economy of the Niger Delta to its knees.

    The position of the workers was disclosed at news conference jointly addressed in Port Harcourtby the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Dr. Chris Oruge, his counterpart in the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Chika Onuegbu and the chairman of the Rivers chapter of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC), Chukwu Emecheta.

    The labour leaders accused Police Commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu of heating up polity in just three months of his deployment from Oyo State.

    They urged him to refrain from taking sides in the political crisis rocking the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, but to ensure the safety of lives and property.

    A statement jointly issued by NLC, TUC and JPSNC reads: “The organised labour does not have any business with the ongoing political crisis in the state. Labour is purely concerned with the rights and privileges of our members working in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

    “The workers at the council secretariat should be allowed to go back to work, in line with the May 13, 2013 order of a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, presided over by Justice H. A. Nganjiwa and pay their salaries.

    “The organised labour has the responsibility to ensure that the workers’ interest is protected at any level. We will not shy away from this responsibility, which our members have bestowed on us.

    “Organised labour is also concerned about the security situation in the state. We issued a joint statement, where we requested the Rivers commissioner of police to obey the decision of the court and vacate the Obio/Akpor council secretariat.

    “Labour gave seven-day ultimatum on May 17, which will expire tomorrow (today). Industrial action will commence on Monday, May 27, 2013. The TUC, Rivers state has agreed to support the NLC and participate in the strike action, as injury to one is injury to all.”

    The ultimatum was to allow for the payment of the workers’ salaries, appoint the head of the local government administration to act, pending the final determination of the suits in court and to reopen the secretariat for the workers to return to their desks.

  • Rivers PDP crisis: Court to hear Nsirim’s application May 27

    Rivers PDP crisis: Court to hear Nsirim’s application May 27

    Justice Silverlyn Iragunuma of the Rivers State High Court has fixed May 27 for the hearing of the application for an interlocutory injunction by the suspended Executives of the Obio/Akpor Local Government against the Caretaker Committee (CTC) members.

    The suspended council chairman, Timothy Nsirim, on May 8, led other executives (his deputy and 17 councillors) to the court to challenge their suspension and to seek an order to restrain the Chikordi Dike-led seven-man CTC members from taking over the running of the affairs of the council.

    Nsirim also sought the court’s leave to serve parties in the case (Rivers State House of Assembly and Obio/Akpor CTC members) by substituted means, expressing the difficulties in effecting direct service on them. The court granted his order and adjourned the case for hearing.

    At the resumed hearing yesterday, the defence counsel (lawyer for CTC members and the House of Assembly), Emenike Ebete, asked for time to file their documents in the court.

    Ebete told the court that they were yet to see the originating summons served on them by pasting and blamed this on the continued presence of the police at the council’s gate, against the order of the Federal High Court.

    He, however, observed that the seven days normal court rules to effect filing of their response in the matter would end today, and promised to file all their documents before the end of today.

    He said: “The applicants said they served us on May 14 by pasting and by the positions of the rules of court, we have seven days, which will expire tomorrow (today). So, the matter is not yet ripe for hearing, based on that we have been given another date for motion on notice.”

    Asked how they came to court, having not seen the summons, Ebete said: “They said they pasted it at the council premises you are in the state and know what is happening (referring to the presence and blockade of the council gate by men of the Rivers State Police Command) we have not had access to the council premises to see the notice; we only heard it on the radio and we came; that is what happened.

    “There is no way we can be going to work, since the police are still there. As it stands now, we don’t have the copy of the paper they filed. If they have any, they should give us one.”

    Nsirim, represented by Mr. Dike Udenna, said: “The matter came up this morning (yesterday) for hearing of claimants’ motion for interlocutory injunction to restrain the caretaker Committee(CTC) people from taking over the functions of the democratically elected government executives.

    “Due to representations from the CTCs’ lawyers and the lawyers from the Rivers State House of Assembly, who said they were served only on May 14, therefore, they are still within time to respond to the motion for interlocutory injunction.

