Jonathan, a bully – Governors

The Progressive Governors Forum has accused President  Goodluck Jonathan of  using his powers to bully Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi  Amaechi.  The governors stated this on Friday while reacting to the  action of the armed  policemen that blocked one of the gates leading to the  Rivers State Government  House on Thursday.

The governors in a statement titled, “Blockade to Rivers  Government House:  Assault on Constitution and Descent to Anarchy”, said the  incident was a direct  affront on constitutional order.  They said, “A situation whereby  the Federal Government will use powers vested in it under the  constitution to bully  and intimidate state governments is unacceptable and should  be resisted by  every democratic government.

  “We wish to unequivocally state our resolve to work with  all democrats in the  country to ensure adequate protection of democratic  governance.’’

  The statement was signed by Borno State Governor, Kashim  Shetima; Edo State  Governor, Adams Oshiomhole; Ekiti State Governor, Kayode  Fayemi; Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha;  Lagos State Governor, Babatunde  Fashola;  Nasarawa State Governor,  Tanko Almakura; Ogun State  Governor, Ibikunle  Amosun; Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola; Oyo State  Governor, Abiola

Ajimobi; Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Geldam; and Zamfara  State Governor,  Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari. The governors’ statement came just as some Nigerians  condemned the action of the police authorities in Rivers and the police insisted  that they did not bar  the governor from accessing Government House.

 The governors said they received the news of the blockade with shock and disbelief, adding that crisis in Rivers  since July 2013 constituted a major threat to the nation’s  democracy.

They added that the situation in Rivers State was  unfortunate and   that all Nigerians must call on the Federal Government and  all its  agencies, including all arms of the security services, to respect the letter  and spirit of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution.

They said, “In the specific case of Rivers State, provisions of Section 215(4)  of the 1999 Constitution must be fully respected. This  section provides that  the Governor “may give to the Commissioner of Police of  that state such lawful  directions with respect to the maintenance and security of  public safety and  public order within the state as he may consider necessary,  and the  Commissioner of Police shall comply with those directions or  cause them to be  complied with.’’

The governors  noted  that  the inability of  the federal Authorities to exercise all  the necessary  constitutional and moral authority to ensure the speedy  resolution of the  crisis had remained a source of danger for  the nation’s   democracy ,  the life of Amaechi and those of other public officers serving in the state.

  The governors   said the police action was a bad precedent and wondered if  it was a signal that a similar blockade could be mounted  against the President  at the Presidential Villa. The police had on Thursday stopped Amaechi from using the gate to gain entrance  into the Government House. The governor was in company with  102 former speakers  of state Houses of Assembly when a team of policemen  allegedly drafted by the  State Police Commissioner, Mr. Joseph Mbu, blocked the  Forces Avenue which  leads to the governor’s house in the Government House.

 The ex-Speakers were in the state capital for a meeting and  had gone on an  inspection tour after paying a courtesy visit to the  governor. Reacting, the New Peoples Democratic Party said what happened in Rivers State was  a sign that the country was returning to the dark days of  the former Head of  State, Gen. Sani Abacha.

A statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the faction, Chief  Chukwuemeka Eze, in Abuja on Friday, said many events in the  country had shown  that democracy was not being allowed to thrive.

“Indeed, General Sani Abacha must be lamenting in his grave that Nigerians  wrongly abused him considering the high degree of impunities  being encouraged  in a democratic set up, with the Police being used as a tool  to haunt political  opponents,” the faction said.