Embattled Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State declared yesterday, in Port Harcourt, that he is ready to pay the price for his belief in democracy and stand in the current crisis in the state.
This was happening as President Goodluck Jonathan, on a state visit to China, denied any involvement in the crisis, while the President’s man-Friday, Nyesom Wike was also busy denying his role in the confusion but Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State believed that the Presidency is awash with money to engage in fight against states.
Amaechi’s position, which is his first official reaction to the Wednesday’s withdrawal of soldiers from Government House, Port Harcourt, was revealed through his Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari.
“Naturally, the governor is worried that his security has been withdrawn. But like he has said in the past, he is willing to pay the price for democracy. If that is the case, so be it,” the commissioner said.
The governor, however, regretted that only a handful of policemen and men of the State Security Service (SSS) were left with him and feared that he could not say, for sure, what could happen next, given the speed at which events were unfolding in the state.
Amaechi said “the security development in the state is most worrisome at this critical time given the alleged report in some quarters that ex-militants who were hitherto driven out of circulation are now said to have fully returned and may go back to the trenches.”
And assessing the situation when the Senate Committee on State and Local Government Administration investigating the crisis in the state visited Government House yesterday in Port Harcourt, Governor Amaechi took a pensive look and concluded that the government and people of the state are currently under siege.
Shooting in Government House: “Yesterday, they were shooting tear gas into Government House. When we were meeting with the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) today, the police claimed that it was inadvertent that they shot tear gas into Government House. So, I asked one question, supposing it was live bullet and it hit me, they said, ‘no, governor was not outside,’ but I said, I was outside, you can check,” Amaechi told the Senate committee team at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
The governor also expressed shock over the sudden withdrawal of soldiers and Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) attached to Government House, stating that in the last two months, security commanders in the state had not held meetings with him.
“We are under siege here; for two months now, we have not met with security men. Security commanders in the state don’t come to me any longer. They are either scared or they deliberately don’t want to see me. They withdrew soldiers attached to me yesterday. And this morning, they withdrew the APC attached to Government House,” Amaechi said.
Senate Investigations: Earlier, Chairman of the Senate Committee on State and Local Government Administration, Senator Kabiru Gaya, said the committee was delegated by the Senate to come to Rivers State and investigate the cause of the crisis, so as to find a workable solution to the violence and disturbances rocking the state.
“Your Excellency, yesterday (Wednesday) the 10th of July, 2013, the Senate had a meeting or session where a motion was raised by Senator Magnus Abe on the state of the situation in Rivers State. And the motion was discussed. We had two hours in the closed-door session to discuss how best to sustain our stable democracy. How best we could have the legislators perform their functions without undue interference,” Senator Gaya said.
He also noted that the Senate had condemned the fracas that happened at the state House of Assembly.
“I will also say the state was under the situation of violence and there were disturbances. Therefore, this committee was mandated by the Senate to come and investigate, and also invite other members, including stakeholders. After this courtesy visit, we have to discuss with you, Your Excellency, to know what happened from your side. We also need to talk with the Assembly members on both sides and the Commissioner of Police, the SSS as well as the JTF. We have already asked the Commissioner of Police to meet us this evening and DSS,” Senator Gaya said.
“The purpose of our mission is to ensure that peace returns to the state and to maintain good governance, so that the people in the state will relax and have peace. Because we are not happy with what we saw and what we heard, especially when we saw people walking in the streets with their hands up as if they are being interrogated or the state is at war.
“So, Your Excellency, our members are here, and as the landlord and Chief Security Officer of the state, we have come to tell you why we are in Rivers State. You must have watched what the Senate had done and what the House of Representatives did. But I believe at the end of the day, we will come out with a positive resolution in the interest of the state and the nation,” the senator further explained.
Angry thugs had taken over some strategic streets in Port Harcourt in violent protest on Wednesday, July 10. Crowd of youths sympathetic to Governor Amaechi gathered in front of Government House, while another crowd of angry youths massed at the post office end of Azikiwe Road, leading to Government House, threatening reprisal attack over the battering of Michael Chinda, one of the five lawmakers opposed to Governor Amaechi in the chamber of the House of Assembly by the Leader of the House, Chidi Lloyd, on Tuesday, 9th July.
