Rivers crisis: Presidency condemns northern governors’ visit to Amaechi The presidency described the visit as political drama. The presidency has reacted angrily to last week’s solidarity visit of four northern governors to Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State over the violent political crisis there. Presidential spokesperson, Doyin Okupe, who addressed a press conference on Wednesday in Abuja, described the visit as “political drama”. Mr. Okupe said the visit by Governors Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano, Sule Lamido of Jigawa, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, and Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger is a political move which is “clearly intended to create fear, despair and sense of apprehension among the citizenry.” He said the governors, all members of President Goodluck Jonathan’s Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, were trying to create the impression that Rivers State is in crisis contrary to what is on the ground. “Insinuations and statements suggesting that Rivers State is on fire are grossly unfounded. So far, as is it evident to every discerning observer of political developments, the state is calm and peaceful. Residents of the state continue to go about their various businesses, religious, social and political activities under peaceful atmosphere,” he said. Mr. Okupe added that a pointer to the prevailing peace in the state is that “Governor Amaechi, the Chief executive and Chief security Officer of the state, felt confident enough to travel to the United Kingdom on official assignment. It is doubtful he would have had the luxury of leaving the country if his state is in turmoil as is being canvassed”. Rivers crisis has no bearing on Nigeria The presidential spokesperson also said the situation in Rivers State is purely a localized political matter that has no dangerous or far reaching consequences for the peace and security of the nation. He said the crisis in Rivers was an attempt by some state lawmakers to impeach the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly. The attempted impeachment by five lawmakers loyal to the first lady, Patience Jonathan, and the presidency led to violence in the 32-member Assembly. “Since our return to democratic rule in 1999, It is on record that not less than twelve states have witnessed incidents of attempted impeachment of Speakers of Houses of Assembly in Nigeria and none has posed any threat to peace and security in the country even when our democracy was not this established,” Mr. Okupe said. “Developments in Rivers State do not pose any threat to our democracy. Our democracy remains robust, alive and well. In politics as in every sphere of human activity, different shades of opinion on issues are not uncommon within the polity but often get resolved either politically or through legal channels. It is therefore disingenuous for anyone to suggest that the political disagreement in Rivers State would imperil and ultimately derail our democracy.” Visit is hypocritical Mr. Okupe also recalled that in Ogun State in 2010, after series of sustained fracas and attempts at impeachment and counter impeachment, the Inspector General of Police locked up the House of Assembly for several months. “In all that time, nobody in the whole country suggested that the situation was a threat to our nascent democracy, and no state Governor went on any solidarity visit,” he said. He also said Nigeria is not in any way in disarray. “As is the case in every country of the world, there may be conflicts of ideas and interests here and there, which in itself is the beauty of democracy and should not by any means be construed to mean that there is chaos in the country or that Nigeria is tilting towards anarchy as some people have claimed. “Nigeria remains peaceful and is not and cannot in any way be threatened by political developments in Rivers State,” Mr. Okupe said. The presidential aide took a further swipe at the four PPD governors, accusing them of not being as interested in the security challenges bedevilling the north much as the political crisis in Rivers. “It is clear that one of the most potent threats to our corporate existence and sovereignty since independence has been the Boko Haram insurgency.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Jul 2013 17:28:09 +0000
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