The Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU), Rivers State Council, has expressed delight over the release of two ardent supporters of Governor Siminalayi Fubara by the Inspector General of Police on Saturday.
It would be recalled that the two supporters of the governor, Hon Sokari Goodboy and Mr Ezebunwo Ichemati, were arrested by the police last Thursday in Abuja during the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).
Commenting on the development, the Rivers State Chairman of NCSU, Comrade Chukwuka Richman Osumah, said in an interview in Port Harcourt that the arrest of the duo was condemnable in the first place, but commended the Inspector General of Police for acting in a professional manner to ensure that the duo were released promptly, without much ado, since they did not commit any offence to warrant their arrest.
While condemning the arrest, Osumah said the police went beyond their professional briefs, to even carry out the arrest, and carpeted the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike and the Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Council, Hon Samuel Nwanosike for allegedly orchestrating the arrest of the two PDP stalwarts in faraway Abuja.
According to him, the arrest of Hon Goodboy, who is a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly representing Ahoada West State Constituency; and Mr Ichemati, the media aide of Governor Fubara, was a breach of their fundamental human rights, which he said, is tantamount to stretching political vendetta and witch-hunt to their limits by Wike and his loyalists.
He, therefore, appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call to order the FCT Minister and his loyalists, who he said, are bent on deepening the political crisis in Rivers State, as well as heightening political tensions in the State through their thoughtless and self-serving actions.
The labour leader also used the opportunity to call on the Inspector General of Police to immediately effect the release of other supporters of Governor Fubara who might have become victims of political witch-hunt, following the rift between the Governor and the Minister.
Osumah equally advised Governor Fubara to see the present scenario as an affront from those fighting and opposing him.He, therefore, urged and encouraged the Governor to go ahead to institute a commission of inquiry, to recover all critical structures and assets belonging to the State, which were allegedly converted to personal properties by Chief Wike when he held sway as Governor of the State for eight years.
He said those assets are just there for Rivers people to see and listed them to include the large expanse of land where the Slaughter Market was located along Trans Amadi/Oginigba axis of Port Harcourt, now accommodating Hyper city Supermarket belonging to Wike; the large expanse of reclaimed land between Ogbunabali and Eastern Bypass, which houses another mega supermarket belonging to the former governor; and a section of the land at Ikoku spare parts market which is also housing another Hypercity and a filling station, belonging to Wike; among numerous others.
Said he, “The former Governor must be made to return all critical structures, properties and assets belonging to the State, which were taken over by him and you think people don’t see? Of course, everybody cannot be blind at all times.The Nigeria Civil Service Union and Rivers people are urging and encouraging the Executive Governor of Rivers State to without fear or favour institute a commission of inquiry to recover all these government critical assets including several others. If other Governors that ruled the State had converted government properties and assets to their personal belongings, what would have been left to manage the State?”
He also indicated that there is need for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) to go after the former governor over financial allegations bordering on corruption against him, in the same way as the commission is making frantic efforts to arrest the former Governor of Kogi State, Mr Yahaya Bello, after declaring him wanted.
“If the EFCC could declare the immediate past Governor of Kogi State wanted, just a few months after he left office, then, it should not turn a blind eye in the case of Rivers State over all the financial allegations against the immediate past governor, who was covered by immunity; and the EFCC operatives were chasing after an ordinary messenger who was carrying out his master’s instructions then. We want to know if they have more explanations to give Rivers people for letting down their guard over the matter? We are waiting to hear”, he said.
Osumah wondered why Wike has decided to be a hindrance and a cog in the wheel to the zeal and determination by Governor Fubara to truly develop the State, contrary to his earlier promise and assurance to labour leaders in the State before the March 18, 2023 governorship election that he was offering the governor as a gift to the Civil Service.
He said in less than one year in office, Governor Fubara has been able to address up to 80 percent of the problems and challenges facing civil servants in the State.
“Thank Almighty God that he gave us our own, who did not hesitate, on assumption of office by conducting promotions across board. It is not only that, he started employment in tertiary institutions and other sectors, while that of the core Civil Service is expected soon. The Governor has also gone ahead to embark on several people-oriented projects which I cannot enumerate all here.But the only sin he has committed against the immediate past governor is that he refused to share the Rivers State Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). He refused it to be shared and taken away, instead of expending it on people-oriented projects, which he was elected to give Rivers people.This he is doing rather than allowing the IGR to sink into one greedy man’s purse and pocket, who took and acquired virtually all viable assets belonging to the whole State”, he said.
The labour leader recalled that the Civil Service during the administration of the former governor was comatose for eight years, as overheads were hardly paid; the State Secretariat Complex lacked attention, as it was without power supply and water; civil servants were never promoted; gratuities were never paid retirees; pensions payment was irregular; among other challenges.
According to him, the Fubara administration has painstakingly been attending to the challenges facing civil servants in the State in less than one year in office.
While calling on the workers to continue to reciprocate the good works of the present administration with their maximum and unalloyed support, Osumah expressed optimism that Governor Fubara would continue to put smiles on their faces.