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KonkNaija Media | May 2, 2016

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Rivers state – crisis on the leadership front vis a vis PDP

Rivers state – crisis on the leadership front vis a vis PDP

The political situation in Rivers State, at present, has become a topical issue with daily occurrences. Since the sack of Chief Godspower Ake-led executive of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Rivers State, by the Abuja High Court and the inauguration of Mr. Felix Obuah and his team as the new party officials, the state has not known peace. It has become one day, one trouble with much heat now on Governor Chibuike Amaechi.

Political pundits and social analysts in and outside the state are divided in their views concerning the state. With the recent suspension of the governor by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, shortly after the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) election for his involvement in anti-party activities, sympathy is now being expressed at some quarters; that some high-powered forces are against the governor, while some are of the view that his power excesses are responsible for his battle and crisis in the state.

The fact is that, after the High Court sacked Ake and his team, in less than 48 hours (excluding the weekend), the pay-back (as some aggrieved politicians in Rivers State claimed) was on the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, where the State House of Assembly suspended the council chairman, Timothy Nsirim, his Vice, Solomon Eke, and 17 councillors, setting aside the Assembly’s House Rule and Standing Order.

This action by the Assembly became the last straw that broke the camel’s back. The lawmakers suspended the council officials following a petition forwarded to the Assembly accusing the chairman of “financial recklessness and security breach.”

The Obio/Akpor council is believed to be the political stronghold of the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, a two-time chairman of the council and Amaechi’s Chief of Staff, whose face-off with the state governor has been awash in the media. The seemingly unresolved political crisis has been inundated with series of protest and court suits. The situation got worse with the barricading and re-sealing-off of the council headquarters by the Nigeria Police Force.

Meanwhile, less than 24 hours after the suspension of the council leadership, the Assembly approved the nomination of a seven-man caretaker committee led by Mr. Chikodi Dike, who were immediately sworn in by Governor Amaechi. This sparked off demonstration by people from that council, who vehemently opposed the governor’s action. There was alleged plot to bomb the council secretariat by unknown persons, as claimed by the police, which led to their sealing off the headquarters, following an order from “above”.

However, the state government did not see barricading of the council secretariat by the police as the best option by the force. Instead, a rally was held at Government House, where the Deputy Governor, Engr. Tele Ikuru, Senator Magnus Abe, House of Assembly Leader, Chidi Lloyd, a youth leader and a representative of the 22 LG Council chairman (excluding Obio/Akpor) addressed members of the public to oppose whatever move by any politician or group of individuals to disrupt peace and truncate good governance in the state.

Prior to this, both the council chairmen, under the aegis of National Union of Local Government Employers, Rivers State, Nigerian Councillors Forum, Rivers State, and 27 out of the 32 lawmakers of the state House of Assembly, had differently addressed newsmen, vowing never to recognize or do any business with Obuah-led executive council of PDP in the state.

Of course, the party executive, on its part, ordered the lawmakers to reinstate the suspended Obio/Akpor council chairman, his Vice and the 17 councillors within 48 hours, or face the consequences. As expected, the Assembly failed to comply which led to their suspension and declaration of their (27 of them) seats vacant by the party.

As thorny as the road to resolving the political crisis in the state is, several groups went to court. At the state High Court are: 27 suspended Assembly members versus PDP; Five anti-Amaechi lawmakers against pro-Amaechi lawmakers. At the Federal High Court, about two suits are there. One is between the suspended Obio/Akpor Council officials and the seven-man caretaker committee, and the Caretaker Committee members versus the Inspector-General of Police, Attorney General of the Federation and others. Moreover, the first casualty in the crisis was an aide to the sacked Chief Ake, who was murdered by unknown gunmen.

