Angry, Wike Warns Oshiomhole, Sylva To Stay, Clearly, Off Odili’s Family

By Akinwale Kasali

Governor Nyesom Wike and the Rivers State Government have  warned All Progressives Congress, APC, Chairman, Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole and,  Minister for Petroleum, Timipriye Sylva, sternly, to stay off the family of Dr Peter Odili. Odili is a former two-time Rivers State Governor.

This became necessary following series threats on the life of the formet First Lady of Rivers State, Mary Peter-Odili, a Justice of the Supreme Court.

Justice Odili had led the panel of Justices who aborted the Swearing-in of  David Lyon, candidate of the APC in the 2019 governorship election in Bayelsa state, as the governor, less than 24 hours to the event.  Senator  Duoye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was, instead, sworn-in as governor.

The action followed the disqualification of Lyon’s running-mate, and then Deputy Governor-elect, for having multiple names, all different from one another, on his educational certificates.

Since that nullification, protesters had stormed Justice Odili’s home two times.

The first was on February 14, and another. on the 18th.

The Rivers State Government has taken a serious exception over the protest at the home of the Odilis.

Rivers State Commissioner for information, Paulinus Nsirim, in a communique issued  on behalf of the government, after a deliberation on the situation  said that the Rivers State Executive Council observed that the Federal Government seems not to show interest in the sponsored threats to the lives of Dr Peter Odili and members of his family, and therefore, the Rivers State Executive Council unanimously condemned the  actions of the Federal Government in its entirety.

It also stressed that the Rivers State Executive Council condemns the barricading of the residence of Dr Peter Odili at Maitama, Abuja, by sponsored thugs of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The communique Rivers wondered why Dr Peter Odili’s family should be singled out for the unwarranted attack, when the judgment that ousted David Lyon as Governor of Bayelsa State was a unanimous decision of a five-member panel of Supreme Court Justices.

“That Rivers State Government will hold Timipre Sylva and Adams Oshiomhole responsible if anything happens to Dr Peter Odili and members of his family.”

The Rivers government noted that in the past it has suffered unfavourable judicial pronouncement and never resorted to self-help.

It added that  it will employ all legal means to protect the  Odili family, and Rivers indigenes serving as judicial officers both at the federal and state levels.