Court restrains Wike from sacking 23 LG Councils in Rivers State

As Amaechi former chief of staff, Wike cannot investigate himself – APC

By Ehi Ekhator, Naija Center News

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria presided over by Hon. Justice J.T. Agbadu-Fishim, holden at Yenagoa, Bayelsa State has granted an Order of Interim Injunction against the Governor of Rivers State, the Rivers State House of Assembly and the Attorney-General of Rivers State and their agents from dissolving, suspending, sacking terminating or in any manner whatsoever interfering with the tenure of office of the 23 Local Government Councils of Rivers State.

Nyesom Wike

The Order, in Suit No: NICN/YEN/26/2015 , which was granted on Monday, 22nd June, 2015 followed a motion ex-parte and affidavit of extreme urgency filed by the 23 Local Government Council Chairmen on behalf of themselves and the 23 Local Government Councils of Rivers State.

The Order with copies made available to NAIJA CENTER NEWS, also restrained the Inspector-general of Police or his agents and proxies from enforcing any purported action detrimental to the existence of the 23 Chairmen and Councils in Rivers State.

The Order will remain in force until the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for Interlocutory Injunction.

The APC in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Chris Finebone said it would be recalled that the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, the Rivers State House of Assembly and the Hon. Attorney-General of the State have been hatching all manner of schemes to do away with the elected 23 local Government Councils in Rivers State.

The party believes that, despite the presence what it called ‘a few bad eggs’, the judiciary remains the last hope of the oppressed.

“Therefore, we hail this decision by the Yenagoa High Court” the statement concluded.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone has taken a swipe on the governor of Rivers State, over his move to investigate the former governor,  Rotimi Amaechi’s administration.

In a statement made available to our correspondent, Finebone said wike cannot be a judge in his own matter since Wike was the Chief of Staff during Amaechi’s first term.

Recently, the Governor of Rivers State, Barr. Nyesom Wike set up a panel to probe some activities carried out by the immediate past government of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

 

Finebone opined that Wike cannot investigate the issue concerning the Abonnema waterfront since he was the Chief of State then.

“Some questions require answers. Is it possible to exhaustively investigate all the items listed in the panel’s terms of reference without recourse to certain events and processes that may date as far back as the first term of former Governor Amaechi, when Nyesom Wike served as Chief of Staff? What about the process for the acquisition, compensation and sale of Abonnema Waterfront started when Nyesom Wike was Chief of Staff? If that scenario arises, what follows with the probe?

“The APC would like to recall that the major objection the PDP went to court to canvass against the Prof. Odinkalu-chaired judicial panel of enquiry former Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi raised to probe political killings in Rivers State, was that the former governor could not be a judge in his own matter. Following that argument, Governor Nyesom Wike cannot raise a panel to probe activities of government that he was, to some extent, part of.

“The APC believes that based on some of these issues that bother on conflict of interest, the probe panel set up by Governor Nyesom Wike is dead on arrival. However, we believe that the governor is obviously not likely to listen until a court of law tells him so.”

 

 

Court restrains Wike from sacking 23 LG Councils in Rivers State