Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has ratified the State Assembly’s resolution which de-recognises Celestine Omehia has a former Governor in the State.
Omehia, was sacked by the Supreme Court in 2007, after about five months in office.
The new legislative order signed by Wike Friday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, also demands embattled Omehia to refund N695.5Million state privileges he had benefitted while his status as former governor lasted with further benefits halted forthwith.
“Yesterday, I received a resolution from the Assembly de-recognising Sir Celestine Omehia, who had enjoyed the privileges of a former governor of the State,” the governor said on Friday.
“But you will recollect that sometime in 2007/2008, my predecessor, His Excellency Chibuike Amaechi did not recognize Sir Celestine Omehia as a former governor of the State.
“When we came on board, there were issues and the Assembly felt that having served as governor, he should enjoy the status of a former governor.
“I’ve always respected the resolutions of the Assembly. I’ve never one day disagreed with anything the Assembly has sent to me.”
“The facts are the Supreme Court judgment categorically stated that Sir Celestine Omehia was never a governor, because he never stood for any election and that it will be inappropriate for their (assembly) legacy that they didn’t respect the judgement of the Supreme Court,” Wike added.
“In this part of our country, people will praise you when it suits them, but when you do the uncommon thing, people will not praise you.”
Governor Wike urged the public not to politicise the decision of the State Assembly in trying to correct an error.
He said: “I had to call the Attorney General for him to give me his legal opinion as regards the resolution of the Assembly, and rightly the Attorney General said they (assembly) are right.
“That in the first instance, the recognition was extra-judicial, that the Assembly has no power to change the judgment of any court, not to talk about the Supreme Court.
“So, people should understand and not begin to play politics.”
Governor Wike explained as untrue, insinuation in the media that Sir Celestine Omehia was derecognised because he had ceased to be his ally, and is now a member of the presidential campaign council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“Remember, last time, the National Assembly, when they were making the amendment of the Electoral Act, everybody said they should include the card reader and that was in 2018/2019.
“The National Assembly did not do it, particularly, the All Progressives Congress (APC) members and people told them what they were doing will hunt them. Posterity will not forgive you if you do not allow democracy to thrive.
“In the new Electoral Amendment Act, because they knew they did not do the right thing, they had to include it and you can see that members of the National Assembly are happy that they have done the right thing”, he analysed.
He further pointed, “If this did not happen, nobody will even know that the State government has been coughing out such amount of money to pay as benefits. I’m sure, they must have told you that no benefits and all entitlements were never paid, that is what you hear everywhere.
“But yesterday, when it was revealed that the State government coughed out such amount of money to pay as benefits as recommended by the Assembly and now, they have sent the resolution to me, I thank God.
“Today, without looking back, I have signed it as instrument and it will be gazetted for record purposes.”
