About the 21st day of June, 2020, Nigerians woke up to a bizarre video of some young men, not just beating war drums but threatening to burn down Rivers State, destroy all federal agencies, and burn down all multinational oil companies in Rivers State.
They threatened my life and that of Hon Igo Aguma, Chairman of the APC in Rivers State. They denigrated and abused the Judges of the Rivers State judiciary describing them as “Nyesom Wike’s private company”, and openly intimidated and overawed the judiciary.
They called the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari by name and warned him that he would not be able intervene in the mayhem they would unleash on this nation.
They ended by saying and I quote, “whoever will sympathize with anybody should start now, President Muhammadu Buhari should talk to the Chief of Army Staff now, should talk to the Inspector-General of Police now, should talk to DSS now, should talk to the Chief Justice of the Federation now, to caution the Rivers State judiciary, now that it has not happened, because if it happens we will destroy everything in Rivers State, and we will be ready to face the consequences and nothing will happen. Thank you very much”.
All these were done, said and broadcast to the entire nation.
It is particularly painful that all these were done in the name of a serving minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Hon Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, Hon Minister of Transportation.
As if that was not enough, the minister himself appeared on national television to say that he knew them and he could understand their pain and their frustration.
Perhaps the security agencies following the minister’s example can also understand their pain and their frustration, that is why to date, no security agency in this country has issued any public response to this open challenge to the sovereignty of our country, and the independence of our most revered institutions.
Not even to say “we are investigating the matter”. Even after Hon Igo Aguma delivered a written petition to the security agencies.
We are all living witnesses to our recent history, in 2007 the Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria delivered a judgement in favour of Rotimi Amaechi and removed a sitting Governor Celestine Omehia along with his commissioners, local government chairmen etc.
I accompanied Amaechi into Rivers State when he drove into a peaceful capital and by fiat of law we assumed the victory of an election in which he was not directly a participant.
In the light of today’s experience one can only imagine what would have happened if roles were reversed giving our present ability to understand the pains and frustrations of those who may not be favoured by judicial pronouncements.
In our recent history, Comrade Adams Oshimole was suspended and eventually removed by an interim order of a judge of the High Court of the FCT. Without going into dialectics of who was behind the order, one would need to ask if we are ready to understand the pains and frustrations of his supporters should they decide to burn down the FCT now that it has happened.
It does not matter who our friends are, our responsibility behoves us when we are placed into certain positions, to at least try to pretend that Nigeria means something to us, to act otherwise when in high office ridicules and diminishes our country as history records.
Till date as we speak the young men in that video have never been officially condemned or questioned by any official of the Nigerian state as they themselves said “nothing will happen”, and nothing has happened.
In 2018 the same supporters of the minister physically attacked and shut down the Rivers state Judiciary with arms in broad daylight to prevent the hearing of a case filed by members of the APC who were denied participation in the Wàrd congresses of the party.
Despite the fact that viral videos of the attack fully showing the faces of these individual’s who carried arms against the judiciary, no official investigation was ever carried out neither did the law enforcement agencies make any official comment on that incident.
Again in 2018 , following the pronouncement of the courts, the state offices of the APC at waterlines Junction, the busiest intersection in the heart of Port Harcourt was attacked in broad daylight, automatic gunfire and dynamites rained for close to two hours with police units on standby, nothing happened, no official response was ever made by our security agencies.
So if in 2020, Emmanuel Ogwor the Minister’s cousin leads his friends and relatives to promise the total destruction of our state and tell us that nothing will happen we should not be surprised if nothing is happening.
What is rather troubling is the extra ordinary steps being taken by the Court of Appeal in respect of the particular matter which the hoodlums Threatened.
Suddenly a case before the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt is transferred to Abuja, hearing notices are issued even before the arrival of the files, one is forced to question if threats and intimidation of the system is actually more effective than the path of peace and respect for law and order that has been the true hallmark of the Buhari Presidency.
The choice before us as country is simple.
We cannot indefinitely tolerate lawlessness, rascality and impunity. The greatness of any nation Corresponds with the hard work and sacrifice of its citizens.
Nigerians must be prepared to put in the hard work and sacrifice that is required to build Nigeria and we must condemn the unacceptable with one voice.
In the words of Boris Johnson “No ifs, no buts”. We must show zero understanding and tolerance for evil that is capable of destroying our country. What is wrong is wrong , what threatens our public peace should be punished.
These are trying times for our party, particularly in Rivers state, anyone with a contrary opinion is being labeled as an agent of the PDP, and yet every action of the APC leader including this sponsored threats of needless violence clearly sets our party against our dear Rivers people
Those promoting hatred, violence and division within the APC should have a change of heart, the security agencies must be allowed to carry out their responsibilities to our nation without let or hindrance.
Those involved in this show of shame must be punished for the security of our country, to do otherwise is to encourage anarchy.