Politics
Wike Honours Late Aguma
Activities relating to the burial of the Late Rivers State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Hon. Emmanuel Aguma (SAN), dominated affairs last week in Government House, Port Harcourt.
From Wednesday when it kicked-off with a memorial lecture, till Saturday, when it dimaxed with interment, it was one activity or the other about the Late Attorney-General’s burial.
Chairman of the Memorial Lecture, Emma Ukala (SAN) said organizations of the public lecture in honour of the Late Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice of Rivers State by the State Government lays credence to the very special place that he (Aguma) occupies in the hearts of the Governor and people of the state.
He said though Aguma was young, he caved out a place for himself in history.
According to Ukala, “he had a brave sense of Justice, he was very courageous, but he knew decent boundaries defined by law.” He added that Aguma worked for the survival of democratic institutions, especially the Justice.
Former Director General of Nigeria Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Prof Epiphany Azinge, who spoke at the public lecture, expressed regret that use of force of coercion to undermine democratic choice of voters remains the worst crime against the rule of law.
He said law enforcement agencies have been used as veritable tools for election rigging since independence, and that the development has assumed a disturbing dimension since 1999.
Azinge noted that good governance requires fair legal frameworks that are enforced impartially to protect the rights of all groups of persons.
The speaker described the Late Attorney-General of Rivers State as one of the finest Chief Law Officer and Legal Minds of the state.
On Thursday night of Tributes for Late Aguma. It was attended by senior Lawyers, friends, family members, associates, Rivers State House of Assembly members as well as members of the State Executive Council and State Judiciary.
All extolled the enviable qualities of the Late Attorney-General. Justice Adolphus Enebeli, who spoke on behalf of the Rivers State Judiciary, said Aguma was a sound lawyer who argued his cases with conviction and knowledge, stressing that though he had tough look, he has a lovely heart that had compassion for all.
Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani lauded Late Aguma for his legal support to the House through invaluable advice on issues of law.
Representative of the Body of Attorneys General and Akwa Ibom State Attorney-General, Uwemedimo Nwoko, said at the national level, Late Aguma stood for justice and defended the rights of the Niger Delta region.
At a service of songs held Friday, in his honour at Saint Paul’s Anglican Cathedral, Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo described Late Emmanuel Aguma as a dedicated public servant who worked for the growth of the state.
She said the State Executive Council would miss his worthy contributions and commitment to the actualization of the New Rivers Development Blueprint.
In attendance were Christians faithful, Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, his wife, Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, former Governors of Rivers State, members of the State Executive Council, Traditional Rulers, Federal and State Legislators and other prominent Nigerians.
In a special Executive Council session, the council declared late Aguma as a shining star who played a key role in the translation of the New Rivers Development Blueprint into reality.
Governor Wike said late Aguma served the state with passion and helped move the state forward. He noted that the sudden death of Hon. Aguma hit the state so hard, but stressed that the state Government must bear the painful loss.
In a funeral oration Saturday, Gov Wike announced that the State Government would rename the Judges Quarters under construction after the Late Attorney-General when the facility is completed. He also announced that the wife of Late Emmanuel Aguma would be drafted into the state Executive Council as way of honouring the late legal icon and cementing the relationship between the State Government and Aguma’s family.
The Governor, who commended the Aguma’s family, stated that, “his death is very painful. His service to the state will never be in vain. Having made sacrifices, the state will continue to honour him”
The burial of Late Attorney-General was also remarkable in the sense that it brought together politicians in the state irrespective of their different parties.
The former two-term governor went down memory lane to recall how they founded the APC but were used and dumped.
In his words, “…those calling on us to join APC, we have agreed to join the APC but on clear agreement that protects and respects the interest of my party, NNPP and my political movement, Kwankwasiyya. No state where you go that you don’t have NNPP and Kwankwasiyya. We have gubernatorial candidates, senatorial candidates and others.
“We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us.
“We were among the founding fathers of the APC and endured significant persecution from various security agencies while challenging the previous administration.
“Yet when the party assumed power, we received no recognition or appreciation for our sacrifices, simply because we didn’t originate from their original faction.
“We are not in a hurry to leave the NNPP; we are enjoying and have peace of mind. But if some want a political alliance that would not disappoint us like in the past, we are open to an alliance. Even if it is the PDP that realised their mistakes, let’s enter an agreement that will be made public,” Sen. Kwankwaso stated.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dismissed long-standing claims that he once sought to extend his tenure in office, insisting he never pursued a third term.
Speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Chief Obasanjo said there is no Nigerian, living or dead, who can truthfully claim he solicited support for a third term agenda.
“I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term,” the former president declared.
Chief Obasanjo argued that he had proven his ability to secure difficult national goals, citing Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration as a much greater challenge than any third term ambition.
“I keep telling them that if I could get debt relief, which was more difficult than getting a third term, then if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he said.
He further cautioned against leaders who overstay in power, stressing that the belief in one’s indispensability is a “sin against God.”
On his part, former President Goodluck Jonathan said any leader who failed to perform would be voted out of office if proper elections were conducted.
Describing electoral manipulation as one of the biggest threats to democracy in Africa, he said unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform democracy, it may collapse in Africa.
He added that leaders must commit to the kind of democracy that guarantees a great future for the children where their voices matter.
He said: “Democracy in Africa continent is going through a period of strain and risk collapse unless stakeholders came together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa.
“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.
“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.
“Our people want to enjoy their freedoms. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. They want good education. Our people want security. They want access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned.”
The dialogue was also attended by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto diocese of Catholic Church among others who all stressed that democracy in Africa must go beyond elections to include accountability, service, and discipline.
The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.
President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.
The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.
The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.
Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.
The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.
However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.
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