Crisis Won’t Favour Rivers – Semenitari

Former acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC), Dame Ibim Semenitari, has condemned attempts by some political actors to plunge Rivers State into another round of violence which she described as “unnecessary and avoidable.”
Dame Semenitari, who is also a former Commissioner for Information and Communications in the State, noted that Rivers State had had too many political crises and that at no time was Rivers State the ultimate beneficiary.
“This State has had too many political crises and was at no time the ultimate winner. At each time, the economy and the people suffered. We cannot continue to whirl in this sad cesspool while other States move up the political and economic ladder”, she added.
In condemning attempts on Monday to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Dame Semenitari, frowned at both the motive and its execution, noting that it was outrageous that only six months into the administration, anyone would consider the impeachment of the governor.
“This goes against the grain of all that is noble. The Nigerian Constitution is clear on this fact which is that a sub-national in the Nigerian Federation should have only one elected governor who shall serve a four-year tenure, renewable, though, for another fours. Why then does anyone want to render the outcome of the elections still born?” the former NDDC Chief Executive Officer queried?
Dame Semenitari in the same vein condemned the crisis in the Rivers State House of Assembly, an arm of government she noted was key to the running of the State.
“We must beware of elements whose sole interest is to cause mayhem in the Rivers State House of Assembly as this would only profit anti-democratic forces and leave the State starved of critical development. The state legislature must be allowed to fulfill its constitutional role of driving critical development in the State via sound and tested legislation. To attempt to use the state House of Assembly to sabotage an elected executive is destructive to good conscience and wellbeing of Rivers State”, she said.
Particularly concerned about the role of the security personnel, Dame Semenitari called on law enforcement agencies to decipher between loyalty to Nigerian taxpayers and political actors.
“Our law enforcement agencies should always draw the line between loyalty to Nigerian taxpayers and political actors. It was bizzare to see Nigeria Police personnel let loose their water canon and teargas canisters on the Rivers State Governor. I condemn it in very clear terms”, she added.
Dame Semenitari called for quick return of normalcy to government and legislative businesses in the state, noting that it would be in the best interest of Rivers citizens, residents, and business community.