What would have gone for a test of popularity and support for gov Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State, ahead of the 2015 general elections almost turned bloody when protesters believed to have been sponsored by the Grassroots Development Initiative(GDI), the pet project of the Minister of State for Education, Mr Nyesom Wike stormed the VIP lounge of the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa to protest the visit of govs of Kano State, Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso, Dr Sule Lamido of Jigawa, Admrl. Mutala Nyako of Adamawa and their Niger State, counterpart, Muazu Babangida Aliyu.
The Newswriter gathered that the governors were held hostage for hours at the Airport by the rampaging protesters who were demanding the rationale behind such visit when all is not well with the State.
This was however dismissed by the Commissioner for Information in the State, Mrs Ibim Seminatari, who described the protesters as organized(rented )crowd who were given placards at the airport to act a script.
The Commissioner commended the maturity displayed by Gov Chibuike Amaechi even in the face of provocation and wondered what would have happened if he had reacted angrily by mobilizing his supporters against the rented crowd.
She opined that the act was a serious development to our democratic experiment, which she said Nigerians fought hard to bring. Mrs Seminatari said such action amounts to trying to throw away the baby with the bathwater. The Infor Boss accused those who had vowed to make Rivers State un-governable for gov,Amaechi to pave way for state of emergency as being responsible for the protest. She admitted that the bus carrying the commissioners and other cars in the govs’ convoy were smashed in the process, but dismissed the claim that the gov and his visitors were held hostage by the protesters at the airport.
Meanwhile the 4 visiting govs have issued a communiqué denouncing what they called the role of the police in Rivers State, supporting the call for immediate redeployment of the Commissioner of Police in Rivers state, Mr Joseph Mbu. They commended the National Assembly for their swift response to tackling the crisis that erupted at the Rivers State House of Assembly recently.
The govs observed that the attitude of the police and the way they were being used has led credence to the call for state police, noting that the states cannot continue to fund an antagonistic police in the country.
The communiqué also stated that “ the events in Rivers State have again brought to the for the question of true federalism and the need for institutions derived from constitutions be allowed to function without undue interference”. They lauded the performance of the gov and his team in Rivers State and called on all political actors in the State to stop actions capable of overheating the polity.##
In the meantime, the PDP EXCO in the state led by Mr Felix Obuah has condemned the visit of the northern govs, describing it as capable of aggravating the already tensed political situation in Rivers State. Obuah also accused gov Chibuike Amaechi of using such solidarity visits as conduit pipe to siphon the treasury of the state.
In the same vein, the chairman PDP Elders Forum, Chief Sergeant Awuse told the visiting northern govs to go and tackle boko haram insurgence instead of coming to meddle into Rivers State internal affairs.
A Human Rights Activist in the State, Mr Celestine Akpobari has however berated President Goodluck Jonathan for failing to provide security for the visiting govs and citizens in general, urging him to resign his appointment for negligence of duty.
Barth Ndu