    “On the account of that representation, the judge had to adjourn the matter till May 27, for definite hearing of our motion of interlocutory injunction.

    “Basically, we are asking the court to restrain the CTC from taking over the functions of the democratically-elected Obio/Akpor council Executives.

    “The reason is because we are the ones who have the constitutional rights, the mandate of the electorate to hold office, to run the affairs of the LGA.”

    Policemen, on May 3, took over the premises of Obio/Akpor Council on the order of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar.

    This followed the rising tension at the council as youths loyal to Nsirim protested his alleged illegal suspension and the inauguration of the CTC by the House of Assembly.

    Justice H. A. Njiangiwa of the Federal Court, last Monday, granted the order by asking the police to pull out of the council to give room for the council’s business.

    He, however, ordered that they (the police) should maintain law and order/provide security of life and property at the council.

    The case was adjourned till May 27 for hearing of motion on interlocutory injunction.

  • Expectant mum shot by ‘robbers’ in Rivers

    A twenty eight-year–old expectant mother was shot yesterday by suspected robbers in Rivers State.

    Florence Onu was shot in the head on Ada-George Road, Rumueme, in Obio/Akpor Local Government, when she struggled with the robbers to recover her bag.

    Her younger sister, Ebere Amadi, who was at the scene, said the victim had N50,000 inside the bag, which was the offering collected in church.

    She said: “It happened around 8pm when we were returning from church. Suddenly, we saw this red Audi coming close to us as if the driver wanted to ask us for directions. The next thing we saw was one of them grabbing my sister’s bag.

    “As they were struggling, one of the men who sat in the back seat brought out a gun and shot my sister; they took the bag and zoomed off. Before we could rush her to the hospital she died.

    “The money inside the bag does not belong to her. It was the N50,000 offering collected during the evening service.

    “The pastor asked her to take it home, because her husband, who was responsible for keeping the church money, was not in church.”

  • Impeachment plot: Security beefed up in Rivers, patrols intensified

    Impeachment plot: Security beefed up in Rivers, patrols intensified

    Security was yesterday beefed up in Rivers State, particularly in Port Harcourt and its environs.

    Patrols were also intensified over an alleged plot by five of the 32 members of the Rivers State House of assembly loyal to the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, to remove Governor Rotimi Amaechi, using the Dariye option.

    Many military and police patrol vehicles were seen on major roads in Port Harcourt, with the operatives engaged in stop-and-search to prevent illegal movement of arms and ammunition.

    The operatives of the Joint Task Force (JTF) and the State Security Service (SSS) were also not left out of the security beef-up at a time the battle line is drawn between Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Wike, who wants to succeed Amaechi in 2015. Both of them are of the Ikwerre tribe.

    A source close to the JTF, who asked not to be named, said it was true that patrol had been intensified in Port Harcourt in order not to take chances and to prevent the breakdown of law and order.

    The secretariat of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, sealed off by policemen on May 3, remained sealed yesterday.

    The Chairman of Obio/Akpor LG Council, Timothy Nsirim; his deputy, Solomon Eke and all the 17 councillors, were suspended on April 22 by the 27 pro-Amaechi legislators.

    The pro-Wike lawmakers: Michael Chinda (Obio/Akpor II constituency), Kelechi Godspower Nwogu (Omuma), Evans Bipi (Ogu/Bolo), Martins Amaewhule (Obio/Akpor I) and Victor Ihunwo (Port Harcourt III), kicked against the suspension of Nsirim and others.

    The lawmakers insisted that there was no petition against Nsirim as being insinuated. They described his suspension as illegal, saying there should not have been any need for a caretaker committee.

    Following the suspension of elected officials of Obio/Akpor LG, a seven-member caretaker committee, headed by Dike David Chikordi, was earlier screened by members of the Rivers Assembly on April 23 and inaugurated on the same day by the Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), George Feyii.

