HURIWA criticises Ibas’ excesses in state
Four youths from Rivers State, who were exonerated and acquitted by a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, have raised the alarm over alleged fresh plots by some stalwarts of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to frame up the Chief of Staff to the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara in the burning of the State House of Assembly complex.
The youths, Chime Ezebalike, Kenneth Kpasa, Prince Oladele Lukman, and MacPherson Olumini, were arrested, detained, and tortured for about eight months before being released by the court. Speaking in Port Harcourt yesterday, Ezebalike claimed that they were offered bribes and promised freedom in exchange for implicating Ehie, but they refused to give in to the pressure.
He claimed that they were approached by a PDP leader in Obio/Akpor, who asked them to meet with one of their leaders. He said that while the earlier plans failed, there are fresh moves by the PDP party chieftains to implicate Ehie, alerting the public to be mindful of sponsored lies against supporters of Fubara.
According to Ezebalike, during the meeting, they were allegedly asked to rewrite their story to implicate Ehie as the mastermind behind the fire incident to corroborate the press briefing by former Head of Service, George Nwaeke, in Abuja.
MEANWHILE, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the actions of retired Rivers State Sole Administrator Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas, describing them as dictatorial and unconstitutional.
The group questioned the legitimacy of the state of emergency declaration, citing no breakdown of law and order or internal security threats in the state.
In a statement signed by the National Coordinator of HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko, the association emphasised that a sitting governor, Siminalayi Fubara, remains in office, having not been impeached or lawfully removed.
The association emphasised that President Bola Tinubu lacks the constitutional authority to sack or suspend a democratically elected governor. The position of a sole administrator is also unknown to Nigeria’s democratic framework, making Ibas’ appointment questionable.
They also expressed concern over his sweeping changes, including widespread dismissals of political appointees occupying legally recognised offices.
The association found it troubling that an unelected administrator is exercising executive powers exclusive to a sitting governor. The group urged stakeholders to uphold the rule of law and reject the abuse of power.
Describing the situation as reminiscent of a civilian coup, HURIWA warned that the current developments in Rivers State pose a serious threat to the rule of law and constitutional democracy. The group urged the Sole Administrator to act within the confines of the law, cautioning him against further actions that infringe on the rights of Rivers people.
The rights group also expressed dismay at the role played by the National Assembly, which rubber-stamped the emergency proclamation. The group recalled that Nigerians were told that a committee of respected national statesmen and women would be set up to mediate and restore political stability in Rivers State, but to date, no such committee has been formed.
Instead, the group lamented, the Sole Administrator has continued to act with unchecked powers, disregarding the constitutional authority of the governor and the rights of the people.