Similarly, since the crisis, the state has witnessed anti and pro Amaechi protests, as well as anti and pro-Commissioner of Police demonstration. The most recent being the dreaded presence of youths, and leaders of ex-militants, who called for immediate removal of Governor Amaechi and his probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The truth is that there is social disorder in the state, as observed by a renowned lawyer and former chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State council, Mr. Ipalibo Karibi-Botoye. The legal practitioner stated that the suspension or planned impeachment of Amaechi would not solve the political crisis in the state. Instead, it would escalate the crisis that has already brewed. He said further that, notwithstanding the fact that what is happening is an internal political problem, virtually all sectors of the economy have been affected. He likened the crisis to an over-ripped pawpaw that could fall down at a slightest shake.

Also reacting to the alleged suspension and impeachment plot against Amaechi, and, most importantly, the rumoured plan to assassinate him, another legal practitioner and a security expert, Mr. Finjite Amachree, stated that the Speaker of the House of Assembly should be summoned to explain who planned to assassinate him (the speaker), and the governor. He also stated that Amaechi’s Chief of Staff, Tony Okocha, who claimed that some people had planned to bomb some parts of the State, should be invited for questioning, adding that the statement was too weighty to be allowed to rest. He ruled out the claim of assassination.

At a recent press briefing, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu, stated that he would summon Assembly Speaker and the governor’s Chief of Staff over the two security issues. Also, after the suspension of the governor in a forum with rivers youths in Port Harcourt, Amaechi told them that he feared for his life. He added that with the desperation by Abuja politicians to suspend him, the next option might be to eliminate him.

All these allegations could be a pointer to an earlier statement by the Assembly Speaker, alleging that the crisis in the State was an orchestrated plan to plunge the state into another era of insecurity, noting that there was absence of security apparatus. He even called for the removal of the Police commissioner.

Reacting to that claim, the Police boss warned that he should not be dragged into the crisis that had engulfed the state. He warned again that he was in the state to do his job professionally and would not seek to satisfy any individual. Mr. Mbu maintained that the force would not lose focus from performing its constitutional duties, which are primary protection of lives and property. Even, when Amaechi was quoted as telling the youths that the Police commissioner led the anti-Amaechi ex-militants’ demonstration, calling for his removal, Mbu debunked the allegation. He reiterated that he would carry out his job professionally without satisfying or pleasing anyone.

The police commissioner had at several briefings since the crisis, told journalists that they were to protect lives and property. He explained their presence at the Obio/Akpor council headquarters to forestall danger or clashes between loyalists of the two parties involved in the power supremacy. Mr. Mbu said further that even when they obeyed the Federal High Court order in Port Harcourt to vacate the premises and to provide minimal security, 20 minutes after vacating the area, the power generating section of the headquarters was bombed with dynamite by unknown persons, apparently proving the initial rumour that the council would be attacked. He added that police had no other option than to move in and re-possess the secretariat and would remain there until relative peace was restored in the state.

But the organized labour in the state seemed not to accept the reason given by the police. No wonder they sustained their two-day warning strike, after their ultimatum demanding the security operatives (police) to vacate the area lapsed without the latter complying. As the warning strike had passed without any positive step shown by either government or police to leave the area, so that workers could go in and resume their normal duty and pay their April and May salaries, as requested by both the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Rivers State chapter, an indefinite strike looms in the state.

The fear of members of the public is that, now that restoration of peace in the state is in the offing, especially with the state governor heading to court to reclaim his mandate, it still puts the state at a halt. Also, there is fear that some desperate politicians might use this opportunity and clear way for militancy again in the state. This would not go without unclear position of the lawmakers, particularly on the fate of the governor, and even the uncertainty surrounding the five diehard lawmakers of the state Assembly, who had lauded the NWC of PDP for suspending the governor from the party, and even called for his expulsion.

During the recent thanksgiving and dedication service by the Obuah-led party executive council at the Port Harcourt Club, the Minister of State for Education, Wike, told the mammoth crowd that, the reason behind the crisis in the state was refusal of some individuals to accept changes.