In Rivers State, a faction of the All Progressives Congress loyal to former Minister for Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has dismissed calls for a state of emergency by a rival faction.
This rival faction, led by Tony Okocha, seeks the emergency declaration due to the crisis over tenure elongation for former local government Chairpersons.
The spokesperson for the Amaechi faction, Nwauju, rejected the call for a state of emergency made by the Tony Okocha-led Caretaker Committee members of the APC in Rivers State on Wednesday. He described the members of Okocha’s faction as impostors.
“I wish to quickly inform the people of the State that the APC in Rivers State did not at any point in time hold any meeting amongst its members; or hold consultations amongst its leaders to decide that at this point in time, the best strategy or formula to nip in the bud the brewing political crisis is to demand for a ‘State of Emergency’,” Nwauju stated.
Nwauju further clarified, “There were no such consultations; there were no such meetings, and so it cannot stand as the aggregate opinion of members of the APC across the 390 wards in Rivers State. So, I want to quickly dispel such a rumour, and dismiss it as unnecessary, as illogical, and as also unpatriotic. Rivers State must have other means to settle these political issues.”
Nwauju also cautioned Okocha, highlighting the strategic role Rivers State plays in Nigeria’s economy and emphasizing the need for careful handling of political suggestions and solutions.
The APC spokesperson expressed hope for peace throughout Rivers State, stating, “Our prayer remains that the God of Heaven shall cause peace that passeth all understanding on Rivers State. May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The call for a state of emergency by the Okocha-led faction came after violence erupted over the tenure of local government council chairpersons. Following the expiration of their terms, Governor Siminalayi Fubara appointed and swore in Caretaker Committees with the approval of the Victor Oko Jumbo-led state house of assembly, loyal to the Governor. This move was rejected by some council Chairmen loyal to Nyesom Wike, Minister for the Federal Capital Territory, leading to violence in certain areas.
Okocha argued that the Governor and Police are helpless in addressing the situation, hence the necessity for a presidential declaration of a state of emergency. “The governor is helpless, the Police are helpless. Therefore, the APC in Rivers State is calling for a state of emergency in Rivers State as a way of taming the mayhem, the upsurge that is going on in the state. I call on the federal government to act fast in this regard,” Okocha asserted.
