That Rivers Mega Rally

Tomorrow, Saturday October 25, 2014 will
mark another milestone in the annals of
Rivers State. A mega rally will be held at the new Chief Adokiye  Amiesimaka Sports Stadium, Igwuruta-Ali, in the Greater Port Harcourt City area of Rivers State.
According to the State government, the rally would be used to celebrate the 7th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court judgement that brought, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to office. The occasion will also mark the accountability forum of the State government.
To this end, some very prominent citizens of Nigeria have been invited to grace the occasion that is estimated to host about 69 thousand persons. Among the special invitees are the former Head of State, Gen Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd) and former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar among others.
The Tide is proud to associate with the successes of the Governor of Rivers State, Rt Hon. Chibuke Rotimi Amaechi on this epoch occasion and to congratulate him and his team for the landmark developmental projects, recorded for the good people of Rivers State under his watch.
We also make haste to welcome the august visitors and worthy friends of Rivers State for coming to add colour to our celebration. Indeed, it is another occasion that should interest every well meaning member of Rivers State and lovers of democracy in Nigeria.
For one, the occasion will afford the government the opportunity to give account of its stewardship to the nation and the people the opportunity to ask questions, make observations and generally celebrate the many things that have become possible for the average Rivers man and woman.
Perhaps also worthy of note is the use of the Chief Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in this magnitude for the first time. It actually signifies the level of commitment and progress being recorded under the Greater Port Harcourt City programme that is expected to change the face of Port Harcourt.
With barely months to the end of his administration, it is only necessary that the government comes clean before the people, not only because of the need for accountability, but also for the facts and reasons that will be needed to guide the elections of 2015 in Rivers State.
This occasion being one planned to celebrate the judiciary in Nigeria should be an encouragement for the rule of law, assurance of justice that should create for Nigeria an egalitarian society and equity. Being the clearing house of human conflicts, the judiciary should be dependable at all time and committed to the development of democratic and acceptable values of society.
For sometime now, the judiciary has made some landmark achievements for which they must be commended, but every Nigerian knows that a lot more could have been achieved. Yes, justice was served in the political challenge of Rivers, Anambra and Edo states, the same cannot be said by the everyday litigant.
Even as it may be easy to accuse the judiciary, of some slips, the governments and people have also not made the best use of the judiciary. Even as we may assume that the judiciary is working, a lot of persons still wonder why Nigeria is enmeshed in so many meaningless conflicts. Could it be that the people are not convinced of the independence of the judiciary.
Even as we celebrate the judiciary because of some good it has brought to the political landscape, the political class cannot also say in all sincerity that they have helped the course of the judiciary and justice in Nigeria. Since the judiciary was able to make possible the political justice in Rivers and some other States, the political class should be bold enough to take to the judiciary the many simmering conflicts, some of which may impact the 2015 general elections negatively.
Perhaps, this is an auspicious opportunity to appeal to all stakeholders and parties in the crisis that had kept the Rivers judiciary under lock and keys. If the legal solution fails, the political solution cannot fail in a matter that has far reaching socio-political consequence. The leaders of the day both political and judicial must meet themselves mid-way and allow for civil modes of conflict resolution rather than the self help that can be detrimental.
On the other hand, the mega rally should not be seen as the activity of a particular political party, but a programme by the Rivers State Government to interface with the people. The government has by this rally shown the willingness and courage to shed light on all the misgivings that have tended to characterise the relations with some people in government, and the people cannot afford to stay away.
Once again, we congratulate the Rivers State Governor for an impactful seven years and the opportunity for the people to participate in governance and to open the way to suggestions that would provide the icing on a wonderful season of development, peace and international reckoning of Rivers State.