Eleven governors in opposition political parties have made the shocking revelation that the crisis in Rivers State is a smokescreen by the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the oil-rich state and remove the embattled governor, Rotimi Amaechi.
The 11 opposition governors, who are members of the Action Congress of Nigeria, All Nigeria Peoples Party, Congress for Progressive Change and All Progressives Grand Alliance , said in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, that what was happening in Rivers State, was an assault on Nigeria’s democracy.
Their statement, which was made available to journalists, reads in part, “Events in Rivers State resulting in the shameful occupation of the State Government House by members of the Nigeria Police Force on Wednesday, July 10, 2013 are a direct assault on Nigeria’s democracy.
“These developments are not only worrisome but outright condemnable as an affront to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The Progressive Governors’ Forum unequivocally condemns the ill-disguised attempt to create a state of emergency in Rivers State by plunging the state into a needless and avoidable crisis.
“All available evidences surrounding the events of Tuesday and Wednesday indicated that the Rivers State Police Commissioner, Mr. Mbu, and his men did not act in a professional manner.
“Before now, the Police Commissioner had exhibited very clear bias against the Governor (Amaechi) and other state officials. This is a dangerous development that would only produce anarchy with unpredictable consequences.”
They added that events of July 9 and 10 in the state represented “acts sponsored by anarchists,” whose interest included subverting democracy and exposing the lives of democratically elected representatives to great danger.
According to them, “The constitutional responsibility of the State House of Assembly is being impeded and in the circumstance the House of Representatives has voted to take over the functions of the state Assembly as provided under Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution.
“It is very clear to all discerning Nigerians that the crisis in Rivers State is a product of intolerance and highhanded attempts to undermine our rights as governors acting under the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to freely choose our leaders.”
The opposition governors said that having elected Amaechi on May 24 as the NGF Chairman , the anti-democratic forces against the election were now using other security agencies to threaten and intimidate him.
They said the same forces were in the process of engineering anarchy and endangering the lives of innocent persons and property in the state.
They therefore called on President Goodluck Jonathan not to only exercise his moral authority, but also apply his constitutional responsibilities to ensure the restoration of peace and protection of the governor and all citizens of the state.
“Should the crisis in Rivers State continue and anything happen to the governor or any official for that matter, the Nigerian leadership would not be absolved of blame,” they warned.
They called on all Nigerians to do all within their powers to prevail on those in positions of trust and responsibilities to exercise their powers with restraint and refrain from steps that could plunge “our fragile democracy” into a descent.
Meanwhile, the Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu declared that the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command, Joseph Mbu, had become the governor of the crisis-ridden state.
Aliyu, said this while the Commissioner for Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Ambassador Zubairu Dada, at the Government House, saying, “You saw what is happening in Rivers State? A Commissioner of Police has now become the Governor of Rivers State. Is that the image we want the world to look out to?
The governor, who is also the chairman of Northern States Governors’ Forum, recalled that since he became his state’s chief executive, “there has not been a Police Council Meeting.”
According to him, the PCM is supposed to “decide the appointment of Police Commissioners and their deployment.”
He therefore called for a reduction of the funds and powers available to the Federal Government because it (Federal Government) had no business in the provision of health, water, agriculture and education.
“There is too much money at the centre for the Federal Government to spend and that is why they are creating problems for the states, “ Aliyu advised.
Pointing out that Nigeria was in a bad shape, he claimed that nobody knows the amount of oil the country produces.