Published April 12, 2020
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Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike


Chukwudi Akasike

Rivers State Government said on Saturday that Caverton Helicopters flew in over 220 passengers to the state without allowing health professionals from the state to ascertain their coronavirus status.

State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr Paulinus Nsirim, said that the firm also refused to avail the state government the contacts of the passengers so that they could be traced and tested.



Recall that two pilots working with Caverton Helicopters and 10 passengers were arrested and arraigned before a Chief Magistrates’ Court in Port Harcourt for allegedly flouting a no-flight order by the state government.

But Nsirim, who spoke with newsmen in Port Harcourt, urged the Federal Government to direct its business associates to subject themselves to health checks to ascertain their COVID-19 status.

He pointed out that before the arrest of the two pilots and 10 passengers, the state government had warned Caverton and other operators to make sure that their pilots and passengers were tested by Rivers health officials, adding that the company (Caverton) disregarded the warning.

“Before their arrests, the Rivers State Government issued several warnings to Caverton and other operators to ensure that their pilots and passengers are tested by Rivers State health authorities. Caverton Helicopters disregarded the warnings.

“They were arrested because they constantly contravened the Executive Order issued by the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, which requires that everyone coming into the state for essential duties subject themselves to mandatory health checks to ascertain their coronavirus status.

“At the last count, Caverton Helicopters ferried over 220 passengers into the state without allowing health professionals of the Rivers State Government ascertain their coronavirus status. They also refused to avail the state government their contacts; so, they can be traced and tested,” he said.

Meanwhile, a professor of Law, Nnamdi Obiaraeri, said Wike overstepped his constitutional bounds by ordering the arrest of two Caverton helicopter pilots.

The don said aviation matters were reserved in the Exclusive Legislative List.



He said, “It is irrefutable that Governor Wike’s primary training as a lawyer and the myriads of powerful positions he had occupied cumulatively place him above the precarious or vulnerable position where he can claim ignorance of the law or ill-knowledge on how the affairs of state should be run at the local, state and federal levels.

“Pointedly, Governor Wike ought to know the laws of the country and the interrelationships between a state and the Federal Government.

“He ought to know the powers donated by the constitution to the Federal Government in the Exclusive Legislative List and avoid clashes therein because of exuberance, overzealousness or outright indiscretion.

“He ought to know that aviation, including airports, safety of aircraft and carriage of passengers and goods by air, are listed as item 3 in the Exclusive Legislative List etched in Part 1 of the Second Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended.”

Obiaraeri said in view of the above constitutional provision, the recent arrest, detention, prosecution and remand of Caverton helicopter pilots for flying oil services personnel into an airline facility in Port Harcourt by Wike was questionable.

He said, “Governor Wike ought to reasonably know that the Rivers State Government is subordinated to the Federal Government of Nigeria in matters listed in the Exclusive and or the Concurrent Legislative Lists.

“Governor Wike cannot claim ignorance of all these strong but elementary constitutional provisions on devolution of powers and competencies between the federal and state governments as tiers of government.

“The need to fight the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic with vigour in Rivers State in particular and Nigeria in general is imperative but it does not require provoking a constitutional crisis or sustaining an avoidable showdown (political or otherwise) with the Federal Government.

Confused governor.

Be fighting everybody all the time .

Fight traditional rulers
Fight Caverton
Locked out people from entering Rivers from Abia state.
Fight aviation people. Can rivers survive as an island?
Policy somersault on COVID-19 relaxation

He should calm down

A lawyer that does not behave like one. Better take Prof Nnamdi Obiaraeri's advice

I pity Wike

Prof Obiaraeri got it all wrong. Wike is not contesting Nigeria's airspace and airports with the Federal Govt, he has never and will never. He isn't insisting he must be the one to grant flying permit to Caverton and other airline operators, however given the executive order (which he has powers to issue) anyone steeping into Rivers State must subject himself to COVID 19 check by health officials.

