The Rivers State House of Assembly has withdrawn its resolution recognising Celestine Omehia, as a former governor of the state.
Daily Trust reports that Omehia is one of the associates of the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar.
The Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has been feuding with Atiku following the refusal of the former to pick him as his running mate.
The state House of Assembly has also asked Omehia to refund all the money, especially the sum of N600 million as benefits, in addition to receipt of N96.5 million, as monthly pensions, as of September, 2022.
The House Leader, Martin Chike Amaewhule, representing Obio/Akpor Constituency I, had on Thursday, presented a motion to “Rescind the Rivers State House of Assembly’s resolution on the recognition of Sir Celestine Omehia as a former governor of Rivers State and the restoration of all benefits and entitlements due to him”.
Amaewhule recalled that on June 30, 2015, a motion was moved, seconded and argued upon and a resolution was passed in favour of recognition of Omehia as former governor of the state and the restoration of his privileges and entitlements.
He said based on the resolution of the House, the Rivers State Government, through an instrument published in the Official Gazette of the state, No. 5, Volume 52, of March, 2016, under the hand of Governor Nyesom Wike, recognised Omehia as former governor and restored all the privileges and entitlements accruing to former Rivers’ governors.
The House Leader stated: “Pursuant to the official recognition, Sir Celestine Omehia received a lot in financial benefits and entitlements from the Rivers State Government, including the sum of N600,000,000 only as benefits, in addition to receipt of a total sum of N96,520,359.40 only as monthly pension as of September, 2022.”
Amaewhule also recalled that the Supreme Court of Nigeria in the case of Amaechi versus INEC and two others in 2008, had declared that the appellant (Chibuike Amaechi) was the actual or valid governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State for the 2007 general elections and not Omehia, who contested the election.
He further stated that the Supreme Court also held that “in the eyes of the law, Omehia was never a candidate in the election, much less a winner.”
Amaewhule stated that he was being mindful of the position of the apex court on the subject matter and in line with Section 287 (I) of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which provides that “the decisions of the Supreme Court shall be enforced in any part of the federation by all authorities and persons, and by, courts and subordinate jurisdiction to that of the Supreme Court.”
He said the continued recognition of Omehia as former governor of the state and the continued granting of privileges and entitlements accruing to all former governors of the state to him was not in tandem with the highlighted pronouncement of the apex court and the provisions of the 1999 constitution.
Amaewhule called on the governor to stop recognising Omehia as former governor of Rivers State and also terminate all privileges, benefits and entitlements accruing to all former governors, which were also extended to him (Omehia).
The leader also urged the House to direct Omehia to refund all the money paid to him by the state government as benefits and entitlements, to the treasury of the state government within seven days from the date of the resolution of the House.
Meanwhile, Governor Wike will today sign the instrument of cancellation of the recognition of Sir Celestine Omehia as a former governor of Rivers State.
Wike’s Special Assistant on Media , Kevin Ebiri, in a statement, said the cancellation of the recognition is sequel to the resolution of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
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