  • It is not yet the End of History in Rivers (2)

    It is not yet the End of History in Rivers (2)

    Yesterday, Hardball suggested that the events of the past few days in the Rivers State legislature had prompted fear of impending impeachment of both the Speaker and the governor. He also argued that going by history, the fear of impeachment was not unfounded. Today, he continues the argument with references to similar situations in other states: In October 2006, eight out of 24 members of the Plateau State House of Assembly served impeachment notice on Governor Joshua Dariye. Many Nigerians laughed it off as a despicable and unrealistic plot that would misfire or implode. But a month later, Dariye was out of office. Though the Supreme Court reinstated him on April 27, 2007, less than two weeks to the expiration of his second term, the damage was done, and a horrible impression of the polity was created. It also became clear there was absolutely no altruism left in President Olusegun Obasanjo, notwithstanding his vaunted claim of maturity, balance and patriotism.

    A not-so-different crazy political mathematics was also employed in Oyo State in 2005 when 18 Lamidi Adedibu-inspired members of the House of Assembly out of a 32-strong legislature decided to impeach Governor Rashidi Ladoja. Since the 18 did not have the required two-thirds to impeach the governor, they devised the brazen formula of first arbitrarily suspending five of the 14 members still loyal to the governor, and then deriving the required two-thirds based on the remaining 27. If Oyo simplified mathematics beyond limits to impeach their governor in January 2006 (the courts reinstated Ladoja in December of the same year), Bayelsa State, which actually began the crude application of impeachment weapon, used a novel method in 2005. Like Rivers today, Bayelsa House of Assembly was first coerced to suspend Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha from the PDP, then an impeachment notice drafted in Lagos inside the EFCC pressure cooker was served on him, and by December 2005, 17 of 24 members had endorsed his impeachment.

    The auguries are not good at all for Rivers. The country must therefore brace up for very perilous times in the near future, not only in that beleaguered state, but all over the country, as the presidency embraces self-help in dealing with its enemies. Yet, no matter what the PDP does, the party will find it difficult to muster the number necessary to impeach the governor, except of course it opts for the Dariye method. In addition, as a direct consequence of the heavy-handedness of the president, the mutual suspicion between his home state of Bayelsa and Amaechi’s Rivers States over boundary adjustment and oil wells dispute will continue to foul the well of trust and engender more bitterness between the two neighbouring states. Moreover, that Obasanjo got away with murder during his tenure, when many Nigerians were willing to sacrifice anything to consolidate democracy, does not mean Jonathan can get away with the same provocations. And at a time when the country is convulsing with unrest, kidnappings and sectarian rebellions, it amounts to sailing near the wind for the president to stoke more rebellion close to home.

    Mr Amaechi has his faults, and has perhaps not shown enough restraint and prudence in some of his speeches and policies, but at least he was not elected to preside over the country. The PDP can misuse its powers and oppress its members as much as it wants, but it must not be allowed to flout the constitution by attempting to subordinate a state legislature to party whims or to destabilise the polity in order to advance narrow-minded party goals. The president, his party and Mr Amaechi can still pull back from the brink if they recognise that the country is greater than winning the next set of elections, and if they are smart enough to know that they are making, not ending, history. But perhaps, to them, this advice is unacceptable idealism.

     

    •Concluded

     

  • Rivers warns against siege

    Rivers warns against siege

    All was calm yesterday in Port Harcourt after Monday’s peaceful protests.

    But the state government has stated that there are ominous signs that the peaceful state could be under siege, adding that it is in Nigeria’s best interest that the oil-rich state is stable.

    The secretariat of Obio/Akpor Local Government, which was sealed by policemen on May 3, remained shut down yesterday.

    The main opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Rivers State chapter, through its Publicity Secretary, Jerry Needam, also cautioned politicians and Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s aides to guard their utterances, in order not to overheat the polity.

    Commissioner for Information and Communications Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, in a statement, maintained that Amaechi is in control of the state’s affairs, without any threat to his office.

    Semenitari said: “The Rivers Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu, will work to protect the people of Rivers State and to protect lives and property in Rivers state, because that is his responsibility to tax payers.

