Abia Govt Should Apologise To Amaechi –RVHA

Governor of Rivers State, represented by state Commissioner for Works, Hon Dakuku Peterside (middle) being assisted by Deputy Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Dumnamene Deekor (3rd left) and Hon Maureen Tamuno, while cutting the tape during the commissioning of Tamuno’s constituency project in Ogu/Bolo LGA, on Tuesday.

The Rivers State House of Assembly has in a majority vote condemned in strong terms the unguarded utterances and indiscretion made by the Abia State Commissioner for Information, Mr Tony Agbazuere against the state Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi describing it as breach of diplomatic protocol between the two states.

The position of the lawmakers followed a motion by the House Leader, Hon Chidi Lloyd last Wednesday titled a motion to depreciate the uncouth language and indiscretion by the Abia State Commissioner  for Information against the person of His Excellency, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the executive governor of Rivers State and the good people of the state.

Presenting the motion at the floor of the House, Hon Lloyd stated that in the context of diplomatic relations between states, the utterances was a gross violation of the rules for a state or its functionaries to cast aspersions or make derogatory vituperations on another state, adding that it was also a breach of moral decorum for a junior officer of a state, to verbally abuse a senior officer in a rank of Chief Executive of another state.

The House Leader explained to the lawmakers that during the accountability rendition to the people of the state by Governor Chibuike Amaechi as part of his three years anniversary in office, the governor had made mention of the modest contribution of the state government in terms of military contingent and police personnel trained by the state governor on counter terrorism to assist the military personnel in arresting the criminal excess in Aba, Abia State.

According to him, “ the rendition by the state governor was made in good faith devoid of any mischief against the Abia State government and neither was it also intended to ascribed glory to Governor Amaechi and the Rivers people in any way”.

He told the legislators that the governor’s account of stewardship was mis-constructed by the Abia State Commissioner for Information, Mr Agbazuere who instead of seeking civil or legal means to react to governor Amaechi’s statement or seek explanation to whatever reservations from the statements resulted to 20 berserk to attack his Excellency with unprintable words describing him as an agbero” meaning  “a tout”

He described the commissioner’s attitude as not only an exercise of uncouthness, but also a ridiculous height of political brigandage and infantilism in the discharge of state responsibilities, adding that it amounts to diplomatic naivety and exuberant reeklessness from an equally unseasoned and ill-informed public officer of a state to react in such dastardly manner to the statement of a chief executive of another state.

The House leader prayed among other things that the House should condemn in strong terms this breach of protocol and exercise of unbridled political brigandage by the Abia State Commissioner for Information.

The House Leader also prayed the House to transmit a strongly worded letter to the Abia  State House of Assembly demanding the House (Abia State legislature) to compel the said commissioner to tender an unreserved apology in writing to his Excellency, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and the good people of the state for the underserved vituperations against his Excellency and the state.

Finally, that the Abia State House of Assembly do compel the commissioner to publish the apology letter in at least three national dailies and three local tabloids as well as , any order matter it deemed for necessary that would forestall a re-occurrence of such  development in the future.

The motion was seconded by the deputy House Leader, Hon Hope Ikiriko, Ahoada West.

Some of the lawmakers who contributed on the motion condemned the unpleasant remarks made by the Abia State Commissioner for Information against the governor of the state.

Hon Hope Ikiriko (ANELGA) and Emmanuel Okatta (Omuma) stated that what ever comments Governor Amaechi had made during the stewardship account to Rivers people was not on his own personal capacity but in position as he state chief executive.

The lawmakers while supporting all the prayers sought by the House Leader described the Abia information boss comments as uncultured and rude.

However, Hon Jones Ogbonda in his own contributions urged the House to treat the matter with levity so as not to heat up the polity between the two sister states.

In his ruling, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt Hon Tonye Harry, who presided over the sitting said the House in consonance with their Abia State counterpart would handle the matter with utmost maturity it deserved.

The speaker later put the motion into voting, seventeen lawmakers voted in favour of the motion , while four voted against the motion.

He therefore, directed the clerk of the House to transmit the resolutions of the House to the Abia State House of Assembly.

Esther Adizua