The House had convened to consider what it termed “a minor amendment to the 2013 Budget to enable the governor implement his constituency projects.” The amendment to the Rivers State 2013 Appropriation Law was to enable the governor to take monies earlier budgeted for the use of other ministries, departments and agencies to put together N300,000 for constituency projects for each ward, on a monthly basis.
When contacted on the crisis, especially over the suddenly withdrawal of soldiers from the Governor’s security train, the Public Relations Officer of the 2 Brigade Command, Bori Camp, Major Mike Etete, said he was not aware of any withdrawal.
“I don’t know what you are talking about. I don’t know where you get your information from. But all I can tell you right now is that I don’t know whether the soldiers have been withdrawn,” he said.
Jonathan denies hand in Rivers crisis: However, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday, speaking from far away China where he is on a state visit, denied involvement in what he termed “regrettable acts of political violence” in Rivers State and asked all the parties concerned to show greater respect for the constitution and the rule of law.
In a statement by Presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, President Jonathan urged members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and all other political gladiators in the state to put the interest of the state and the nation above their personal egos and ambitions that seem to have got in the way of their expected commitment to uphold the principles of democracy and good governance.
The president called on all those who were remotely or directly involved in the heightening political tension in the state to put an immediate end to their actions which are capable of plunging the state into public disorder and strive.
He said all members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, irrespective of their current affiliations or loyalties, should comport themselves with greater restraint while efforts continued to be made to resolve existing differences and restore internal harmony to the state branch of the party.
The Presidency also noted with regret the continuing attempts by some individuals and groups to place the responsibility for the unpleasant developments in Rivers State on President Jonathan.
“We are constrained to state once again that there is absolutely no factual basis for suggestions that some of the politicians involved in the current dispute are acting at the behest of the President.
“President Jonathan certainly did not instigate the crisis in the Rivers State House of Assembly and as president of the nation, he will never support any actions that negate his avowed commitment to the rule of law.
“The President will also never violate his oath of office to always defend the Nigerian Constitution,” it was said.
Babangida Aliyu condemns Rivers crisis: Chairman of Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, yesterday condemned the political crisis in Rivers State, attributing it to the antagonistic relationship between the Federal Government and states.
He said this type of problem occurs when too much power is allocated to the centre, adding that some of the responsibilities should be devolved to the other federating units; the states and local governments.
Aliyu, who spoke yesterday while receiving the Commissioner of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission in Government House in Minna, said as long as the centre in the federation remains powerful, the problem in the country will persist.
“Unless we reduce the power at the centre and diversify some of it down to the other federating units, we won’t get it right. As long as the centre is strong, we will still have the same problem,” he explained.
He said the incident in Rivers State has created a negative image for the nation. “We all know what happened in Rivers State. Is that the image we want the world to look at? I want everyone to know that even if you have a basis for good economy, it could be spoilt by politics,” he stated.
According to Aliyu, there is too much money at the centre for the Federal Government to spend that is why they are creating problems for the states. “There is too much money for the Federal Government to swim in, that is why they can use the resources which should be used for the provision of social amenities for the people to fight.”
He further said Nigeria is in a bad shape, adding that there is need to do something about it. “I know people close to the Presidency will differ, but we are in a bad shape whether people believe it or not.”
He also condemned the role played by the state commissioner of police in the crisis, saying he “is taking instructions from the centre other than the governor; see what is happening in Rivers State where the Police of Commissioner has become the governor of Rivers State.”
He said if the revenue allocation formula is reviewed, the Federal Government should not take more than 40 percent, while the states should be given 35 percent and the local government 25 per cent.
The NSGF chairman said this formula should be tried for three years, adding that Nigerians would see the level of development that would come if this is implemented.
In his address, the Federal Commissioner of the Revenue Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Ambassador Zubairu Dada, said the existing revenue allocation formula should be reviewed in order to achieve a more balanced fiscal federalism, stressing that the current allocation formula calls for adjustment.
He said in the drafting of the revenue formula, the interest of everyone would be protected.
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