Rivers state is witnessing uncertain apprehension as a result of
the recent judgements of the Rivers State Election Petitions
Tribunal that nullified the election of the State Governor,
Nyesom Wike and that of twenty members in State House of
Assembly.
The judgment of the April 11 Governorship and House of
Assembly election may not have gone down well with the
Governor Nyesom Wike-led PDP in the state, the victorious
petitioners are also not celebrating.
The tribunal nullified the election of 20 House of Assembly
members including the Speaker, Ikunyi-Owaji Ibani.
The Defendants have since gone to appeal the judgements.
Ordinarily, the petitioners, the APC and its candidates led by
Dakuku Peterside were expected to be basking in the
euphoria of their victory. Unfortunately, it is not so. The APC
openly celebrated their victory at the tribunal but it lasted
for just 24 hours.
As a first time visitor to Rivers state, it would be quite easy
to notice that the heart of the state is beating faster than
normal.
Adding more salt to the injury, the Rivers state caucus of the
PDP were thrown off balance after the ‘controversial’
confirmation of Rotimi Amaechi as Minister by the Senate
after many weeks of horse-trading.
Though Wike said he is unperturbed by the nomination of
Amaechi as a Minister, inside reports has it that he
contributed immensely to the delay in Amaechi’s clearance.
Wike at a thanksgiving programme held at the Obi Wali
International Conference Centre in Port Harcourt said, “See
how some people have made a Ministerial position a big
deal. Celebrating just because somebody was screened as if
some of us have not been a Minister before. Danagogo here
was a Minister, kenneth Kobani was also a Minister.”
Politics in Rivers state has been termed by many as priced
ego and pride.
The rift between the then Governor, Rotimi Amaechi and his
one-time subject and incumbent Governor, Nyesom Wike
has escalated to the level of bitterness and hatred.
For almost three years since the beginning of the Amaechi-
Wike grandstanding, the average Rivers citizen has been the
worst hit. The level of insecurity spiralled from bad to worst.
The IGR of the state which was pegged at more than N8b
monthly as April, 2015 (2nd to Lagos) has now dropped
drastically to less than N5b. Investors are no longer keen on
investing in the state. The economy of the state which is
knitted to government cum politics is almost grounded.
In the wake of the announcement of the outcome of the
tribunal and the subsequent confirmation of Amaechi,
newsmen got feelers that some prominent politicians in the
state have started negotiating with leaders of the APC in the
state. Some are already planning to pitch tents with the APC.
Local media in Port Harcourt reported that a meeting of
political leaders from the riverine part of Rivers State have
resolved to shun the candidature of Nyesom Wike in the
forthcoming Governorship re-run election in the state.
The elders were said to have risen from the crucial meeting
with a resolution that the ousted Rivers state governor failed
to keep to his part of their plan for appointment and
infrastructural development.
In the same vein, reports also has it that some elders
statesmen are making moves to meet with Amaechi in his
Abuja residence.
Meanwhile, Market Women under the aegis of Rivers state
Market Women Association staged a protest in the heart of
the city questioning the rationale for nullifying Wike’s
elections. The women in their number marched through the
popular Aba road in Port Harcourt, chanting solidarity songs
in support of the Governor.
Youth groups and government affiliated organisations have
also taken to the media to declare support for Wike.
Military checkpoints have been stationed in major locations
in the state. Obviously, to stem any breakdown of law and
order. The Police on the other hand has been up and doing,
raiding criminal hide-outs to reduce the proliferation of
arms.
Feeling the pulse of the people of the state, while some
strongly hold on to the belief that Wike will return re-
elected, others insist Wike lacks the capacity to rule the
state. A few others are indifferent.
One of the pro-Wike respondents, Emmanuel Cookey said,
“They should leave Wike alone. Why will they remove him.
He was the one we voted for. After All, when Jonathan lost,
he did not fight back. Wike will win even If they do this
election hundred times.”
For him, one Granville Sotonye believes that Governor Wike
will meet his waterloo if elections were re-held. He said “we
have heard information that this Governor wants to sideline
us, the Kalabari people. We have been praying for this day
to come. We supported him before because of our brother
but it cannot happen again. Our eyes are now open.”
A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, and a
Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Rivers
state, OCJ Okocha has boasted that the PDP will defeat its
closest rival, the All Progressives Congress, APC if elections
are held. OCJ Okocha who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria,
SAN has been a strong advocate of Governor Nyesom Wike.
OCJ Okocha said, “I have not gone through the judgment per
se, but I have read and heard from others who have read
the judgment and from commentators, that the main
ground upon which the judgment was delivered was that
INEC officials did not comply with their regulation which
stipulated that they should accredit voters with the card
reader machine.’’
One of the Lawmakers whose election was upheld by the
tribunal, Hon. James Ogbonda told House of Assembly
correspondents that , “the House is not deterred by the
outcome of the tribunal but I want to assure our people that
the business of government will not stop. We don’t need to
appear at the Appeal court anymore. Our Lawyers will do
that. We are back in the state to make sure we run
government. We will take back our mandate. ”
However, as the national leadership of the PDP called for a
crucial meeting with governor’s bearing its flag, the Local
chapter of the party called for an emergency stakeholders
meeting. The meeting which held in the morning of Friday,
Oct. 30 was called to inform members about the need to “go
back to the grassroots and start stimulating the people for a
possible election re-run”, according to sources. The meeting
was led by the Acting National chairman of the party, Uche
Secondus, Governor Nyesom Wike, Senators of the 3
Senatorial zones in the state and other members of the
National Assembly and State Assembly as well as leaders
and elders of the party representing all the 23 Local
government areas in the state.
In the long run, it is quite hard to say who will be favoured.
The Dakuku Peterside-led APC is strongly optimistic that the
Appeal court will uphold the judgment of the tribunal. The
Governor Nyesom Wike team also shares the same
optimism with the belief that the Appeal court judgement
between Ambode v. Agbaje has set a precedent for them to
regain their mandate especially on the use of the Card



http://dailypost.ng/2015/11/04/wikes-judgment-amaechis-confirmation-a-state-coated-in-uncertainty/

Ok

I can't wait for that choky wike to fall of that seat.




Thief!

BALLOSKI:
I can't wait for that choky wike to fall of that seat
Thief!

Oyind17:

BALLOSKI:

Na who you dey make face for

Oyind17:

Na who you dey make face for

u of course.

BALLOSKI:
u of course.

leave wike for me abeg

Oyind17:

leave wike for me abeg

he must fall.