The Rivers State government and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have accused the Supervising Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike and Honourable Evans Bipi, a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly representing Ogu-Bolo Constituency and leader of a gang of 6 rebel legislators, as well as the GDI, a political group funded by Wike, of complicity in the bombing and razing of a High Court in Ahoada East Local Government of the state.
Rivers Information Commissioner, Ibim Semenitari in a chat with journalists at the Ministry of Justice in Port Harcourt said, “The bombing and arson look like the handiwork of people who are close to Mr. Wike and Mr. Bipi.”
She further linked the Grassroot Development Initiative, GDI, the political platform of Wike, to the violence saying, “We don’t know what the intentions of the arsonists are but it may not be unconnected with the on-going court cases in both courts which are related to the current political crisis in the state…”
The Rivers State chapter of the APC also accused “agents of undemocratic elements” saying, “Those that perpetuated this heinous act may not be far from those who are not comfortable with the ruling of His Lordship, Hon. Justice C. N. Wali, of 16th December 2013 barring Hon. Evans Bipi, leader of the G6 rebel members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, from parading himself as Speaker of the Assembly.”
Part of the statement by the APC signed by Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, SSA Media and Public Affairs to the Interim State Chairman, APC Rivers State read: “It is on record that the Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) sponsored by Chief Nyesom Wike, the Supervising Minister of Education, has over the time condemned this ruling of the Ahoada East High Court because it threw a spanner in its plot to use the rebel lawmakers led by Bipi to impeach Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in a House of 32 members. But the question we need to ask is, does the bombing of this court make Hon Bipi the Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly? One would have expected this group of misfits to challenge the ruling of the High Court at Ahaoda East in a higher court instead of sponsoring this act that exposes them as agents of violence.
The record exposing the agenda of this misguided group for Rivers State and her people as violence prone was exhibited few days ago when security agencies in Rivers State caught six youths with various sophisticated and dangerous arms at Ogu the home town of Senator Sekibo and Hon Bipi. The suspects have been linked to Senator George Sekibo and Hon. Evans Bipi, both chieftains of the state chapter of the PDP led by Chief Wike, the Supervising Minister of Education, whose determination to destabilise the administration of Governor Amaechi is well known to all and sundry.
“The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) under the leadership of Chief (Dr.) Davies Ibiamu Ikanya strongly condemns this desperation by the PDP to turn Rivers State into a theatre of violence. Nigeria already has enough trouble to contend with! Dr. Ikanya therefore called on President Goodluck Jonathan to use his good offices to call PDP Leadership in Rivers State to order before they plunge Rivers State into a monumental and unprecedented chaos that will disrupt our hard democracy
Dr Ikanya further states that it is most unfortunate if the report we read in today’s Daily Independent is true that our mother and sister the First Lady of Nigeria, Mrs. Patience Jonathan has ordered the Police Commissioner CP Joseph Mbu to release the six alleged youths that was caught with these illegal arms and that the arms should be also be released to the youths as well.
Though we know that CP Mbu knowing very well the implication of carrying out such an unfortunate instruction if it is true will have both on the security and lives of Rivers State and her people and the perception of the International Community on our country unless it is proven that we now operate a lawless society. we expect him for the interest of Rivers State and the image of our dear country not only arraign these youths been used by these misguided politicians to terrorise innocent people of Rivers State before a competent court but ensure that those behind them are brought to book accordingly.
All these notwithstanding, for the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state that this act of hooliganism and terrorism will not do Rivers State and its citizens any good. We therefore urge the security organs not to treat this issue with kid’s glove but with all amount of seriousness unearth those behind this wicked act as God will not allow these enemies of democracy to turn Rivers State into a war zone.
Rivers State people based on the wicked acts of the PDP led Federal Government against Rivers State and her people have rejected PDP and they should accept their self-inflicted woes and allow peace to reign in the State!
We are aware that the present PDP in Rivers State under Chief Wike is violence prone but we wish to reiterate that no amount of violence and intimidation will cause us to surrender the mandate freely given to us by the Rivers State people to a group that have demonstrated total disdain to democratic principles!.
On behalf of Rivers APC, Dr. Ikanya wishes to plead with the good people of Rivers State not to despair but join Governor Amaechi to fight these misguided elements who have vowed to stop at nothing to bring the state to its knees just because of their personal differences with Governor Amaechi.”
