Activities surrounding the current administration of Rivers State led by Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd) is an indication that he will soon handover to the suspended democratic governance in the State.Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Prof Ngozi Odu and other democratic officers of the State were suspended by President Bola Tinubu on March 18, 2925, following a political crisis in the state.President Tinubu had during the announcement of the suspension, declared an emergency rule, which was scheduled to last for six months. The expiration of the rule as announced is expected to end on September 18, this year.Meanwhile, in the past days, Sole Administrator Ibas has been expressing the indication that he would soon exit the office, just as he claimed that he has fulfilled the mandate by the presidency.
On Friday, during a visit by the officials of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to the Government House, Port Harcourt, Vice AmiralI bas said “Mr President’s mandate to me was clear: to stabilize the state, create an enabling environment for the re-establishment of its institutions, and return Rivers State back to full democratic governance. “With the successful conduct and swearing-in of local government chairmen and their councils, I believe we have decisively achieved the mandate that we were given”, he expressed. Again, the Secretary to the State Government, under Ibas administration, Prof. Ibibia Worika, announced that there would be a transition thanksgiving service today (Sunday), as part of activities to welcome back the suspended democratic government of the State. “Rivers State is pleased to invite the Permanent Secretaries, Local Government Chairmen, Heads of State Security and Paramilitary Agencies, Traditional Rulers, Chairmen and members of Boards and Governing Councils, Captains of industries, Government Officials and invited guests to the Inter-Denominational Church Thanksgiving Service, as part of transition activities to usher in Democratic Governance in Rivers State”, Worika announced.
Meanwhile, following the development, civil society group, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, others have set goals for the returning government led by Governor Fubara.Chairman of the Rivers State Civil Society Organisation, Enefaa Georgewill, who insisted that the emergency rule was illegal, said it is expected the governor when returned should investigate the financial record of the state. Georgewill said “It is our position that the elected governor will be returned on September 18. We will be expecting him and immediately investigate the financial record of Rivers State within these six months. “A high-level powered committee should be set up to give us a run through of the resources of Rivers State because we had elected the governor, and unfortunately a quasi-military succession was appointed. We expected that the person we had elected will make sure that he uses an independent panel to investigate how our resources have gone down within this period. ”He continued “We noticed that almost all the projects that were going on in the State simultaneously; the major roads, ring road which is the flash ship project of this administration, and several other projects like the Civil Servants quarters for low-income earners and so many other projects all stopped. Meanwhile, the resources for both internally generated and from internal sources like the federal government kept on coming. We suspect that there will be financial misappropriation, even if the so-called House of Assembly has not been completed.“We equally want the governor to stand firm and represent Rivers people. For us to think that he is neither here nor there wouldn’t help the situation. As a governor, he should make sure that he carries everybody along”, he stated.On his part, Chief Eze Chukwuemka, a prominent chieftain of the APC in the state, who noted that based on the president declaration, the emergency will be ended on September 18, said “Let us just pray that the characters involved knowing how untrustworthy they are will honour this set date by lifting the atrocious State of emergency”. He alleged that the reasons for the declaration was to “plunder and loot the treasure of Rivers State; To humiliate the State and her people by taking over illegally the political structure(s) of the State“Most importantly to ensure that Rivers State doesn’t progress ahead of Lagos State by destroying her economic base and the speed in which Governor Sim Fubara was driving the State progressively”. Eze alleged that “a son of Rivers State is used as a tool to accomplish these illegalities and wickedness against the State. The future will determine if the people of Rivers State accept these attempts to undermine the progress of the State by doing their best to reclaim the State from these undemocratic and unprincipled fellows”. Speaking on the recent comment by the Sole Administrator that he has achieved his mandate in the State, the APC chieftain said “he has achieved the purpose and aim of the State of emergency in order to achieve the above three factors of plundering the Treasure of the State, hijack the political structure of the State by organising illegal Local Govt Election and to ensure that the State doesn’t progress politically and economically”.
On what he expects from the governor when he returns to office, Eze expressed “This is a tricky question because I don’t know if the Governor has any agenda contrary to whatever is contained in the so-called Peace Accord which has nothing to do with the progress of the State. Should it go against the contents of the Peace Accord they will come after him as he has cheapened himself before these people by allowing his powers as a Governor reduced to the level of being a puppet for Tinubu and Wike to achieve their evil plots against Rivers State and her people”.
On the future development of the state, he said “I am a very sad man living to witness these evil days in Rivers State where pride and great people of Rivers State are reduced to a laughing stock.
It is unfortunate and sad that Nigerians should watch and do nothing by allowing the illegalities in Rivers State to happen which is not checked will impact very negatively on Nigeria and her democracy comes 2027.”
Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
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