The move by theRiversStategovernment to celebrate the fourth year of Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s victory at the Supreme Court on Thursday, October 25, 2007 has been condemned by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) inRiversState.
In a press statement signed by the state publicity secretary Jerry Needam, the party said the celebration was uncalled for, especially considering the huge amount of state funds to be wasted on a project that means absolutely nothing to the state and offers no dividends to the citizens of the state.
The ACN wondered what Governor Amaechi and the PDP would be celebrating in the state when only heavy loans of about half a trillion naira trail the state despite the huge allocations that accrued to it within the time under review.
The party decried the non-empowerment of Rivers indigenes by the administration of Governor Amaechi, noting that almost all contracts awarded in the state were awarded to non-indigenes, thus impoverishing Rivers people and leaving them with nothing to celebrate.
Further to its arguments, ACN inRiversState regretted that infrastructural growth within and outside the capital city ofPort Harcourt has been inversely proportional to funds budgeted and spent in the sector, and questioned if the administration would be celebrating increased potholes and dry taps in the state.
The party noted that before the year 2007, there were about 4,250 potholes on roads and streets inPort Harcourt, but this figure increased to 12,755 between 2007 and 2011. Correspondingly, traffic jams held up motorists and commuters for 5-20 minutes on the road before 2007 but lasted 1-4 hours between 2007 and 2011.
Despite spending almost half a trillion naira on road maintenance alone between 2007 and 2011, the party regretted that the state government has not achieved much in the sector which was well maintained before 2007 with less than N10billion.
In water supply, ACN in the state lamented that the present administration has spent over N35billion on studies in water provision alone, with no single tap running inPort Harcourt or its environs.
Besides the dismal performance of the state administration, the ACN questioned if the supreme court verdict of 2007 is worth celebrating at all, for any reason whatsoever.
According to the party, the judgment which the governor intends to spend hugely on has remained a very dark smear and deep dent on the integrity of the judiciary, with legal opinions across the globe condemning and labeling it as perceived, and warning of its negative novelty.
The ACN recalled that a constitutional lawyer in the country, Professor Ben Nwabueze, in his reaction to the supreme court’s nullification of the return of Sir Celestine Omehia as governor of Rivers State in 2007, had noted thus, “I am compelled to condemn, as a violation of the rule of law and democracy, the aspect of the court’s decision in the case that declares as the governor of the state, a man, Rotimi Amaechi, who never stood and was never voted for as candidate in the election. That aspect of the decision violates the constitution and democracy in a triple sense, and is fraught with a danger far more terrible than the evil of arbitrary and illegal replacement of a duly nominated candidate.”
The party further recalled the words of the late legal luminary, Gani Fawehinmi when he said, “My disagreement with the supreme court judgment is the order made by the court that Rotimi Amaechi who never contested the governorship election should be sworn in as governor ofRiversState. I consider the assumption of office by Rotimi Amaechi as a judicial imposition on the electorate of Rivers State who, when they were voting in April 14, 2007 did not have in view or consideration Rotimi Amaechi who was not a candidate in the eyes, in the mind and in the hearts of the electorate of Rivers State.”
The ACN wondered why the administration of Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi has lost scruples and integrity to the extent that it would want to make a costly celebration of a supreme court judgment which received such condemnation across the country and globe, with many international lawyers describing it as an African judgment.
The party, therefore advised theRiversState government to save the people’s fund and refrain from making a mockery of itself and attempting to glorify the wrong just because it is in their favour. ####
