The Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State and the state government have traded words, following the former’s comments against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his administration.
Recall that the APC CTC chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, at a media briefing in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, had criticized a member of the House of Representatives representing Ideato North/South federal constituency of Imo State, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, for speaking in favour of Governor Fubara and his administration, which Okocha had alleged are in a state of ‘coma.’
Okocha also slammed the federal lawmaker for interfering in the politics of Rivers State when there are pressing issues in his Imo home state, urging him to maintain his lane.
The Rivers State APC chairman also alleged that the federal lawmaker was insinuating falsehood, when during a news briefing recently, he commented on Rivers politics.
He had stated, “For Ugochinyere to say that for Rivers State House of Assembly to override the governor’s rights without even sending the bill to him or allowing 30 days as provided by the Constitution to pass is stupidity and a blatant lie and we will not tolerate that.
“For Ugochinyere to also go further to say that the Assembly sitting in the comfort of their bedroom to make laws for Rivers State is insulting the sensibilities of Rivers people.
“He (Ugochinyere) went further to say that the Assembly can no longer function. In other words he is tampering with a subject matter in court.”
Okocha further averred, “We demand that within 48-hours the National Assembly member should pick up himself from the gutters and maintain that appellation of an honourable by apologizing to Rivers people for accepting to do a hatchet job for a governor and a government that is in coma in Rivers State.”
But in a swift reaction, Special Adviser to Governor Fubara on Political Affairs and Strategy, Dr Darlington Oji, described Okocha’s comments as laughable.
Orji said Okocha’s claim that the Fubara administration is in coma is baseless, adding the governor is interested in initiating pro-people projects and would not play to the gallery.
He stated, “It is laughable when Tony Okocha will refer to His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara-led administration as a government in coma. This is a God-given administration, a government that is not ready to be distracted, but ready to keep to her electioneering promises.
“And that is why today, by the special grace of God, the government has approved a 33.5-kilometre Elele-Omoku road project worth over N80.8 billion.”
He further said the incumbent administration was not only interested in building infrastructure, but also investing in human capital development, saying, “That is why this administration has provided over N4 billion naira revolving loan.
“The government is interested in putting smiles on the faces of the people and that is why civil servants are being promoted, gratuities are being paid, pension arrears are being paid and local government workers are being promoted and their salary arrears being paid.
“So our prayer is that His Excellency should continue to do what is right to better the life of the average Rivers person. We are not ready to join issues with any person who does not know where he belongs or understand the workings of government.”
On the status of the 27 lawmakers of the state House of Assembly, which Chief Okocha accused Hon. Ugochinyere of meddling in, and which he said is a matter in court, Oji agreed that the matter is in court, but wondered when Chief Okocha became the Rivers Assembly spokesman.
He enthused, “Yes, the issue of the status of the state Assembly is before a court of competent jurisdiction. I only cannot remember when Tony Okocha became the spokesman of the state Assembly. So whether the Assembly is legal or not, the court will decide.
“So for us, he (Okocha) can be distracted as much as he wants, this government is focused and at the end of the day Rivers people will be happy during the assessment period.”
