Rivers State Commissioner of Housing Barr Emma Okah has said that rights
\nactivist and former President of Nigeria Bar Association Chief Olisa
\nAgbakoba, SAN misdirected himself on facts and therefore was wrong and
\ninsensitive by describing the decision of Rivers State Government to
\naccord a special privilege and recognition to Sir Celestine Omehia as
\nuseless, unnecessary and capable of overheating the system.<\/p>\n
In a press statement issued today in Port Harcourt, Okah said\u00a0 that a state
\ngovernment has the powers to confer an advantage on anybody without
\nreference to any court judgment and wondered why such a reconciliatory and
\nuniting action should annoy Chief Agbakoba.<\/p>\n
“This is purely a political concession, far away from the courts. There
\nmust be an end to acrimony and bitterness or politics of hate. As a
\npeople, we should encourage harmony, peace and consensus building so that
\nwe can put the agony of yesterday behind us and together, move the state
\nto greater heights”, he said, noting that in all jurisdictions, litigants
\ncan still seek peace outside the court room or even after judgement and
\nsuch agreements calm frayed nerves and heal wounds better and faster.<\/p>\n
According to Okah, a time comes when as leaders, you need to think outside
\nthe box to solve political problems and create happiness for the people.
\nNigeria did the same for Chief Ernest Shonekan who headed the Interim
\nGovernment which the Court declared as illegal. In Ekiti State, Governor
\nAyo Fayose accorded similar recognition to Chief Segun Oni even though the
\ncourt said he was not a governor in law. People are happy with these
\nsituations and that of Rivers State cannot be
\ndifferent.<\/p>\n
Okah further said that Agbakoba has more pressing things to worry about in
\nNigeria like the current developments in the National Assembly where
\nstatesmen like Him are expected to sound their voice for democracy instead
\nof dabbling into Rivers politics and it’s complex dynamics. He expressed
\nsurprise that as a respected Senior Advocate who has stood for the
\ndown-trodden over the years, Agbakoba was among those who kept mute and
\nplayed no major role to reprimand Amaechi when his administration in
\nRivers State locked the courts and emasculated the judiciary for over one
\nyear.<\/p>\n
“Many thought that Chief Agbakoba would have risen to the occasion but the
\nplight and agony of detainees, lawyers, judges, litigants and judicial
\nstakeholders arising from the closure of courts could not move him to
\nstrongly condemn the evils that Amaechi inflicted on the judiciary. Even
\nthe emasculation of the legislative arm of government by the same Amaechi
\nadministration who moved their sittings to the banquet hall of Government
\nHouse, Port Harcourt was not enough to catch the attention of our
\nrespected Agbakoba at a time when many well meaning Nigerians saw it as an
\naberration and embarrassment to democracy,\u00a0 Okah added.<\/p>\n
Okah further said that Agbakoba can redeem his lost voice in Rivers State by
\ncondemning the financial recklessness and outright fraud which the Amaechi
\ngovernment visited on the State; refusal to cooperate with the present
\ngovernment on handover notes, looting and desecration of the Rivers State
\nGovernment House in Port Harcourt and the carting away of vehicles, tv
\nsets, mattresses,\u00a0 air conditioners etc as if the State was facing
\nliquidation.<\/p>\n
Perhaps Agbakoba needs to know that Governor Wike has nothing personal
\nagainst Amaechi but the issue of accountability, due process and outright
\nstealing of public funds especially in the last weeks of the Amaechi’s
\ngovernment require explanation and the public has the right to know.<\/p>\n
Besides, the people are happy that Governor Wike is squarely facing the
\ntask of development in Rivers State despite the landmines the Amaechi
\nadministration. Two major contractors – Julius Berger and CCECC have been
\ncontracted to rebuild all the roads in Port Harcourt City. So far the
\nRivers State Government has opened the courts and judges, magistrates,
\nlawyers, judiciary workers and the public are happy.<\/p>\n
Members of the State House of Assembly are now sitting in the Assembly
\ncomplex. The 8 months’ salary arrears of management and players of Dolphin
\nFootball Club, Sharks FC and Rivers Angels FC have been paid. The refuse
\ndisposal contractors who were owed for 4 months are now receiving payments
\nin arrears. Efforts are been made to begin the payment of arrears of
\nsalaries and pensions which the Amaechi government passed on to the
\npresent government. In all, the people of Rivers State are happy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Rivers State Commissioner of Housing Barr Emma Okah has said that rights activist and former President of Nigeria Bar Association Chief Olisa Agbakoba, SAN misdirected himself on facts and therefore…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24425,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-40022","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n