RSG, Omehia And Privileges

Recently, the Rivers State Govern
    ment restored the rights and spe
    cial privileges of Sir Celestine Omehia as former governor of the state.
While hanging the pictures of Sir Omehia at the Executive Chambers of Government House, Port Harcourt, where it has been absent among those of past governors, Governor Nyesom Wike noted that Omehia governed the state from May 29, 2007 to October 25, 2007.
Wike blamed the failure of the Chibuike Amaechi administration to hang the picture of the past governor in Government House, Port Harcourt on politics of bitterness which must be jettisoned in the public interest and to promote the much-desired democratic growth.
The governor noted that Omehia, as governor did a lot of things on behalf of Rivers State, including award of road contracts and wondered why anybody would want to deny him his rights and privileges which others before him had enjoyed.
Expectedly, knocks and kudos have been trailing the restoration of Omehia’s rights and privileges by Governor Wike.
Interestingly, these arguments have been orchestrated by eminent personalities, legal luminaries and partisan politicians.
In fact, rights activist and former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) had drawn the ire of some eminent persons in Rivers State when he described the Rivers State Government’s decision as useless, unnecessary and capable of over heating the system.
Defending Rivers State Government’s decision on the Omehia issue, ex-NBA President and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief OCJ Okocha and the State Housing Commissioner, Barr. Emma Okah, had on different occasions taken on Agbokoba with strong facts.
Okah, particularly, in a recent press statement issued in Port Harcourt, regretted that Agbakoba misdirected himself on facts, bemoaning what he perceived as the latter’s insensitivity.
Insisting that the state government has the powers to confer an advantage on anybody without reference to any court judgement, Okah wondered why such a reconciliatory and uniting action should annoy the likes of Agbokoba.  
Notwithstanding the sound legal grounds to support the arguments on both sides of the divide, it is however pertinent to take cognizance of the fact that the government’s action was a political one to which it is entitled, in view of the nation’s democratic experience.
Indeed, even in the realm of morality, if Omehia signed and executed contracts, built projects with government funds and performed all other functions of the office of the governor, it is only proper that he be recognised as such. Afterall, the Christian religion insists that a worker is worthy of his wages.
Besides, as has been aptly canvassed in the course of this debate, there had been more eloquent precedents in the case of Chief Ernest Shonekan who was chairman of Interim National Government of the military era which the court declared illegal. Yet, he still enjoys the rights and privileges of Head of State, attending Council of States meetings.
In Ekiti State, Governor Ayo Fayose conferred similar recognition on former Governor Chief Segun Oni even though the court said he was not a governor in the eyes of the law.
We believe that the action of Governor Wike should be applauded as a political concession to promote harmony and inclusiveness and discourage the politics of hate, acrimony and bitterness which had characterised leadership in Nigeria.
Rather, the governor’s action should be seen in the light of resolving contentious election case out of court, calming frayed nerves and putting the agony behind in order to collectively move the state forward.