Group plans protest against Wike
PDP urges Rivers governor to stop playing politics with workers' salaries
By Ernest Chinwo and Shola Oyeyipo

Five members of the Rivers State House of Assembly Monday boycotted the sitting of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the state government to look into last month’s fracas at the assembly.

The lawmakers rather approached a High Court sitting in Port Harcourt seeking, among other things, to stop the commission from going ahead with its activities on the grounds that members of the panel were appointed by the state Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, whom they alleged was a party in the crisis to be investigated by the commission.

This came as the Chief of Staff to Amaechi, Chief Tony Okocha, said the current provocations against the governor by the opposition would not make him shift focus from the development of the state.

At the resumed sitting of the commission yesterday, the other 27 lawmakers of the assembly were represented by their counsel, but the five anti-Amaechi lawmakers were neither present nor represented.
Chairman of the commission, Justice Biobele Georgewill, later adjourned until Thursday, after Mr. Ken Atsuwete, counsel to the Speaker of the assembly, Otelemaba Amachree, and the counsel, who represented the other 25 lawmakers pleaded for 24 hours extension to enable them put their documents in order.

Georgewill, however, granted the lawmakers 48 hours and called on all parties in the crisis to be free to file their memos at the commission, stressing that the panel would be fair to all.

According to him, “No kobo needs to be paid to file your memo. Just do it with the secretary of the commission. Even if you don’t have a lawyer, the commission has a lawyer for you. This commission is for everybody affected by the crisis and anybody who has one thing or the other to tell us. It is a fact-finding commission. We are not here to imprison anybody. We are out to get to the root of the matter.”

While the commission was sitting, the anti-Amaechi lawmakers, through the member representing Port Harcourt constituency III, Victor Ihunwo, approached the High Court, presided over by Justice Iyayi Lamikanra, to among other things, stop the commission from going ahead with its activities.

He argued that members of the commission were appointed by Amaechi, whom he alleged was a party in the crisis to be investigated.

In the motion he filed before the court, Ihunwo said: “That Amaechi, the 10th respondent and his government represented by the 11th respondent instigated the crisis and supervised the execution of said crisis which he now purports an inquiry into by the instrumentality of a commission of inquiry selected, appointed and inaugurated by him, that is, the so-called judicial commission of inquiry comprised the first set of respondents.

“The first set of respondents as the Judicial Commission of Inquiry instituted by the 10th respondent lacks jurisdiction to inquire into the terms of reference subject matter of the commission.

“The 10th respondent cannot be a judge in his own cause, wherein he can choose the members of the commission who are to inquire into the same crisis which he did not only precipitate but participated actively in.

“The membership of the commission as constituted is against the rule of natural justice.”

He therefore prayed for “an order of injunction restraining the second set of respondents from receiving any report from the first set of respondents, or in any manner whatsoever implementing or putting into use any report, findings or opinion tendered by or submitted by the 1st set of respondents in their capacity as a judicial commission of inquiry or under any guise whatsoever.”

The presiding judge, Lamikanra, fixed Friday for ruling on the matter.
In a related development, Amaechi’s Chief of Staff, has said the governor would not be distracted by what he described as provocations by the opposition from developing the state and giving the people the dividends of democracy.

He spoke when the chairman and council of chiefs of Ekinigbo clan in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state paid him a solidarity visit.

Okocha said: “We will refuse to be deterred. The governor (Amaechi) has refused to lose focus because of what is going on. His focus, his mission is to better the lives of our people. His vision is to put smiles on the faces of our people. His vision is to develop our people rapidly in a manner that nobody else would have done in the state. That is his mission and we are still hell-bent on it. Before the end of this month, we will be on the streets inaugurating projects so that Nigerians will now know what projects the governor has been able to do in Rivers State.”
He said the antics of the opposition would fail and lamented their unsuccessful gang-up against the governor for their personal interests.

The Chief of Staff thanked the chiefs for their support and prayers for the Amaechi administration, noting that the governor had the people’s mandate to protect the lives and property of all Rivers people.

He, however, expressed disappointment that the governor was given a bad name for taking steps against the attempted ceding of oil wells in the state to other neighbouring states.

He said the attempt to cede oil wells in the state to other neighbouring states was plotted to stifle Amaechi’s development effort in the state.

On the recent threat by the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, to make Rivers State ungovernable, the chief of staff expressed sadness over the failure of the police to invite him for questioning over his threat.

