7th October, 2022
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
The Rivers chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC has reacted to the de-recognition of Celestine Omehia as the ex-governor of the state by members of the state ose of Assembly on Thursday.
The lawmakers had yesterday passed a bill recognizing Omehia as a former Governor of Rivers State.
They also asked him to refund all the monetary benefits that he has enjoined since his status as a former governor was restored despite his sack as governor by the Supreme Court after few months in office.
When the bill passed by the lawmakers is signed into law by Governor Nyesom Wike today (Friday October 7) Omehia will have seven days to payback a total of over N696 million as entitlements paid to him up to September 2022 as former Governor as calculated by the lawmakers.
But the APC, in a press statement signed by its acting Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju, said the recognition of Omehia after he was sacked as governor by the Supreme Court of 25th of October 2007 as itself an act of brazen lawlessness by members of Rivers House of Assembly.
“Rivers State House of Assembly brazenly committed an affront on the 25th of October 2007 judgement of the Supreme Court of Nigeria which declared that in the eyes of the law, Sir Celestine Omehia was never a Governor of Rivers State.
“Back then in 2015, it was politically correct to recognise Omehia but with the political realities of today, it’s no longer expedient!”
The party queried why a State Assembly which maliciously disregarded the letters and spirit of the October 25 2007 judgement, turn around to shamelessly demand that the privileges Omehia enjoyed as a result of its infantile rascality in 2015, be refunded within 7days.
“Should the Rivers State House of Assembly not be apologizing to Rivers people by now for poor representation?”
APC however warned that the deployment of political might in Rivers State and the obvious abuse of such powers is a danger signal to the growth of democracy in Rivers State.
The opposition party lamented that the House of Assembly which should should serve as the bastion of democracy and the voice and conscience of Rivers people, has been reduced to the Governor’s lackey and attack dog against the Governor’s perceived political enemies.