    “The protesting youths do not have that right to tell the Governor of Rivers State to resign. We have to be sure of who these faceless and nameless youths are.

    “There is a difference between a plan and the actualisation of a plan. I believe that Rivers people are very much aware of their rights in a democracy and they elected Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as the governor of Rivers State.

    “He remains the governor of Rivers State and he is in charge as governor of Rivers state. The people of Rivers State should rest assured that their governor is in full control of the state.

    “Governor Amaechi remains the chief security officer of the state. I will like to believe that the commissioner of police understands that Governor Amaechi is the chief security officer. I doubt very much that he (CP) is in denial of that. It will be unfortunate if the police attempt to cause trouble for Rivers people.

    “It will then be clear to everybody that Rivers State is under siege and that Rivers State is under attack by powers that are bigger than us. For now, we do not want to believe that that is the case.

    “We want to believe that our state is not as yet under siege, but when we see the signs; yes there are ominous signs, yes there are rumours, but we like to believe that everybody understands that it is in the best interest of Nigeria, that Rivers State is stable.

    “The wife of the President (Dame Patience Jonathan) is a daughter of Rivers State and is a wife in Bayelsa State. She is also an official of the Bayelsa State Government and will need to perform her duties as a Permanent Secretary.

    “I doubt if she vowed that Timothy Nsirim (Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government, who was suspended on April 22, along with his deputy, Solomon Eke, and all the 17 councillors by the members of the Rivers House of Assembly) must come back.

    “I doubt that she will do such a thing, because she understands the boundaries of her influence. I do not think that as wife of the President, she will in any way want to interfere with governance or with issues.

    “I will be very surprised that she will want to cause any rancor or destabilisation of Rivers State, which, by the way, is her state. That will be curious and it will be a little troubling, if that is the case.”

    To the ACN, the political atmosphere calls for caution.

    The main opposition party stressed that politicians and Amaechi’s aides should avoid provocative language, unguarded and inciting statements, while commenting on the political developments.

    It condemned how Semenitari addressed the populace, as though they were without commonsense.

    ACN said: “We demand an unreserved apology from the information commissioner for calling responsible protesting youths of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, who lawfully besieged the Rivers House of Assembly complex to make a case for the suspended council chairman, his deputy and the 17 councillors, touts and miscreants.

    “What made the Obio/Akpor protesting youths miscreants and a faction of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), who were earlier sponsored on a solidarity visit to the Government House, Port Harcourt, in favour of Governor Amaechi, good persons?

    “We have been following the current political happenings in the state with keen interest and wish to note that there is nothing in the entire saga that is new.

    “While the PDP should enhance efforts to put its house in order, the gladiators and supporters of the divides should conduct themselves orderly and must not carry on as though the entire state belongs to PDP or do anything that is capable of constituting danger to the innocent Rivers people.”

    The party also described Rivers people as reasonable and responsible people and not touts or miscreants.

     

  • JTF names Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa crime hubs

    •Two killed in Bayelsa

     

    The Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, “Operation Pulo Shield” has identified Bayelsa, Rivers and Delta states as axis of crimes in the Southsouth.

    The finding is contained in a new intelligence report released by the Task Force on crimes in the region, even as gunmen, suspected to be sea pirates yesterday shot dead two persons in Kuroamagbene, a seaside community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

    Community sources identified one of the victims as a relation of the Special Adviser to the Bayelsa Governor on Education, Dr. Godswill Ziriki.

    Police spokesman Alex Akhigbe confirmed the incident, saying he was awaiting a detailed briefing from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Oporoma, headquarters of the council area.

    The waterways of Rivers and Bayelsa were identified as the hubs of crude oil theft with operators said to be so rich that they overwhelm traditional and local authorities in the areas.

    The document also identified the creeks as hideouts that kidnappers use to keep their victims while negotiating ransom payment with their relations.