He described Wike as being ungrateful to Amaechi who brought him to the limelight, adding that the minister had also failed to protect the interests of the state.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Ekinigbo Council of Chiefs, Chief Kinikanwo Owhonda, assured the chief of staff of their support for Amaechi, and congratulated him on his appointment by the governor as chief of staff.

Meanwhile, a group, the Rivers Peoples’ Forum (RPF), has said the continued refusal of the police to arrest and prosecute Wike for openly threatening the lives of Rivers people, and the peace and security of the state would force its members to mobilise the people for ‘the mother of all protests’ to push for the arrest and prosecution of the minister.

In a statement signed by its President, Charles Bekwele, the RPF described the comments of Wike as a direct threat to the people of the state.
According to the statement, “It is a shame, an outrage that the police instead of arresting and prosecuting Wike is allowing him to arrogantly and pompously roam the streets, making more provocative and hateful comments against the state and its people.

“And this is the same police that have declared wanted and arrested supporters of Amaechi for extremely flimsy reasons. So, why are they not arresting a man, who openly threatened the people, the peace and security of the state? Is Nyesom Wike above the law?”

He said the group was ready to go to the streets to protest against the failure of the police to arrest the minister.

In a related development, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has called on Amaechi to stop playing politics with the salaries of civil servants.

The party said civil servants in the state were passing through difficult times because of unpaid salaries.

In a statement signed by Special Adviser on Media to the state Chairman, Hon. Felix Obuah, Jerry Needam, wondered why the state government should remain insensitive and unconcerned about the plight of the workers almost two weeks into a new month without salaries and with no explanation on why they should not be paid their July salaries.

He described the development as unfortunate and callous, adding that no matter the situation, "the civil servants should not be made to suffer the weaknesses and mistakes of inefficient state administrators as appears to be the case."


source: http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/anti-amaechi-lawmakers-shun-commission-of-inquiry/156176/

But why can't the anti-ameachi lawmakers come out and tell the commission of inquiry how it all started?

DeCleff: But why can't the anti-ameachi lawmakers come out and tell the commission of inquiry how it all started?

d same commission who actively participated in d fracas or anoda set of pple. U fight wit some1 & dat same person is bein made a jugde ova u, do u tink he will b fair 2 u especially wen u beat d hel out of him in d fight? Lets b sincere 2 our selves. D commission will only carry out d script written 4 dem by d governor.

I dont actually read 90% of d posts I comment on

make i first catch my space # crossez legs like a with cigar in hand # ehen wetin una bin dey tlk

Ok

just one month salary? Some states run into months.

Who go win for dis matter sef? Evryone shud try bury his hatchet for d sake of d masses in Rivers

how does this stop me from pumping my stomach this morning?

When two elephants fight...salaries will not be paid

...I pray nollywood turn diz jona vs amaechi tin to movie one day...maybe I go understand wats filminggoin on by den

At the resumed sitting of the commission yesterday, the other 27 lawmakers of the assembly were represented by their counsel, but the five anti-Amaechi lawmakers were neither present nor represented.

Why was the issue brought to the court when the anti-Amaechi lawmakers were neither present nor represented? Was it to make media awareness?

Bunch of Kindergarten politicians in Rivers state........confused people

DeCleff: But why can't the anti-ameachi lawmakers come out and tell the commission of inquiry how it all started?

I'm sure you will not implicate yourself in any matter. So, why should they?

Hmmm

Look at them,Sycophant. If power changes hand you see them make U turn where U turn is not allowed, all these chiefs going as uninvited guest will be thesame people that will castigate Ameachi soon.

Na wa o! Ameachi diz, ameachi dat, pro ameachi diz, anti ameachi dat. Pro jang diz pro jang dat. Diz pple hv left dia jobs to bgin to do blow me i blow u, make we show who get money and power pass. God go punish dem 1 day esp, wike, bipi, Pat...

WIKE is a disgrace 2 his office and entire educational sector in nigeria,how can ASUU be on strike instead of d min. 2 be puting effort 2 resolve d problm in our educational sector rather he will leave his office in abuja 2 rivers state 2 cause havorc and political crisis useing d student who ar sitting at home as torgue 2 perpetrate political crisis in rivers..there4 we dnt need a prophet or a native doctor 2 tell us dat WIKE is happy dat ASUU is on strike,there4 we d students are using d spirit of ALUTA 2 CALL 4 WIKEs resignation or sack in our educational sector,God bless NIGERIA

RUBBISH

Anti- amaechi dey fear the ghost of the mace.
The fear of mace is the beginning of wisdom.

Nonsense dis 5 men ar clowns, who appoints inec chairman nd stil contest election?