Edison Ehie: Group stages massive protest against Wike in Rivers

By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Some members of the Ekpeye ethnic nationality in Rivers have staged a peaceful protest against Nyesom Wike, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory over alleged harassment, witch-hunt and intimidation of their son, Edison Ehie, the Chief of Staff Government House, Port Harcourt.

The protesters marched through some streets in Port Harcourt demanding an end to what they described as “ugly political witch hunt of their son,Ehie,” while dismissing allegations that he had hand in the burning of Assembly Complex and the murder of SP Bako Angbashim the Divisional Police Officer of the Ahoada Division as lies.

Mrs Rose Ikem, leader of women of Upata kingdom said that they decided to embark on the protest because they are convinced that Edison Ehie was being framed with criminal charges to imprison him because he is standing solidly in support of Governor Siminalayi Fubara in his political travails.

“Our son Edison Ehie cannot did not burn the House of Assembly,he didn’t kill the DPO. He cares for widows, orphans and the poor. Wike should leave him alone”,Mrs Ikem said

Some of the placards reads:”Wike leave Edison Ehie,Others alone”.” Edison Didn’t kill DPO” among others.

Also speaking to journalists on behalf of the Ekpeye people, Apostle Jonathan Solomon, Convener of Ekpeye Movement for Peace and Growth said they are not oblivious of the fact that this harassment is obviously coming from Wike, ‘having issued several threats in public places that he has a running battle with our son, the Rt. Hon Edison Ehie.’

The protesters said Ekpeye people initially conceived political feud in Rivers State as a usual intraparty imbroglio that would be resolved amicably

But they noted that as the days went by, it became glaring that it is no longer an intra-party affair but a resolve by Nyesom Wike to ridicule their son High Chief Edison Ehie and scuttle his political dreams and vision.

See full text of statement by the protesters below

PRESS BRIEFING BY EKPEYE ETHNIC NATION ON THE INTIMIDATION AND THREAT OF ARREST ON RT. HON. EDISON OGERENYE EHIE DSSRS, PHD, CHIEF OF STAFF GOVERNMENT HOUSE, RIVERS STATE AND SOME EKPEYE YOUTHS BY THE MINISTER OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, CHIEF BARR. NYESOM WIKE:

The good people of Rivers State and gentlemen of the press, it has become pertinent that we the Ekpeye Ethnic Nation comprising the traditional institution, elites, women, and youths of Ekpeye Ethnic Nation, grant this all important press briefing.

This briefing is premeditated on the lingering accusations, threats, intimidation, and harassment of a full blooded Ekpeye son, Rt. Hon Edison Ogerenye Ehie DSSRS, PhD, the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt and some youths who are loyal to him. We are not oblivious of the fact that this harassment is obviously coming from the stable of the FCT Minister, Chief Barr Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, having issued several threats in public places that he has a running battle with our son, the Rt. Hon Edison Ehie.

At first Ekpeye people conceived the political feud in Rivers State as a usual intraparty imbroglio that would be resolved amicably but as the days went by it became glaring to us that it is no longer an intra-party affair but a resolve by Nyesom Wike to ridicule our son High Chief Edison Ehie and scuttle his political dreams and vision. We consider the consistent harassment of Rt Hon Edison Ehie and the flagrant arrest and detention of some Ekpeye youths in Abuja as instigated by Nyesom Wike as the latter’s total disregard for the Ekpeye nation. It is on the foregoing that we state as follows:

1. That the allegation on RT Hon Edison Ehie and his loyalists as being the killers of late Divisional Police Officer in Ahoada, Late SP Bako Angbashim is baseless and politically motivated considering the fact that killers of Bako have publicly testified to being guilty of the crime through viral videos and interrogations by Nigeria police. One would expect the Nigerian Police to intensify efforts in apprehending the other culprits that have been at large rather than dissipate energy in accusing a young man like Rt Hon Edison Ehie who is going about his political career diligently.

2. Late SP Bako was murdered in September 8, 2023. Investigations have been intense since then and all the suspects have been arrested and detained. Some have even been granted bail. In all of these, neither Edison nor any of his loyalists was accused, arrested nor detained in connection with Bako’s death. The call for his arrest only came from the moment he stood against the plot to impeach the executive Governor of Rivers State, Sir Sim Fubara, GSSRS.

3. Rt. Hon Edison Ehie is a distinguished High Chief in Ekpeye lane with a noble title as the Eze Ugboji Ekpeye (The King of the Youths). This revered title prohibits him from being associated with antisocial and criminal activities such as contemplating to burn down the Rivers such as contemplating to burn down the Rivers State Assembly Complex. The accusation that he masterminded the burning down of the Assembly is not only a malicious accusation but also a political gimmick by his political enemies to demonize, criminalize, incarcerate him. We the Ekpeye Ethnic Nation shall resist this at all cost.

4. We consider all these accusations on Rt. Hon Edison Ehie and the arrest and detention of his loyalists who are also Ekpeye sons as a deliberate attempt by the FCT Minister to undermine the sociopolitical relevance of the Ekpeye Ethnic Nation in the politics of Rivers State.

5. The Ekpeye Ethnic Nation Is hereby stating without restraints that we can no longer fold out arms and watch the FCT Minister, harass, intimidate, witch-hunt Ekpeye sons especially the Rt Hon Edison Ehie all in the name of proving his political weight in Rivers State. Any harassment or intimidation of Edison and his loyalists amounts to intimidation of the Ekpeye nation.

6. We also consider the recent call for the arrest of Rt Hon Edison Ehie and his supporters by the Nigeria Police as a ploy to create unrest in Rivers State as we the Ekpeye Ethnic Nation will stop at nothing to protect Ekpeye sons.

7. We want to also use this medium to thank the executive governor, His Excellency Sir Amaopusenibo Siminalayi Fubara GSSRS, for appointing the Rt Hon Edison Ehie as the Chief of Staff, Government House, Rivers State. We want to assure the Governor that Ekpeye people are solidly behind him and shall continue to be firm in our support for him.

Signed:
Apostle Jonathan Solomon
Convener, Ekpeye Movement for Peace and Growth.