Rivers: Unchained APC’s Cole, Tackles Wike On Executive Order 21; Lashes Him On Omehia

By Adesina Soyooye

Until now, the Rivers State Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Tonye Cole, has been restrained, indeed quiet. Not a few people attributed it to the criminal charges brought against him and former Governor of the State, Chibuike Amaechi, by the Rivers State Government.

Governor Wike had made so much noise about the two of them defrauding the Rivers State Government to the tune of $50b. He alleged that Amaechi, as Governor, sold a couple of high profile State assets, and instead of paying the money into the treasury of the State Government, Amaechi paid it into the bank accounts of Sahara Energy, a company owned by Cole, who Wike says is, Amaechi’s business partner.

Rivers State Government went to Court. But surprisingly, withdrew the case a few days ago. So the burden has been lifted off Tonye, and he’s woken up, and roaring.

On Sunday, he joined Wike to raise the ante of the political tension in the State, something Wike is adept in doing.

Wike had, in his usual manner, woken up one morning last week, and barred political parties from using the premises of schools in the State for Political rallies. He said any political party wishing to do that must apply, in writing, two weeks ahead, to the Chairman of the Local Government Area, and if approved, pay a deposit fee of five million Naira, in case anything gets destroyed during the rally. He threatened the Heads of Schools of dire consequences if they give out their premises without the outlined due process.

To give teeth to this strange new rule, he quickly signed an Executive Order 21.

Not a few people think the Governor did that to get at opposition Parties in the State. They say his aim is to deny them of venues to hold their rallies. Recall that Wike had, earlier, barred Hotels and Recreational Centres, from hiring out their premises and/or facilities to Political Parties for any political activities, including meetings.  He threatened to shut down such Hotels and Recreational Centers. He has, indeed, shut down two, remarkably, belonging to members of his own political party, but loyal to the PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar who Wike is at loggerheads with.

But the Executive Order 21 seems the climax of what is now being perceived as a deliberate emasculation  of opposition Parties.

So, on Sunday, Cole tackled him, and  rejected the Executive Order 21  prohibiting political parties from holding campaigns and rallies using any public facilities unless  the  sum of N5 million security fee is paid. Cole described it as “obnoxious” and an action to stifle the political space for the opposition parties.

Cole: “We have noticed with great dismay the unfortunate attempt by the Governor of Rivers State to stifle the political space, especially for opposition political parties. This is visible in the recent signing into law Executive Order 21, which prohibits the use of public schools, built by taxpayers’ money of Rivers people, for political parties’ events without the prior approval of the state ministry of education (not the school authority vested with the authority to manage the facilities) and the payment of an obscene unrefundable (sic) amount of N5 Million”.

His reaction came through a statement signed by Barr Sogbeye ElI, spokesman for Tonye Cole Campaign Organization. He submitted that the Governor cannot intimidate and crush opposition parties  before the elections proper.

Said Cole: “We state unequivocally that Executive Order 21 is deliberately being orchestrated and part of the plot by the Governor to stifle competition from other political parties.

“Its a manifestation of his penchant to brutally crush and suppress opposition in a multi-party democracy instead of allowing citizens exercise their freedom of choice as enshrined in the Constitution. We are, therefore, not surprised that Wike would tow this path in his resolve to impose a lackey on Rivers State as his successor in office.

“The All Progressives Congress shall campaign with our candidates across the length and breadth of Rivers State as provided under the Constitution and as prescribed by law.”

On the de-recognition of Sir Celestine Omehia as a former Governor of the State, Cole put a lie to Wike’s claims that the House of Assembly only obeyed any Supreme Court judgement.

Said Cole: “The de-recognition came up not as a correction of any past wrong or error, but a display of punitive arrogance which is incompatible with the Rivers State we plan to lead.”