The political atmosphere in Rivers State has continued to charge up. Just morning of Thursday, December 8, 2022, the home of the anchorman for the Atiku Abubakar campaigns in Rivers State was attacked, or so he claimed.
The home of former senator, Lee Maeba, was allegedly invaded by armed men who demanded to see him.
Maeba told newsmen he got a tip off and left the house. Footages of smashed cars and other forms of destruction took over the social media space. He said his elder brother they met was manhandled.
The senator said that those at home told him the armed hoodlums were shouting that he should show up, and that ‘it’s just one bullet to end all this nonsense. He said they mentioned the name of a presidential candidate in the threat as to why they were after him.
Some social media persons doubted that the attackers would mention such name as the reason they were angry with Maeba.
The senator said all calls to the police boss in the state got no response and that the man had not called back. The police is yet to comment on the incident.
The week was dominated by political parties showing letters written to them to shut down their campaign offices in enforcement of Order 22 which forbade parties from operating in residential houses. Most of the parties said they have gone to court to challenge the order. No interim injunction has so far surfaced stopping the Order.
Instead, Governor Nyesom Wike has warned that Order 21 and Order 22 were still in full force. He denied stopping parties from holding rallies.
Some of the parties accused the ruling party in the state and their governor of turning into both a contestant and election regulator.
Wike uncovers plot:
Whereas the opposition parties cry over threats, it is Governor Wike that has uncovered plot to undo him by those he called faceless group.
The state government said members of the faceless group, described as political detractors, seemed vexed over the role of Gov Wike in the collective demand by the five governors (G-5) of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) for fairness, equity and justice in the party.
Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Chris Finebone, who briefed journalists in Port Harcourt, also displayed a well worded document bearing the sinister plot of the group, which was however, not signed.
“This is the evidence of the plot to blackmail Governor Wike. This is the document and it is titled, ‘proposal with hashtag, to end Wike rascality programme.'”
Finebone declared that this development is not totally unexpected by the government and the governor.
What is sad about it, he noted is that those behind it have decided to remain faceless.
“We encouraged them to remove their mask and show themselves as the governor and the government is equal to the task of responding to them adequately.”
The Information and Communications Commissioner pointed out to the fact that the state government already has an idea of the likely identity of the political detractors who are orchestrating the campaign of calumny against Governor Wike.
He stated that they are individuals within the party and challenged them to reveal themselves if they are convinced of what they are doing and bold enough for the fight they seek.
“They can’t even sign it (the document) to push for this. It is important we warn them. It is important we also warn Nigerians about this scheme.
“We expect more of them to come. But I can assure you that the governor and the G-5 would rise to the occasion as they continue to start this type of campaign of calumny.”
Sealing of Event Centre
Finebone also briefed on another decision of the State government to seal off the premises of the EUI Event Centre that is located along Sani Abacha link Road within the Government Reserved Area (GRA) phase 3, Port Harcourt.
He said the EUI Event Center had refused to heed several warnings from the Rivers State government instructing them not to allow their activities block the road without the requisite approval.
“The management of EUI Events Center had refused to refrain from blocking an entire stretch of part of Sani Abacha link Road, GRA phase 3 without government approval.
He declared that the Rivers State government has with effect from Wednesday 7th December 2022 sealed the EUI Events Center in GRA phase 3, Port Harcourt.
Finebone said very often, owners of event centres in the State fail to plan for the vehicles of their guests; how the vehicles will be parked and how other road users would use the same road.
Rather, he noted, they simply block the road and do not care about the consequences while also shunning candid advise given to them to curtail such public nuisance.
“Government cannot fold its hands and watch people exercise impunity to the highest level by appropriating property government built with tax payers money just to their own personal use and comfort. Government must protect all.”
Also briefing journalists, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Austen Ben Chioma explained the decision followed by the Wednesday’s obstruction of free flow of traffic on the road by the management of the EUI Event Center.
This, he noted, was in variance to promises they had made to government that they would always make sure that their traffic wardens control traffic properly so that other road users are not punished.
“But to the greatest surprise of the Rivers State government, today’s event that is holding there, there was no road for road users to pass and road users were complaining bitterly.
“I got the information and I went there myself and I saw that the road was totally blocked. I told the owner of the place that this cannot be tolerated. And she said that she has done her best and she cannot kill herself.”
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Wike bent on harder work
The governor said he was not distracted but focused on working hard to the last day in office. He declared that his administration will remain focused on governance despite the ongoing intensified political campaigns.
Gov Wike gave the assurance at the flag-off of civil works on 17 internal roads within Rumuigbo community in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, performed by a senator, Heineken Lokpobiri, who is former Minister of Agriculture on Thursday.
The governor remarked that his social contract with Rivers people who gave him their mandate demanded that he remained committed to serve them till the last day of his administration.
Gov Wike assured that he will continue to make Rivers people happy and deliver infrastructure until the 29th May 2023.
“We believe that party is a vehicle that conveys you to where you want to go. Having conveyed you to where you are heading to, you come down and begin to do governance.
“We just invited you (Lokpobiri) to come down and see what we are doing in the State. So many people are distracted by campaign. We are not going to be distracted by campaign. We want to focus on the development of our community. I will work until 29th of May, 2023 because that is the day my agreement will terminate with the people of Rivers State.”
Dismissing comments by critics that Rumuigbo community has never benefitted from his administration, Gov Wike reminded them of the reconstruction work carried out on the Omoi-Orosi road handled by Julius Berger Nigeria PLC with the effective drains channelled through Okocha Streets to the nearby stream.
According to Gov Wike, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC was also contracted to handle the Obi Wali Road though perennial flooding is still experienced in the area.
To solve the perennial flood experienced around the Obi Wali road axis, Gov Wike pointed to a particular land that is considered to be suitable to channel the flash water and assured that the Rivers State government will acquire the land for that purpose..
“We have always told people, yes, our tenure will expire on 29th of May, 2023, all the communities that are within our jurisdiction, we will do all we can to make sure we bring development to the area.
“But let it be on records, since I came, this community has produced two commissioners in Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RISIEC).
“You have also produced chairman of the Rivers State Primary Healthcare Board. So, in terms of appointment, it will be difficult for anybody to say you have not gotten anything.”
Gov Wike also donated N200M for the rebuilding of the palace of the Eze Apara in the area.
Performing the flag-off, Lokpobiri informed that he had within the last three days accompanied Gov Wike to flag-off strategic roads projects plus the one he was flagging off.
These and many other projects, he noted, were what has marked Gov Wike as the king of infrastructure delivery, which is an unprecedented approach to governance in Nigeria.
Lokpobiri thanked Gov Wike for his singular contributions towards the promotion of the legal profession in Nigeria. It is not only for building the best Law School Campus in Port Harcourt, he asserted, but also for improving the facilities at the South-South Law School Campus in Yenagoa.
Rivers State Commissioner, George-Kelly Dakorinima Alabo, provided the description of the project, and said there are a total of 17 streets that make up the Rumuigbo internal roads.
