A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, OCJ Okocha has expressed sadness over the political crisis in Rivers, saying that it’s not time for the state to overheat the polity.
Okocha, who is also one of the state Peoples Democratic Party leaders, made the remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt, on Tuesday.
He said that it was unfortunate that the crisis should arise ‘’this’’ early as elections and swearing-in had not been too long, they were conducted and the governor, Siminalayi Fubara, was not up to six months in office.
He said that the worse part of the crisis was the damage and destruction done to the state Assembly’s main hall which he described as a very majestic edifice and a pride to the state.
Okocha recalled that the governor in his speech, spoke very painfully asking, ‘what have I done that house of Assembly would suddenly say that they are impeaching me or filing articles of impeachment against me?’
He also recalled that the House of Assembly was built by former Gov. Peter Odili and throughout his tenure, Gov. Rotimi Amaechi’s and Gov. Nyesom Wike’s tenures, there had been no such crisis in the Assembly.
‘’Why should this be happening? We thought we, the PDP won all the election fair and square and Fubara had assumed office, as far as I’m concerned, he is performing creditably well.
‘’I feel very sad, I feel very disappointed; I feel so much pain because this does not characterise Rivers state at this particular point in time.
‘’Wike left a structure that we believe will continue to sustain us, the question now is why should anybody want to breakdown that structure; so it’s painful to me.’’
Okocha, however, said there had been some peace moves, adding that some leaders of the state have been calling everybody to maintain some level of sanity and respect law and order.
He said that some elders of the state, including the likes of Chief JTJ Toby, former deputy governor of Rivers in the administration of Dr Peter Odili and some other elders had been meeting.
‘’I’m also aware that our PDP Elders forum of which I am a member has also been meeting; we met, and we even went and meet the governor yesterday.
‘’There’s nothing that we cannot settle, we don’t have to descend to this level of riotous behaviour because it is not in our character; Rivers state has always been a peaceful state.
‘’And let us see how we can get to the root of this matter.’’
He said that the citizens had never heard of any problem between the governor and the members of the Assembly or any other person.
‘’And why the House of Assembly would move at such speed to begin to draw up articles of impeachment against the governor, we are yet to see but for me, it’s a bit of surprise.
‘’I do hope that we and other peace-loving citizens of Rivers state will succeed in allowing sanity to prevail.’’
According to Okocha, in the Holy Book I read: blessed are the peace markers for they shall be called the children of God.
‘’So all well-meaning citizens, I say please to all of them, those who know who are those in controversy, those at daggers-drawn should appeal to them to lay down their hatches.
‘’Let us see how we can resolve our own problem in Rivers state because it’s a localised problem in River state, it hasn’t moved out Rivers as far as I’m concerned.
‘’My advice is everybody should be peaceful, law-abiding, and allow the peacemakers to do what they can do to restore peace,’’ he said.
Okocha, however, said that the state had been known for harmony, peace and mutual well-being of everyone, advising the citizens to embrace peace and find a way to amicably resolve the current impasse.
