The successful bombing of the Ahoada High Court’s bombing by yet to be indentified persons has taken the political crisis in Rivers State to a new dimension. Some Observers say that despite the reactions from the two camps of the political gladiators in the state, the bombing has a lot to do with the battle for the sole of the state’s politics.
It was the same Ahoada High Court that the camp of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has been running to in order to check the excesses of the camp being controlled by the cordinating Minister of Education, Barr. Nyesom Wike. Before the Abuja High Court removed the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) executive of Chief Godspower Ake, and installed Felix Obua as the party chairman, the Amaechi camp had rushed to the Ahoada High Court and secured an injunction restraining any court from removing Ake.
When Hon. Chidi Lloyd, the embattled leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly was being harrassed by the police for allegedly attempting to murder fellow lawmaker Hon. Micheal Chinda during the brawl that occurred on the floor of the House, he got a temporary relief through the Ahoada High Court.
It was also the same court that restrained Hon. Evans Bipi from parading himself as Speaker of the Assembly. In fact, the state PDP was supposed to be in court to challenge the restraint order on the day the court was bombed.
According to Jerry Needam, the media adviser to Obuah, “Our team of Lawyers made up of over 10 Senior Advocates of Nigeria from Abuja and Lagos arrived the Ahoada High Court this morning to argue for the vacation of the interim order, and saw the senseless and barbaric destruction of the Court.”
He also noted in a statement that: “…The PDP makes bold to suspect that the reported bombing was carried out by agents of the Rivers State Government to prevent the court from sitting, so that the court would not be able to vacate the interim order made by the Ahoada High Court Judge, Hon Justice Charles Wali, who has turned his court to a ministerial department of the Rivers State Governor’s office to issue all manners of orders, injunctions and judgements in favour of his paymaster, Governor Rotimi Amaechi and subvert the course of justice.
“Their aim also of bombing the Ahoada High Court is to further create a state of insecurity in Rivers State, to justify their continuous call for the removal of the State Commissioner of Police. The PDP wishes to remind Rotimi Amaechi and his agents of darkness that the interim Order issued by Justice Charles Wali of the Ahoada High Court lasted for only seven (7) days, and it had since expired. Therefore, bombing the Court to prevent it from sitting was a wasted, wicked, callous and shameful exercise by agents of Governor Rotimi Amaechi.”
But in reaction, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze,the media aide to the state APC chairman, Ibiamu Ikanye alleged that the bombing was masterminded by the PDP, noting that those responsible were “undemocratic elements.” He said that: “It is on record that the Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Part (PDP) sponsored by Chief Nyesom Wike, the Supervising Minister of
Education, has over the time condemned this ruling of the Ahoada East High Court because it threw a spanner in its plot to use the rebel lawmakers led by Bipi to impeach Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in a House of 32 members. But the question we need to ask is, does the bombing of this court make Hon Bipi the Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly? One would have expected this group of misfits to challenge the ruling of the High Court at Ahaoda East in a higher court instead of sponsoring this act that exposes them as agents of violence.
“The record exposing the agenda of this misguided group for Rivers State and her people as violence prone was exhibited few days ago when security agencies in Rivers State caught six youths with various sophisticated and dangerous arms at Ogu the home town of Senator Sekibo and Hon Bipi. The suspects have been linked to Senator George Sekibo and Hon. Evans Bipi, both chieftains of the state chapter of the PDP led by Chief Wike, the Supervising Minister of Education, whose determination to destabilize the administration of Governor Amaechi is well known to all and sundry.”
The bombing, according to investigations carried out by 247ureports.com has heightened the call for the removal of the state commissioner of police Mbu Joseph Mbu, who some observers accuse of taking side in the crisis rocking the state. Despite the recommendation of the Senate in the aftermath of the brawl in the House for the transfer of Mbu, he remains in the state, and is regarded as the proverbial cat with nine lives. Mbu, who will retire from the force this year, walks tall in the state despite the security lapses.
On the other hand, Amaechi has refused to follow due process in appointing a commissioner for Justice since the retirement of the immediate past commissioner. Some say it suits him, and serves his interest well considering that he is up against very formidable forces that fight dirty.