Caverton and their passengers are not exempted from compliance with the order. He has warned severally against Caverton, what did the FG and Prof Obiaraeri do?

Okay

Globad:
Confused governor.

Be fighting everybody all the time .

Fight traditional rulers
Fight Caverton
Locked out people from entering Rivers from Abia state.
Fight aviation people. Can rivers survive as an island?
Policy somersault on COVID-19 relaxation

He should calm down

A lawyer that does not behave like one.

I like wike. He's fearless.

See how he has silenced Amaechis mouth in Rivers State and turned him into a lame duck, only Woke could do that.

I like strong and fearless men bro.

kutchs:
Prof Obiaraeri got it all wrong. Wike is not contesting Nigeria's airspace and airports with the Federal Govt, he has never and will never. He isn't insisting he must be the one to grant flying permit to Caverton and other airline operators, however given the executive order (which he has powers to issue) anyone steeping into Rivers State must subject himself to COVID 19 check by health officials.

Caverton and their passengers are not exempted from compliance with the order. He has warned severally against Caverton, what did the FG and Prof Obiaraeri do?

Pls put the executive order here

What are the powers of state governors under the Quarantine Act





8. State quarantine and powers
If and to the extent that any declaration under section 2 or 3 or this Act has not been
made, and to the extent that regulations under section 4 of this Act have not been made
by the President, power to make any such declaration and to make such regulations may
be exercised in respect of a State, by the Governor thereof as fully as such power may be
exercised by the President, and subject to the same conditions and limitations.

The President did not make any declaration about Rivers state.

The law is that IF the president has not already made a declaration the governor can to the same extent as the president can

itsme01:
I pity Wike

Pity yourself instead. Wike is doing just fine. He is a powerful man.

Labour Union had already given him 1 week to release those people he arrested, otherwise, they would withdraw all essential services including fuel supplies and all aviation services to rivers state. I'd love to see how he survives when they turned the heat on him!!!



I AM DONE TALKING

The quarantine act is Federal legislation.
The quarantine act gives powers to the governors
Therefore the question of Exclusive list does not come into it
The question is what powers does the quarantine act give the governors

ChoCho54:
I like wike. He's fearless.

See how he has silenced Amaechis mouth in Rivers State and turned him into a lame duck, only Woke could do that.

I like strong and fearless men bro.

The current fight may have business implications for his state. Amaechi's one is political. He is free to fight political fights. He should be careful on business ones because the state may suffer.

Globad:


The current fight may have business implications for his state. Amaechi's one is political. He is free to fight political fights. He should be careful on business ones because the state may suffer.

Still I say don't worry.

If caverton leaves, millions are yearning to take their place

JAMO84:
Labour Union had already given him 1 week to release those people he arrested, otherwise, they would withdraw all essential services including fuel supplies and all aviation services to rivers state. I'd love to see how he survives when they turned the heat on him!!!



I AM DONE TALKING

You forgot who you are dealing with. He has been in tighter situations but always trashed his traducers.
Weep not for him but for your children.

Globad:
Confused governor.

Be fighting everybody all the time .

Fight traditional rulers
Fight Caverton
Locked out people from entering Rivers from Abia state.
Fight aviation people. Can rivers survive as an island?
Policy somersault on COVID-19 relaxation

He should calm down

A lawyer that does not behave like one. Better take Prof Nnamdi Obiaraeri's advice

Wetin abians Dey enter rivers to do?

can't dey sit at one place?

ChoCho54:
You forgot who you are dealing with. He has been in tighter situations but always trashed his traducers.
Weep not for him but for your children.

By the special grace of Almighty Allah, my Children are fine. Why should I weep for them!!!

MelesZenawi:



Wetin abians Dey enter rivers to do?

can't dey sit at one place?

Because they are neighboring state.

ChoCho54:
Still I say don't worry.

If caverton leaves, millions are yearning to take their place

Where are the millions now? In this coming recession. Na so?

