Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Otelemaba Dan Amachree, has raised the alarm over a plot by the Federal Government to withdraw security aides of Governor Rotimi Amaechi and some top state officials.
In a letter entitled ‘Disruption of Democracy and Rule of Law – Anarchy looms in Rivers State’ which he sent to President Goodluck Jonathan, Amachree warned that any attempt to cause crisis in the South-South state “is an evil wind that will blow no one any good”.
The letter reads: “Your Excellency Sir, Since the 15th of April 2013 when an Abuja High Court upturned the election of a legitimate and duly elected state Executive Committee of the PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP) led by Chief G.U.AKE, all has not been well in Rivers State.
“Your Excellency Sir, it is important to note that since this development, Rivers State is witnessing, with unending shock and awe, the creeping fashion of daylight illegality and disorder. As stakeholders in the Nigeria democratic project and legitimate representatives of our people as well as strong collaborators in your Excellency’s emergence as PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA we seek to use this medium to inundate you of the developments, their implications for Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole and pray your presidential intervention.
“In lieu of our oath of office as a legislature, let us reiterate our unwavering commitment and loyalty to the constitution and people of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria especially the people of Rivers State. We have absolute, unshaken and unflinching confidence in you as PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA and in the leadership of Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as the Executive Governor of Rivers State. We shall defend and promote the collective social contract vested in our mandate.
“Your Excellency Sir, we are alarmed and disturbed by the planned withdrawal of security personnel attached to various Rivers State government establishments and officials, especially that of the Governor of Rivers State; – Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the Rivers State House of Assembly, the Ministries and the Local Government Councils. A test run has been executed with the withdrawal of police from the Okirika Local government council by the State Commissioner of Police Rivers State; – MR MBU JOSEPH MBU.
“The situation in Rivers State has reached a fever-pitch, as there are strong indications that the Governor; – Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the Legislators and prominent government officials have been mark for assassination, following series of reported nocturnal meetings held in a neighboring State and Abuja the Federal Capital Territory. The situation is exacerbated with the planned release, from detention of 18 notable robbery and kidnap kingpins currently in custody to carry out this planned mayhem on the government officials and innocent citizens and residents of the state.
“Mr. President Sir, we had on 30 April, 2013 alerted the people of the wanton cunning collapse of security apparatus in the state, intended to orchestrate breakdown of law and order, with the aim of bolstering a State of Emergency, by a group of persons spearheaded by the Minister of State for Education in your Executive council in connivance with the Police Commissioner Mr. MBU JOSEPH MBU. On 3 May, 2013, first stage of their plan had commenced with the sealing – off and besieging of the Obio/Akpor Local Government council secretariat and the clamp down on the offices of the council by the Commissioner of Police Rivers State;- Mr. MBU JOSEPH MBU, through the instrumentality of the Divisional Police Officer, Rumuokoro police station, without any valid instrument of law and without any security breach or semblance of same. On 6 May, 2013, the Rivers State House of Assembly complex which is directly adjacent to the Police Headquarters on Moscow road witnessed a violent and disruptive take over by 300 hundred hoodlums under the watchful eyes of the Commissioner of Police Mr. MBU JOSEPH MBU.
“Your Excellency Sir, we fear for the survival of our democratic structures and the freedom to carry out our legitimate legislative duties have been greatly hindered and interrupted. We make bold to say that we now live in uncertain times, lives and properties can no longer be guaranteed in Rivers State as a result of these chronicled events in a state that has just regained its peaceful status from the recent past from been the hotbed of cultism and kidnapping. Silence over this planned and calculated destabilization of security apparatus in Rivers State is an “evil wind” that will blow no one any good and is capable of contributing to fostering anarchy on the Nigeria Stateline, especially, when those charged with upholding the law, ignore and conspire to undermine it, unmindful of the implications.
“Consequently Sir, we are left with no other option but to RE-INSTATE our avowed resolve to call for the redeployment of the Commissioner of Police; -Mr. MBU JOSEPH MBU. We equally call on Mr. President to intervene in the ongoing imbroglio that is about destroying the very fabrics that hold the society (Our State) together.
“Once again, we reiterate our loyalty and commitment to you and the Nigerian State”.