    More worrisome is the report that the crimes are not only restricted to criminals in the region, but their associates in other parts of the country who ferret their victims to the riverside areas of the mentioned states.

    Confirming the report, JTF Media Coordinator Lt. Col Onyeama Nwachukwu, said the worrisome finding was in spite of the Task Force arresting 498 oil thieves as well as seizing 18 vessels, 26 barges, 545 assorted boats and destroying 748 illegal crude distillation camps (refineries) in the past few weeks.

    He said illegal crude oil refining activities are on the rise in the three states.

    In Rivers State, the report identified Akassa, Igbematoru, Tebidaba, Sagana and Kola/Obieku as headquarters of illegal bunkering.

    Similarly, Ukubie, Lorbia 1 and Lorbia 2, Ekeni and Ezetu communities of Southern Ijaw Area of Bayelsa earned the disgraceful honour of hosting kidnap victims from all parts of the country.

    He said: “We have discovered that in most communities, they even store stolen crude in septic tanks. The people have been so oppressed by these oil thieves, pirates and kidnappers, that they are afraid to volunteer information to the JTF.”

    Nevertheless, Lt. Col Nwachukwu said the JTF has unravelled the causes of insecurity and criminal activities by gunmen and other hoodlums in Azuzuama and other parts of the volatile Southern Ijaw Local Government of Bayelsa State.

    “We have identified the perpetrators and tracked them through a Joint Operation code-named ‘Operation Clean Slate’. The hideouts of the criminals were destroyed and various war-like materials including speed boats, assorted ammunitions and communication gadgets were either destroyed or recovered.

    “In spite of these successes, we have deployed troops at Azuzuama for a robust operation involving all components of the JTF,” he added.

     

  • It is not yet the End of History in Rivers (1)

    It is not yet the End of History in Rivers (1)

    The fight for control of Rivers State is far from over; in fact, it is just beginning. But contrary to what many people think, perhaps even some of the combatants themselves, the war is not simply about the disagreements between the President Goodluck Jonathan government and Governor Rotimi Amaechi. Nor quite visibly is it about whether the governor harbours presidential ambition. Nor still is it about whether the president feels his pride has been injured by a governor who he believes will wilt before a withering display and application of raw state power. The war, which is getting nastier by the day, is simply about keeping Rivers safe for the president when he throws his hat into the ring for the 2015 contest.

    Much of the Northwest and Northeast is virtually lost to the president, and the North-central is a tossup. The Southwest is virulently anti-Jonathan, while the hitherto safe South-South is not only restive, it is seething with discord. For Jonathan, therefore, damn the niceties of democracy; damn federalism; and damn human rights and any talk of posterity. If his 2015 ambition is to be saved, he knows that Rivers must be kept secure in the pouch of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), indeed in the warm embrace of Jonathan himself, no matter what it takes. Therefore, any talk of restraint and civilised behaviour is likely to fall on deaf ears.

    To many non-Nigerians, it is disconcerting that an Abuja High Court had to be secured to sack Godspower Ake as chairman of the Rivers PDP. The attempt by a Rivers High Court to reverse the sack has met with little success because the powerful forces behind the turmoil in Rivers are too connected to be pushed aside. With the installation of Felix Obuah as the new chairman about three weeks ago, the Abuja power game has gone into overdrive. Using the pretext of the House of Assembly’s suspension of the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government, Timothy Nsirim, his deputy, Solomon Eke, and 17 councillors since April 22, Mr Obuah has managed to rewrite the Nigerian constitution by equally suspending 27 members of the state House of Assembly, including the Speaker, Otelemaba Dan Amachree. A stalemate has thus been procured, and the state reels under dreadful unease.

    The Rivers House of Assembly has 32 members. With the party presumptuously suspending 27 members loyal to the governor, the Abuja mafia now ‘proudly’ musters just five members with which it hopes to unsettle and probably unhorse the governor. The five have proved powerful, considering how they were escorted into the premises of the Assembly two days ago by the police, while the pro-Amaechi lawmakers were compelled by circumstances to go into hiding for fear of attack. The events of the past few days in the legislature have prompted fear of impending impeachment of both the Speaker and the governor. Going by history, the fear of impeachment is not unfounded.

