The presidency has condemned last week’s solidarity visit of four northern governors to the Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja, the Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe described the visit as a “political drama”.
He said the visit by Governors Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano, Sule Lamido of Jigawa, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, and Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger is a political move which is “clearly intended to create fear, despair and sense of apprehension among the citizenry.”
He said the governors, all members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were trying to create the impression that Rivers State is in crisis contrary to what is on the ground.
“Insinuations and statements suggesting that Rivers State is on fire are grossly unfounded. So far, as is it evident to every discerning observer of political developments, the state is calm and peaceful. Residents of the state continue to go about their various businesses, religious, social and political activities under peaceful atmosphere,” he said.
Mr. Okupe added that a pointer to the prevailing peace in the state is that “Governor Amaechi, the Chief executive and Chief security Officer of the state, felt confident enough to travel to the United Kingdom on official assignment. It is doubtful he would have had the luxury of leaving the country if his state is in turmoil as is being canvassed”.
He said the situation in Rivers State is purely a localized political matter that has no dangerous or far reaching consequences for the peace and security of the nation.
According to him, the crisis in Rivers was an attempt by some state lawmakers to impeach the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“Since our return to democratic rule in 1999, It is on record that not less than twelve states have witnessed incidents of attempted impeachment of Speakers of Houses of Assembly in Nigeria and none has posed any threat to peace and security in the country even when our democracy was not this established,” Mr Okupe said.
“Developments in Rivers State do not pose any threat to our democracy. Our democracy remains robust, alive and well. In politics as in every sphere of human activity, different shades of opinion on issues are not uncommon within the polity but often get resolved either politically or through legal channels. It is therefore disingenuous for anyone to suggest that the political disagreement in Rivers State would imperil and ultimately derail our democracy.”
Mr. Okupe also recalled that in Ogun State in 2010, after series of sustained fracas and attempts at impeachment and counter impeachment, the Inspector General of Police locked up the House of Assembly for several months.
“In all that time, nobody in the whole country suggested that the situation was a threat to our nascent democracy, and no state Governor went on any solidarity visit,” he said.
He also said Nigeria is not in any way in disarray.
“As is the case in every country of the world, there may be conflicts of ideas and interests here and there, which in itself is the beauty of democracy and should not by any means be construed to mean that there is chaos in the country or that Nigeria is tilting towards anarchy as some people have claimed.
“Nigeria remains peaceful and is not and cannot in any way be threatened by political developments in Rivers State,” Mr. Okupe said.
The presidential aide took a further swipe at the four PPD governors, accusing them of not being as interested in the security challenges bedevilling the north much as the political crisis in Rivers.
“It is clear that one of the most potent threats to our corporate existence and sovereignty since independence has been the Boko Haram insurgency.
“Most reasonable Nigerians would have expected these governors to be deeply concerned and appreciative of the laudable effort of the Federal Government, which has brought reprieve from fear as well as comfort and solace not only to the people of the affected areas but also to the entire nation and international community.
“Surprisingly, they appear to be more interested in political manoeuvring and grandstanding at the expense of the well-being of the people in their states and the stability of the nation at large,” he said.
NGF Crisis
Mr Okupe also spoke about the crisis that followed the election of the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and its implication on the 2015 election.
He said, “The Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF issue like the political development in Rivers State remains essentially an affair of the 36 state governors. The outcome of elections in the body is inconsequential to the orderly governance of the Nigerian state by the Presidency.
“The choice of who becomes leader of the body clearly has no significant ramification on the wider political calculation of who becomes President of the country as events in our recent history bear out.”
He said the chairman of the NGF in 2011, former governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki “was clearly at odds with the President. He contested and lost the party’s presidential primaries to the incumbent President of the country who went ahead to be elected President by the overwhelming majority of Nigerians”.
According to Mr. Okupe “It is clear therefore that occupying the chairmanship of the NGF does not in any way confer any political influence or advantage as regards who becomes President of the country neither will it be of any major political significance in the 2015 presidential race as is being bandied about erroneously”.
Mr. Okupe admonished the state governors that are “having serious issues with their party to take advantage of various channels within the party machinery to resolve it.”
“Also, they may first of all try to show good example of their commitment to peace by working to put their own house in order through restoration of peace and consensus within the NGF.
“While we note their current political moves, they should be mindful that in all they do as political leaders, they ought to put the interest of the nation and our democracy first. This indeed, is the hallmark of true patriotism,” he added.
Opposition governors
Mr. Okupe, however, commended the eight opposition governors who also visited Mr. Amaechi two days after the northern governors’ visit.
The governors, members of the yet to be registered All Progressives Congress, advised Mr. Amaechi to officially inform the president of developments in the state.
“We note with satisfaction and appreciation, the subsequent visit by five Governors and two deputy Governors including Governor Fayemi, Governor Fashola, Governor Aregbesola, Governor Ajimobi and Governor Amosun, who demonstrated high and commendable sense of patriotism and genuine concern for the nation, with very conciliatory disposition and statesmanlike advise to Governor Amaechi towards finding a lasting solution to the political disagreements between the Governor and members of the State’s House of Assembly,” Mr. Okupe said.
The aide reiterated his earlier position that the presidency is not involved in the dispute in Rivers State and will not deliberately engage in any act of destabilization of Rivers State or any state in the country; “neither is it interested for whatever reason, in destabilization of the NGF”.
“In consonance with the dictates and practice of true federalism and the supremacy of the rule of law, it will be advisable that whatever political entanglements may still exist in Rivers State should be resolved politically or by employing due process of law, in the interest of peaceful co-existence and overall well-being of its citizens,” he said.