Some Ijaw elders led by Chief Edwin Clark yesterday called for emergency rule in Rivers State and cancellation of last elections there, suggestions that drew instant flak from the state government which said the call was “senseless, irresponsible and politically-motivated.”
The Commissioner for Information, Mr. Emma Okah, said the government and people of the state were �surprised and embarrassed that persons who call themselves elders would make such calls to cause disharmony and provoke ethnic friction at this time without any justification.�
Security still poor in P-Harcourt �Army
Meanwhile, the Army says the security situation in Port Harcourt is still bad and its men will remain there to flush militants out of Port Harcourt and environs.
The sour security situation in Port Harcourt has already cost dozens of workers, most of them casuals, their jobs after being laid off, at least for now by their employers.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Luka Yusuf, told Defence Minister, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed who visited him yesterday in Abuja that the army had to step in to restore order in Port Harcourt so that the residents could enjoy democracy.
�We are not happy that the people of Rivers State and especially children and the young ones would wake up everyday to see soldiers patrolling the streets, thereby making them scared. This is democracy, everybody likes freedom and we are trying to ensure they enjoy this freedom, that is why we are there,� he said.
But the Defence Minister urged caution, saying: �There is a limit to which we should expose the Nigerian Army or before you know it, the insulation of the army from civil life to professionalism will be compromised once again.�
General Yusuf said: �Aside from Port Harcourt, we are trying to make sure that the environs around Port Harcourt are completely free from militants.
�But to perform our duty confidently, we need equipment such as communication, logistics and necessary weaponry. Most of our serviceable equipment in other locations like Calabar and the ones in Operation Restore Hope, for instance, are being moved to Port Harcourt following government directive.
�The question now is that if there is need for the few serviceable equipment to be used in other volatile parts of the Niger Delta, what do we do and how do we do it?
�If anything happens in Calabar or Delta/Bayelsa/Benin, it means there will be a problem. They are seeing us move equipment from Calabar to help secure Port Harcourt. With these shortcomings, it will take time to reassure the people of the Niger Delta that things are okay,� he said.
Emphasizing the internal security functions of the army, the COAS said it was regrettable that in spite of all the army was doing in fighting crime, maintaining peace and tackling armed bandits in several parts of the country, no state government deemed it necessary to assist the army with vehicles to move men and materials during the crises.
Meanwhile, the sour security state of Port Harcourt has started costing some workers especially those in construction, manufacturing and hospitality sectors their jobs. Their employers hope to recall them when the situation normalises.
Curiously, many filling stations that lacked petrol before and in the wake of the shootings in Rivers State have flung their gates open as the commodity is being sold without visible queues at the stations.
But at the troubled industrial companies, Vanguard gathered that the daily paid, mostly unskilled and non-professionals, were handed their letters of partial sack, yesterday. It commenced last Friday.
The personnel/administrative manager of one of the companies said �management took the decision in the overall interest of the company and staff. We arrived at this painful point after considering several options.
�The supply of gas has been gravely interrupted, materials are not arriving on schedule, top expatriate staffers have relocated to their home countries and the curfew has reduced man-hour drastically.
�When you put all these on the table, there is a shortfall in production and income for the company. We cannot generate money when we are not at optimum or at least in good stead,� he said.
But he said casual workers would be recalled when the situation improves. Similarly, a major fast food company in the state has reduced its workforce in many of its branches, blaming �low patronage, hostile economic environment and reduced man-hour� for the lay off.
Vanguard was shown a letter signed by the �recruitment and training officer� of the company, directing each branch to �send names of four staff� who would be sent back to the labour market. It added that �security and stores department� should not be affected by the downsizing.
Fuel back at filling stations
Strangely, most of the petrol stations that have remained without the commodity for several weeks, dusted the nozzles of their pumps, just as the attendants beckon on motorists to drive in for purchase.
Places such as Aba Road, Diobu, Station, Ikwerre and Aggrey Roads started witnessing a boom in the availability of petrol from last Sunday. One of the reasons for the availability is the threat by the state Ministry of Energy to descend on illegal marketers and hoarders, �very soon.�
Besides, the inclement socio-political climate has caused most of the thriving churches, occupying halls and fields to cancel their crusades and �healings and miracles� programmes.