     

    To be concluded tomorrow

     

  • Rivers: Plot to unleash mayhem on Obio-Akpor council ‘uncovered’

    Rivers: Plot to unleash mayhem on Obio-Akpor council ‘uncovered’

    THERE seems to be no end to the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State.

    A local government chairman yesterday alleged that some people he referred to as “Abuja forces” planed to cause trouble.

    The Chairman of Obio- Akpor Executive Caretaker Committee, Chikaodi Dike, in a statement, said: “On Friday, May 3, 2013, our Council Secretariat in Romuodomaya was taken over by strange policemen who claimed to have orders from above (the Rivers State Commissioner of Police and Police Inspector-General) for me and the members of the legally constituted, constitutionally recognised Caretaker Committee of the Obio-Akpor Local Government Council in Rivers State to vacate the council premises immediately.

    “When we refused to leave and then cried out that the police cannot sack a legally constituted Council Executive Committee without any legal instrument, the police quickly changed their story, barricaded the Council Secretariat and chased us out because they wanted to forestall a breakdown of law and order in the council offices.

    “We can now authoritatively reveal to Rivers people that the same Abuja forces who orchestrated the barricading of our Council premises by the police are planning to storm the same Council offices on Monday, May 6, 2013 with different shades of hoodlums and miscreants and then unleash violence and mayhem on the good people of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area. Their plan is to start from outside the council secretariat.

    “This plot is being championed by a former Council Chairman, who is a known acolyte of the Abuja forces that have sworn to make Obio-Akpor and, by extension, Rivers State ungovernable as a prelude to the declaration of a State of Emergency?

    “We urge the people of Obio-Akpor to remain calm and law-abiding. Good will always triumph over evil.”

    Also yesterday, A group, the Rivers Leadership Advancement Foundation (RIVLEAF), called for the immediate sack of Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, and the Rivers Police Commissioner, Mbu Joseph Mbu, over Friday’s sealing off of the secretariat of Obio/Akpor Local Government council.

    It also urged the National Assembly, to investigate “the show of shame” at the Obio/Akpor secretariat.

    The President of RIVLEAF, Wele Alex Wele, with whom was the group’s Publicity Secretary, Igbarima Alex Fubara, at a news conference yesterday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, said there would be no development without peace. They urged the warriors to sheathe their swords.

    The Obio/Akpor council secretariat, as at yesterday evening, was still under lock and key, with the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Tony Okocha, stating that if the sealing off continues today, man-hours would be lost.

    It was also learnt that the Chairman of Obio/Akpor, Timothy Nsirim; his deputy, Solomon Eke; and all the 17 councillors, suspended on April 22 by 27 of the 32 members of the House of Assembly, may be reinstated at today’s sitting, considering the tension generated by the action.

    Nsirim and others are backed by the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, a former Chief of Staff and Director-General of the Amaechi Campaign Organisation in 2011.

    Wike, a two-time chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government, has the support of President Goodluck Jonathan who is believed to be supporting the factional Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Chief Felix Obuah, who was inaugurated in Abuja on April 16.

    Amaechi is supporting Chief Godspower Ake, who was sacked on April 15 by an Abuja High Court presided over by Justice Ishaq Bello.

    The Obuah-led executive, on April 29, suspended the 27 lawmakers loyal to Amaechi, for failing to reinstate Nsirim and others.

    The leader of the Rivers House of Assembly, Mr. Chidi Lloyd, hinted in Port Harcourt that the lawmakers would be sitting today, based on the April 29 order of a Rivers High Court, Port Harcourt, presided over by Justice Henry Aprioku, which restrained the Obuah-led executive from suspending the 27 legislators.

