THE Rivers State Government has disagreed with the former President of the Nigerian Bar
Association, Chief Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), on the
recognition of Sir Celestine Omehia as an ex-
governor of the state.
The State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, had on
June 25, 2015, restored the rights and benefits of
Omehia as a former governor of the state while
hanging his (Omehia) portrait on the wall in the
Government House, Port Harcourt.
Omehia, who was sworn in as the governor of
the state on May 29, 2007, was replaced by Mr.
Rotimi Amaechi on October 25, 2007 through the verdict of the Supreme Court.
Since then, Omehia was not recognised as a
former governor of the state by the immediate
past administration.
Wike’s action seems not to have gone down well
with Agbakoba, who described Omehia’s
recognition as a former governor as useless,
unnecessary and capable of overheating the
system.
But the State Commissioner for Housing and
former spokesman to Omehia, Mr. Emma Okah,
maintained that the state government had the
powers to accord a special privilege to anybody
without reference to any court judgement.
Expressing surprise that the reconciliatory and
uniting action of the state governor could annoy
Agbakoba, Okah said in a statement in Port
Harcourt on Sunday that litigants could still seek
peace outside court ruling as such a step would
heal old wounds.
According to him, “This is purely a political
concession, far away from the courts. There
must be an end to acrimony and bitterness or
politics of hate. As a people, we should
encourage harmony, peace and consensus
building so that we can put the agony of
yesterday behind us and together, move the
state to greater heights.
“In all jurisdictions, litigants can still seek peace
outside the court room or even after judgement
and such agreements calm frayed nerves and
heal wounds better and faster. A time comes
when as leaders, you need to think outside the
box to solve political problems and create
happiness for the people.
“Nigeria did the same for Chief Ernest Shonekan
who headed the Interim Government, which the
Court declared as illegal. In Ekiti State, Governor
Ayo Fayose accorded similar recognition to Chief
Segun Oni, even though the court said he was
not a governor in law. People are happy with
these situations and that of Rivers State cannot
be different.
Okah further said that Agbakoba had more
pressing things to worry about in Nigeria like the
current developments in the National Assembly
where statesmen “like him” were expected to
sound their voice for democracy instead of
dabbling into Rivers politics and its complex
dynamics.
He expressed surprise that as a respected
Senior Advocate who has stood for the down-
trodden over the years, Agbakoba was among
those who kept mute and played no major role
to reprimand Amaechi when his administration
in Rivers State locked the courts and
emasculated the judiciary for over one year.
“Many thought that Chief Agbakoba would have
risen to the occasion, but the plight and agony of
detainees, lawyers, judges, litigants and judicial
stakeholders arising from the closure of courts
could not move him to strongly condemn the
evils that Amaechi inflicted on the judiciary.
“Even the emasculation of the legislative arm of
government by the same Amaechi
administration, who moved their sittings to the
banquet hall of Government House, Port
Harcourt was not enough to catch the attention
of our respected Agbakoba at a time when many
well-meaning Nigerians saw it as an aberration
and embarrassment to democracy,” Okah
added.

www.punchng.com/news/rivers-disagree-with-agbakoba-over-omehias-ex-gov-status/

News for d gods... As long as lagos is working....... I care less bout otha states

Omehia is a former gov as long as he acted on behalf of rivers people even if it's for one day.

INTROVERT:

Round the clock poster

Rivers now on d news 247. B4 it was Ekiti.
Fayose don rest

INTROVERT:
Omehia is a former gov as long as he acted on behalf of rivers people even if it's for one day.

we talking law here my sister.As far as the law is concerned, he wasn't a former governor.

How does river state government disagree when it was Wike that granted the recognition.
Amaechi Judas should try harder with his lies. Nonsense

My frnd he was sworn in as one.

Jorussia:
we talking law here my sister.As far as the law is concerned, he wasn't a former governor.

gobizzy101:
My frnd he was sworn in as one.

the law court said he shouldn't have been sworn in,which declared that in the eyes of the law,he wasn't a former governor.

What's the difference between Celestine Omehia and Ernest Shonekan?

I challenge even Agbakoba to explain.

What happened in Rivers is not different from what transpired in Ekiti last year, where Fayose restored the privileges of the current Vice Chairman of APC (South West), Engr Segun Oni.

He had his rights and privileges stripped by Fayemi, who claimed Oni's tenure was not recognized in law because the court removed him.


Agbakoba's analysis is at best an academic exercise ...