Rivers of blood (II)

Backed by Policeman Mbu and other manifestations of federal might, Bipi smuggled a fake mace into the legislative chamber and as a proof that he meant business that day, began slapping colleagues. By the time calm was restored, Michael Chinda and others had been brutalised and Bipi “unanimously” elected “Speaker” by four of his colleagues. […]

Backed by Policeman Mbu and other manifestations of federal might, Bipi smuggled a fake mace into the legislative chamber and as a proof that he meant business that day, began slapping colleagues. By the time calm was restored, Michael Chinda and others had been brutalised and Bipi “unanimously” elected “Speaker” by four of his colleagues. Bipi was immediately congratulated on his election by the PDP faction opposed to Amaechi.
Meanwhile, Chidi Lloyd, the majority leader of the RVHA is being arraigned for alleged attempted murder of Chinda and even though he gave a laughable excuse for his inability to provide security for the RVHA’s sitting on 9th July, 2013, Policeman Mbu mobilised hundreds of policemen to receive the blindfolded Lloyd after he was flown into Port Harcourt to face charges. Recall also that Mbu allowed all manner of thugs to enter the RVHA on the day in question but he disallowed Lloyd’s lawyers and others from visiting the legislator in police custody. Chinda should be pitied not for his wounds but for his inability to realize that those who asked him to lend his head to break coconut were ready to eat it without him.
In the wake of the National Assembly’s invocation of Section 11 of the 1999 constitution to tackle the contrived crisis in Rivers State, there is utter disconnect and confusion in the presidential response. Whereas the Presidential Spokesman, Reuben Abati, had told Ray Power radio last week that Jonathan should be “commended” for intervening in Rivers, Ahmed Gulak, the Political Adviser to Jonathan, condemned the Assembly’s intervention as “hasty”.
According to Abati, Jonathan “is the premier political leader of the country…..he has the responsibility to ensure security and well being of all Nigerians”. Abati, dear, Nigerians are neither secure nor well! Sadly, Abati did not explain how Jonathan intervened; is it by retaining Mbu, unleashing Wike or declaring Amaechi’s supporters wanted? Suddenly, after the Okey Wali-led Nigerian Bar Association officials paid him a visit, Jonathan said he would ask to be briefed on the Rivers crisis.
But for Gulak, “the National Assembly’s decision to take over the functions of the Rivers State House of Assembly is hasty. Adamawa State House of Assembly was closed down for three months without the National Assembly taking over its functions. Ondo State House of Assembly was shut down for almost one year and the National Assembly did not take over its roles. It is always better to allow some of these crises to be resolved politically rather than such actions by the National assembly”. What Gulak is saying is that the National Assembly should have waited till those anti-democrats prowling Rivers have executed their evil plans of removing Amaechi (using Bipi plus four) before taking over the troubled State’s legislative functions. Gulak wanted the “crises” which the Presidency has so strenuously denied, to be “resolved politically”, before the National Assembly’s intervention.
But this time, the National Assembly being more rational than the Presidency, had understood that neutralising the RVHA would deny Bipi and their sponsors the one critical institution they needed to remove the Rivers State Governor, and for Gulak this was a disappointment.
Meanwhile, Doyin Okupe, the Presidency’s oldest attack dog, maintains that there is no crisis in Rivers as there is no burning of houses and traders and business men are all going about their normal activities. Such is the discordant presidential defence of the mess oozing from the strategic Rivers State.
In a further sign of consciencelessness, Mbu intends to charge to court the Speaker of RVHA, Otelemaba Daniel Amachree for raising “false alarm” about an assassination plot against Amaechi. The public is being invited to draw their conclusion about the intention of those who, unceremoniously, withdrew the armoured car and security personnel hitherto protecting Governor Rotimi Amaechi. Little by little, Mbu will remove from circulation the pillars of support for the Governor of Rivers to pave the way for Bipi and co and their desperate puppeteers.
The political atmosphere in the State had become so negative with the determination of Policeman Joseph Mbu to muzzle every ounce of support for Amaechi; only the likes of Tom Ateke could demonstrate in Rivers, in favour of those arrayed against the Governor, in Jonathan’s sham democracy, that is. Just last week, Mbu again won praise from his masters for immorally and unlawfully banning a peaceful rally planned in Port Harcourt by the Niger Delta Civil Society Coalition (NDCSC) in defence of democracy
Those against Amaechi would deal with him in their own way and they wouldn’t want any “outside” interference, which is why they didn’t take it kindly to the solidarity visit made to him by Governors Mu’azu Babangida, Murtala Nyako, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Sule Lamido. In a brazen show of intolerance and irresponsible politics, the anti-Amaechi group mobilised thugs that pelted the convoy of the Governors with stones and other missiles. Why, it is still the same country and so Governors should be able to visit one another without being harassed by hired mobs. Or how would the well known sponsors of those thugs want to be treated when they come to the North? The Governors were accused of playing politics with the Rivers State crisis; why has Nyesom Wike, the Minister of State, Education, abandoned his ministerial duties to go back to the State to launch what he calls grassroots democratic initiative (GDI)? ASUU had wanted to negotiate an end to its strike with Wike, but he is at large. Wike has already begun a gubernatorial campaign, where is INEC that promised to punish those who jump the gun?
Clearly, however, Amaechi is loved by the common people of Rivers and he has a sizeable support among them; he is also backed by 27 legislators who gave an excellent answer to those who sought to bribe them to impeach Amaechi; use the bribe money to complete the East-West Road. If Amaechi was as unpopular as Felix Ubuah, Wike and Mbu had bandied about; he would have been removed from the RVGH long before now.
But think about this: If opposition legislators were to convene at the National Assembly using fake maces and announce the impeachment of Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Senate President David Mark, how long would President Jonathan wait to be briefed before he takes action?