    The five lawmakers loyal to Wike, who are not affected by PDP’s suspension: Michael Chinda (Obio/Akpor II constituency), Kelechi Godspower Nwogu (Omuma), Evans Bipi (Ogu/Bolo), Martins Amaewhule (Obio/Akpor I) and Victor Ihunwo (Port Harcourt III), have said they will also vowed to be at today’s sitting.

    RIVLEAF said: “We condemn police’s invasion and sealing off of Obio/Akpor council secretariat. We call for the immediate sack of the IGP and Rivers CP for their unprofessional and shameful conduct in a democratic dispensation.

    “The show of federal power and might has clearly buttressed and strengthened the call for state police, as it is in other civilised democracies of the world.

    “We also call on the members of the National Assembly to, as a matter of urgency, investigate the show of shame and expose all those behind it. This is a threat to our democracy and national image.

    “The National Assembly members cannot fold their arms and watch a few power-hungry persons turn Nigeria into a police state. It is a dangerous precedent and it is an ill wind that will blow no one any good.

    “We want to inform Rivers people that the issue at stake in Rivers State is not about Governor Amaechi, but about attempts to hijack the soul of Rivers State, ahead of the 2015 general elections. It is about unbridled and crude quest for power.

    “We must, therefore, rise to defend Rivers State. We believe in fairness, equity and justice to all ethnic groups and among the three senatorial districts in Rivers State.

    “Governor Amaechi has offered credible, honest and quality leadership to the people of Rivers state. Never in the history of the state have we seen a governor who has exhibited and exuded so much courage, commitment and passion to develop Rivers state. He needs to be appreciated, commended and supported.

    “Felix Obuah is a beneficiary of a fraudulent and dubious judgment, which is now before the Court of Appeal. Obuah and his executive want to distract Governor Amaechi, by acting irresponsibly and recklessly, in order to overheat the polity.

    “The plot to use five of 32 members of Rivers House of Assembly to impeach Governor Amaechi and the Speaker, Otelemaba Dan Amachree, is condemnable, uncalled for and shows desperation to hijack power at all costs. Rivers people must be vigilant and resist the attempts.”

    Okocha, who succeeded Wike as Chief of Staff; Commissioner for Agriculture Emma Chinda; and the caretaker chairman were stopped on Saturday from entering the sealed secretariat.

    Okocha, while speaking with reporters at the gate of Obio/Akpor council secretariat, described the shutdown of the local government as a coup against the state, adding that the plotters wanted to provoke the people to anger for the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency.

    The chief of staff said: “On Monday, we are going to have a loss of man-hours, if this situation continues, because from what I was told, from 2pm on Friday, the policemen started chasing the workers out of the council’s premises.

    “We know the masterminds. We know that their plan is to provoke the people of Rivers State to anger and then for there to be some kind of mayhem, for them to declare a state of emergency.

    “We are peaceful people. Two wrongs cannot make a right. The advice to our people is that they should remain calm and peaceful. We will sort all these out, but I can assure you that the Pharaoh you see today, you will see them no more forever.”

    The comment of the wife of President Jonathan, Dame Patience, at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa on Thursday evening, paved the way for Friday’s invasion of the secretariat of Obio/Akpor Local Government.

    The Obio/Akpor Local Government Chairman (Chikordi), was among the dignitaries who thronged the airport to welcome the First lady.

    It was learnt that when Chikordi introduced himself as the chairman of Obio/Akpor council, Mrs. Jonathan got angry

    When the President’s wife, during the introduction, heard of Obio/Akpor, she asked Chikordi if he was the suspended or newly-inaugurated helmsman and the council boss confirmed himself as the new chairman, with the First Lady describing him outright as “an illegal chairman”.

    Chikordi, while confirming the interaction with Mrs. Jonathan at the airport on Thursday evening, denied being described as an illegal chairman.

    He said: “We were at Port Harcourt International Airport to welcome the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan. I introduced myself as the Obio/Akpor LG chairman.

    “Dame Patience Jonathan asked me: ‘Are you the suspended or the new chairman?’ I said I am the new chairman. That was the only interaction we had.”