Ernest Chinwo 
A mild drama played out Monday at Rumuigbo Community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State as broom-wielding youths nearly lynched the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in-charge of Special Area, Rumuodomaya, Mr. Allwell Akwuonu, who led a team of policemen to stop the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area.

It took the intervention of the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Chief Tony Okocha, to stop the incensed youths from pouncing on the policemen at the Rumuigbo Civic Hall.

The Rumuigbo incident came just as youth, suspected to be members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stopped the inauguration of the APC at Okehi, headquarters of Etche Local Government Area.

Trouble started at Rumuigbo when Akwuonu, a chief superintendent of police, came into the Rumuigbo Civic Hall venue of the rally organised by APC in Obio/Akpor Ward 12, saying that he had orders to prevent the rally from holding in the community.

When the DPO failed to convince the organisers of the rally, led by former member of the House of Representatives, Chief Ike Chinwo, to stop the gathering, he left the venue.
He however returned later with reinforcement to stop the event.

His return seemed to have angered the crowd who pounced on him with their brooms. The intervention of Okocha, who pleaded with the supporters, however saved the DPO.

On sensing danger, the policemen, who had come with the DPO in three Toyota Hilux vans, shot severally into the air to stop the APC supporters from advancing towards them.
The shooting did not scare the partymen, but as soon as the DPO made his way into his vehicle, the policemen sped away from the venue.

Addressing the APC supporters before the police interruption, Okocha, an indigene of Rumuigbo community, said no amount of intimidation by security agencies would stop the people of the state from identifying with Amaechi.

He stated that the governor had left the PDP for the APC and would never return to the party again.

Meanwhile, at Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, the Head of Personnel Management (HPM), Mr. Azubuike Singer, has accused the Chairman, Prince Timothy Nsirim, of holding the council hostage following his refusal to accept the dissolution of the council by Amaechi.

The state government had on November 28 announced the dissolution of the council, a decision already being resisted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and members of the dissolved council, led by the chairman, Nsirim.

But Singer said yesterday while addressing journalists in Port Harcourt that Nsirim’s refusal to hand the council’s papers over to him as directed by Amaechi had stalled activities at the council secretariat as staff could not work and get paid.


Appealing to the dissolved council to obey the law and rather challenge the state’s government’s decision in court, Singer warned people doing business in the council area to desist from transacting with the dissolved council, even as he warned against entertaining tax collectors as the council had not sent anybody out to demand for tax and levy payments.

He said, “I’ve come to state here clearly that the people of Obio/Akpor local government area, banks and private business organisations operating in the area should not regard or honour any document inform of letter or announcement signed by Hon Timothy Nsirim and in view of this, I want to advise that all doing business in the area; banks and others should not honour any individual who has come in the name of revenue collection because I understand that some people are going about impounding people’s vehicles, seizing properties in the name of revenue collection.

“Please I want to use this opportunity to warn that since the dissolution council has not authorised any person to collect revenue on her behalf. We are therefore saying that all those who have not paid their levies and taxes for the year 2013 should go straight to the designated banks and pay their revenues, not to any individual. The council is dissolved and is dissolved.

“I therefore use this medium again to appeal to all aggrieved persons, in the course of this dissolution should go to the court and present their matters and allow the civil service to continue rather than disorganising the civil service. Workers are scattered here and there, they are not allowed to do their works. This is not proper, civil service has to go on; government’s job must go on. People depend on what they are paid at the end of the month, there are a lot of dependants, if the salary is not paid it is not proper. So I want to advise workers also to go about their normal duties as arrangement to pay their salaries is being made.

“You can see that here with me are directors of the council, Nsirim is holding the council hostage and the best I will advise for him is to give way so that the civil work of the council can continue. He should go to court and address his matter.”


Source: Thisday

I thought they said APC had no supporters in Rivers State? So what is happening? The revolution has just begun! Amaechi for President 2015!

mteew! I think say na J.J. Okocha them dey tuk about.

Una do pass this one for my state(anambra).in the end,we all know who wld go with the crown.mtchew,yeye ofenmanus

Rivers State looks too dirty always, what is amaechi doing with all the money ?

They haven't seen anything. This is just the beginning. My LGA next!

1 Million Policemen won't stop APC in Rivers State.

Wike GDI inaugurates his GDI and PDP every monthly without the disruption of policemen.

TheRevolutionWillNotBeTelevised!

No matter the intimidation, APC is going places in Rivers state!

Billyonaire: Rivers State looks too dirty always, what is amaechi doing with all the money ?

He is keeping it for you 'slowpoke'

So every area in Nigerian cities are clean?

Will your brothers stop hawking and trading everywhere in Port Harcourt.

Truth be told Port Harcourt is still under reconstruction because the City has expanded so much. These places called PH weren't called called so six years ago. There are sevaral nice roads in Port Harcourt. But, Rumuigbo a place still under construction. Whoever becomes the next Governor of Rivers State will take Amaechi's glory cos most of his project are almost completed and some still on going. What remains for the next man in saddle to do is to plant flowers and continue the greater Port Harcourt project or possibly concentrate on Oyigbo which need serious attention.

op knowing that most people are not inrerested in amaechi's personal problem which he is trying hard to make a state problem these days you used the name"okocha"on your thread.only one okocha is very popular and you banked on that

A great wind of change is moving across the land.

boss1310: op knowing that most people are not inrerested in amaechi's personal problem which he is trying hard to make a state problem these days you used the name"okocha"on your thread.only one okocha is very popular and you banked on that

How is this Amaechi's personal problem. The chief of staff to the Governor saved the useless DPO from been lynched by the crowd after he interrupted a ward rally.

@levelszik:
Una do pass this one for my state(anambra).in the end,we all know who wld go with the crown.mtchew,yeye ofenmanus

Anambra is different from Rivers State case. In the latter case, the Governor, 2 Senators and 10 House of Rep members including majority of House of Assembly members including almost all the LGA chairmen have left for APC while the Anambra is just the Senator and 1 rep member.

kel4soft:

Anambra is different from Rivers State case. In the latter case, the Governor, 2 Senators and 10 House of Rep members including majority of House of Assembly members including almost all the LGA chairmen have left for APC while the Anambra is just the Senator and 1 rep member.

let me say sometin,all dis LGA chairmen ur talking about in rivers state didn't win any election.they were hand picked by d governor in pdp primaries and given the PDP flag,and because rivers state is a PDP state they had there way, not like they were popular or were influencial in there LGA.so moving with governor is insignificant becos they have no political clout.next year is lga election,let's see how many lga APC will will win.

After all said and done we the people in Rivers State know who we support and that's Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. I am fully on ground here and nobody can argue this one with me.

If the common ijaws themselves are allowed to freely express themselves
My guess is they will reject jonathan