All said and done Rivers people and indeed Nigerians are just pouring out words on the recent visit of first lady of the federation, Dame (Dr.) Patience Jonathan, to Rivers State to attend Hon. Evans Bipi’s wedding, the burial of her step father, the ground breaking ceremony of women initiative programmes and other projects she inspected which has caused division amongst the Rivers State House of Assembly members.
Nigerians should know that it is the attitude of PDP to cheat and win in a multiple race through court of law, PDP members especially those who don’t want to show loyalty to their bosses like to maim and destroy lives and property. After all the court judgment which brought Rt. (Hon.) Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to occupy the Rivers State brick house in 2007 was the same court judgment that has brought the Felix Obuah led PDP, even as Hon. (Barr.) Nyesom Wike said, during an interview he granted to newsmen, that, “I never regretted the role, I played which brought Gov. Amaechi into power in 2007 and so I never regret any role I am playing against him.” As he (Nyesom) is claiming fight for the right cause. Therefore there should not be any foul con from pro and anti groups Bipi. So division amongst PDP members has become their attitude long ago; as they have done to other or cheat other parties, so shall they cheat themselves. In essence, if Hon. Evans Bipi has allegedly been elected on the floor of the house, so be it. And if Otelemaba Amachree still claims the speaker of the house, so be it too.
But among the two speakers who is going to convene the House? When Sir Celestine Omehia and Dr. Abiye Sekibo made their speeches during the sitting of Eso Panel of Enquiry, they alleged that PDP rigged election, adding that no one wins election without rigging, and on that panel atrocities of the then speaker which was not allowed for telecast were revealed to only those in the panel’s hall, atrocities concerning Marshall Harry’s death, his children, public disgrace, Dikibo’s death, Ogbakiri’s killings, Okrile/Port Harcourt/Ikwerre/Kabari/Bonny/Ogoni/Eleme and other ethnic nationalities, cult killings were revealed to the public through newsmen, was Joseph Mbu in Rivers State when these nine (9) years killing (atrocities) were the order of the day? Who were the then police commissioners and governors and RSHA speakers? Who is fooling who in this state and who is bringing out crocodile tears? Who vehemently opposed the motion that says that any in coming government shall purchase a befitting car and house in any of part of Nigeria to a governor who has completed his/her tenure? Was it Hon. Kelechi Nwogu or Human Rights Activist, Ken Atsewete?
The fight therefore is not between their excellencies, Dame Dr. Goodluck Jonathan vs. Rt. Hon. Amaechi, neither it is between Amaechi and Hon. Evans Bipi led RSHA members, but it is between PDP caucus (two Ikwerre sons Barr. Nyesom and Rt. Hon. Amaechi), which hitherto has degenerated to create division amongst PDP and other minority party members of the Assembly.
Yes Amaechi has right to say that he has no power to reinstate the sacked Obio/Akpor council boss, Hon. Timothy Nsirim, as it is the right of RSHA to do so. His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi has right to walk into a premises Assembly complex were leader was using the symbol of legislative authority (mace) on one Hon. Michael Chinda like a Timberman using axe to break hard wood on the acclaimed anti Amaechi RSHA speaker also released a hot bunch on the face of his fellow assembly colleagues all in the name of purported self defence. But does Gov. Amaechi have right and power to suspend the Okrika council boss thrice.
So can the governor and his Assembly members released these their so called state edicts/bye-laws to the public so as to ascertain who has powers/rights. In this case the president too lacks the jurisdiction to call the warring Nyesom and Gov. Amaechi to order because he is not acquainted with those invisible edicts/bye-law.
Finally, Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu might be wrong for not allowing Gov. Amaechi and his cohorts to stage a peaceful protest. What does the constitution of Nigeria say on Sections 38,39,40 and 41 or is the police act superior? Where was Mr. Mbu when Rivers Assembly youths demonstrated?
If our governor likes peaceful demonstration, then why were some residents of Bunduama community being shot and killed by the military and paramilitary operation, you commended for waging war against their peaceful demonstration? Was the much blamed Mbu incharge of security in Rivers State then? Please tell the public who the then commissioner of war was.
The governor did what he told waterfront residents that he will chase them with police, army, airforce and navy. Here I will say that for Mbu to refuse the governor’s peaceful demonstration actually presented him and his cohorts from passive political adversaries and brothers/friends of those killed at the peaceful protest of Bundu-Ama community would have also rooted out their stainless and pour some groundnut that would have embarrass him or his cohorts.
I want to advice all insinuators including, Wole Soyinka, Tam David-West, Kalabari/Ikwerre/Okrika/Ogoni and other ethnic groups or youths to stop taking sides because RSHA are just deceiving them. If you refuse then answer the following questions:
1. Who was the Commissioner of Police during Dr. Odili’s government? Do you remember the years of cult killings?
2. Who was the Commissioner of Police in the reign of Dewell, Debam, KK, outlaw, Germans etc?
3. Who was the Police Commissioner when Bundu-Ama residents were shot and killed/Abonnema wharf shooting that prompted Rivers State government to quickly demolish buildings at the said place and Njemanze? Who kept army and police men there?
4. Who was police commissioner when Aluu village vigilantes allegedly killed the four UNIPORT boys?
Let me stop here more of these history will be unfolded if the insinuators continue. And so no government/Assembly should cry foul, because both of them are guilty.
Oh, less I forget was Mbu Joseph Mbu in Rivers State when Okuru Ama was sacked by some dreaded so-called Niger Delta war-lords and the destruction of lives and property in Ogu town in Ogu/Bolo LGA. Was Mbu in Rivers when ex-militants Soboma, Faye and other acclaimed popular militants were shot and killed? Most of them even went about and traveled with police and army before they were killed.
Hon. Evans to claim the Rt. Hon or speaker of the house might be right in as much as the mace bearer excorted him to occupy the ousted speakers seat Rt. Hon. Dan Amachree can still claim to be a speaker if he was escorted by mace bearer to occupy the seat which is now being occupied by another speaker, Rt. Hon Evans Bapakay Bipi. But the question is who’s going to convene the house sitting? Rt. Hon. Evans or Rt. Hon Dan? If the both parties lack the capacity to convene a meeting of the house, then the speakership remains sacrosanct. Assembly members make and know the laws, pass laws, apply and implement laws, but cannot interpret it. Therefore, application of ignorance juris is not excuse on them.
Yes, the RSHA members have right under the law/edict/bye-law/act to sack any erring elected chairman after following the due process. But the 27 Pro-Amaechi members failed woefully by horribly appointing a caretaker chairman and members and because they failed to apply the so-called law/edict/bye-law/Act that says “in the case of suspending an erring local government council chairman, the most senior civil servant or head of service/personnel/admin head(s) becomes the caretaker chairman” perhaps this is one of the reasons the anti-Amaechi group defeated Pro-Amaechi group and elected Rt. Hon. Evans as the new speaker.
NLC/TUC would had fought a pyrrhic victory if wise people did not remind them of the above law/edict/Act and/or bye-law. Initially NLC/TUC was saying that the police should not block Obio/Akpor council’s gate against the staff, but they did not say that the right personnel should be installed as the caretaker.
As the 27 law makers got the power to wrongfully sack an elected chairman and appointed a caretaker when the council’s HPM is there, so the 5 law makers will get the power to rightfully choose another speakers to replace the former in their hallow chambers. Now, the anti-Amaechi lawmakers have crossed the rubicon sea; let the public see who’s who, ie 27vs in the house.
Let us not base our judgment on who is right, but on what’s right. ###
Bennett James
Freelance Correspondent
Writes from Port Harcourt