Okay. The governor should insist they should not come back o. He should not calm down at all. He should kick them out

JAMO84:
Labour Union had already given him 1 week to release those people he arrested, otherwise, they would withdraw all essential services including fuel supplies and all aviation services to rivers state. I'd love to see how he survives when they turned the heat on him!!!



I AM DONE TALKING

It is a mere threat.
Will you clap for Caverton if they fly people into Lagos state during this lockdown without the consent of Sanwo-Olu?

MelesZenawi:



Wetin abians Dey enter rivers to do?

can't dey sit at one place?

Inter state movement is under FG. It's a surprise you don't know.

It's not right to prevent people from abia from entering rivers.

ChoCho54:
Still I say don't worry.
If caverton leaves, millions are yearning to take their place

Where will Caverton leave and go to? Osun state?

Globad:

Inter state movement is under FG. It's a surprise you don't know.
It's not right to prevent people from abia from entering rivers.

When there's a lockdown? Ignorance!

MelesZenawi:



I hv the right to direct you..

You have a right to be unintelligent
That is true

Globad:


Inter state movement is under FG. It's a surprise you don't know.

It's not right to prevent people from abia from entering rivers.

The quarantine Act gives the governors the exact same powers that it gives the president
So the governors have the power to shut down their state

Unless there is another legislation you are talking about but as far as the Quarantine Act is concerned the governors can do everything the President can do

The caveat is IF the president has not already acted
If the president acted first as in Lagos then the governor cannot

It is like a pregnancy, imagine a woman married to two husbands number 1 and number2
Number1 has the primary sleeping rights but if he does not act and number 2 does and the woman gets pregnant then that is it Number 1 cannot remove the pregnancy

Don't take my word for it. Read the Act

I agree that there is room for different interpretations but the FG should quickly approach the Supreme Court.
That is for the Attorney General to do not the aviation minister

The FG is trying to overrule or create exemptions for a quarantine already in place.
The question is with what power.

The quarantine act is a federal government legislation. So exclusive live has nothing to do here. The constitution anticipates delegation of powers to states by the National Assembly
The Federal government has the power to repeal the law and vest quarantine power exclusively in the President but if they don't Wike has the power to shut down Rivers state

omonnakoda:


You have a right to be unintelligent That is true

And more right to put your intelligence to work than been dormant.

omonnakoda:


You have a right to be unintelligent That is true

And more right to put your intelligence to work than been dormant.

kutchs:
Prof Obiaraeri got it all wrong. Wike is not contesting Nigeria's airspace and airports with the Federal Govt, he has never and will never. He isn't insisting he must be the one to grant flying permit to Caverton and other airline operators, however given the executive order (which he has powers to issue) anyone steeping into Rivers State must subject himself to COVID 19 check by health officials.

Caverton and their passengers are not exempted from compliance with the order. He has warned severally against Caverton, what did the FG and Prof Obiaraeri do?

How is sanwo olu coping without any conflict with the government he took his health personnel into the airport to check the temperature and were possible quarantine anybody coming into Lagos which the federal government is in support of that.
You don't have to be so rigid to everything
How can you lockdown a stat 100 percent .
If it was emergency by air ?

Smithkafors:
Because they are neighboring state.

Then let them wait till Wike opens his gate again.

Globad:

Inter state movement is under FG. It's a surprise you don't know.
It's not right to prevent people from abia from entering rivers.

Shut it.
Governors has right to make quarantine regulations.

JAMO84:
Labour Union had already given him 1 week to release those people he arrested, otherwise, they would withdraw all essential services including fuel supplies and all aviation services to rivers state. I'd love to see how he survives when they turned the heat on him!!!



I AM DONE TALKING

You always sound very foolish. Can’t you comprehend? Subject yourself to COVID-19 screening if you must fly in. No one said they shouldn’t fly in.

MelesZenawi:


And more right to put your intelligence to work than been dormant.

OK I have noticed you.
Go and play now.l need to meet some adults