APC to Wike: Omehia was never a governor

The Rivers state chapter if the All Progressives Congress (APC) has faulted the decision of Nyesom Wike, governor of the state, to “restore the rights and entitlements of Celestine Omehia, who presided over the state between May and October 2007.

Wike reinstated the official portrait of Omehia in the lineup of former governors at the executive council chamber of the government house in Port Harcourt on Thursday, accusing Rotimi Amaechi, his predecessor, of “playing bitter politics”.

But in a swift response the APC alleged that Wike, who served Amaechi as chief of staff, was playing to the gallery.

The party described the governor’s action as an attempt to overrule the supreme court which nullified the election of Omehia

“Omehia was never a governor in the eyes of the law, according to the supreme court, wondering why Wike would prefer to play politics with the issue already decided by the apex court,” read a statement issued by Chris Finebone, publicity secretary of the party in Rivers.

“The Supreme Court explicitly declared that Omehia held the office of Rivers governor in error, illegally and ordered that Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi be immediately inaugurated as the rightful governor of Rivers State.

“Apart from Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the next immediate beneficiary of that development was Barr. Nyesom Wike, who was shortly appointed Chief of Staff by Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi. Can Governor Wike, in all honesty, recall drawing the attention of his former boss to the need to override certain aspects of the Supreme Court judgment and defiantly restore Omehia’s rights, howbeit, as he has just done? Can governor Wike today own up to several of the anti-Omehia actions he took as Amaechi’s Chief of Staff, until he was called to order?

“Rather than feel surprised at the charade that the governor personally carried out on Thursday, the APC feels embarrassed that an individual, who is licensed to practice law within the Nigerian territory, would in the most flagrant manner, disregard the judgment of the Supreme Court of the land, for selfish political expediency. More embarrassing is that the recipient (Omehia) is himself a lawyer as well, who had previously sought to get the Supreme Court reverse itself in related matters without success.

“The APC will like Rivers people and Nigerians to know that the action and utterances of Wike are nothing more than standing in front of the mirror for the world to see and confirm the real Wike, who is ready to abandon civility, reason and decency on the altar of political expediency.

“We expect that if governor Wike was genuinely interested in rehabilitating Omehia, along the line he has taken, the best would have been for him to approach the Supreme Court to reverse its earlier decision on the matter and not resorting to self help. Indeed, there are other legitimate ways to reward a political associate, without breaking the law and defying state institutions.

“The APC rejects the attempt by a sitting governor to undermine the integrity and sanctity of the judiciary, which is what Wike did yesterday (on Thursday), against the verdict of the Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Omehia winner of the April 14 2007 gubernatorial election and he was sworn into office in May but the supreme court subsequently annulled his election.

In its ruling, the apex court held that Rotimi Amaechi, who won the primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under whose platform Omehia contested, should be sworn into office.

The PDP had substituted Amaechi with Omehia as a result of allegations of graft leveled against Amaechi.

The development made Amaechi not to recognise his kinsman – Amaechi and Omehia are from Ubima in Ikwerre local government area of the state – throughout his two terms in office.