They have preferred, instead, to struggle for air time on the government and privately-owned radio and television stations in Port Harcourt. The crusades, which normally commence at between 6.00 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. have been annulled by the state government-imposed curfew.
Also, thousands of residents in flash points of Borokiri, Marine Base and Town waterfronts have relocated to Bundu Waterside community. At Bundu itself, Vanguard observed people massing in little spaces.
Clark, others want emergency rule in Rivers
Ijaw elders led by former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday, asked the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State and after six months, conduct a free and fair gubernatorial election for the people to pick an acceptable governor.
The Ijaw elders and leaders who reviewed the skirmishes in Rivers State since 1999 said most of the politicians ruling the state were members of secret cults and regretted that the People�s Democratic Party (PDP) failed to heed the advice of the State Security Service (SSS) to stop them from holding power in government.
They asked that a neutral person be appointed to rule the state for a period of the six-month emergency, while a judicial commission of inquiry be set up to probe the immediate and remote causes of the crisis, as well as the killings of the former National vice-chairman, South-South of the ANPP, Chief Marshal Harry; former National vice-chairman of the PDP, Chief Alfred Dikibo and others.
Besides Chief Clark, the meeting was attended the former Aviation Minister, Alabo Graham Douglas; former PDP presidential aspirant, Chief A.K. Horsfall; a former Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr. Chamberlain Oyibo; Air Vice Marshal Mbu (rtd.); Admiral Bob Manuel (rtd.); Prof Princewill; Prof. Don Pedro; a delegation from Bayelsa State led by Chief Francis Doukpoulagha; and another delegation from Delta State led by Mr. Edward Akpangbo.
Chief Clark who rose from the meeting at about 8.00 p.m. in Lagos told Vanguard on phone that it was true that the Ijaw leaders and elders had resolved that the Federal Government should declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.
He said the leaders reviewed the series of violence in Rivers State, especially from 1999 when the former governor, Dr Peter Odili, took over power, and after deliberation, it was discovered that the crisis in which scores of persons had been killed had political undertone.
Chief Clark told Vanguard that it was ridiculous that a lot of people in position of authority in Rivers State were cultists and the ruling PDP failed to heed the warning of the SSS to that effect.
The Ijaw leader stated that the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, helped some politicians in the state to foist some people in these positions and the leaders were today using the cultists in their gangs to fight for supremacy.
He said the crisis in the state would only be solved with the use of drastic measures and that was why the Ijaw leaders and elders were not against the presence of soldiers in Port Harcourt, but, he stated that the presence of soldiers would not bring an enduring peace to the state.
�The presence of soldiers in the state and we hear that they are going to stay for six months is already a declaration of a partial emergency in the state but we are saying that the soldiers should not be used to enforce the dictates of another cultists against the other because all of them in the state are cultists, and President Umaru Yar�Adua should flush them out,� he said.
Chief Clark told Vanguard that the leaders also decided that the Federal Government should allow the EFCC and the ICPC to investigate the funds that accrued to the state over the years because Rivers is the richest state in the South-South, but, rather than use the money for the development of the state, the leaders used the money to fight for supremacy.
Ijaw leaders’ call poltically-motivated �Govt
But responding to the allegations, the state government in a statement entitled �RSG carpets Ijaw elders over emergency rule� said: �The attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to the call in Lagos, Monday, 20th August 2007 by some Ijaw leaders especially Chief Edwin Clarke, Chief Albert Horsfall, Alabo Tonye Graham Douglas etc for declaration of state of emergency and cancellation of the April 2007 elections in the state.
�The government and people of Rivers State are surprised and embarrassed that persons who call themselves elders would make such calls to cause disharmony and promote ethnic friction at this time without any justification.
�It is interesting to note that the recent disturbances in Port Harcourt which is part of the broad Niger Delta problems is certainly not up to what has happened in some other Niger Delta states and yet nobody including these �wise men� called for a state of emergency. It is for this reason that we view this call as senseless, irresponsible, self serving and politically motivated.
�It would have made sense if the call from these elders was directed at our derailed children to enable them live responsibly and appreciate the virtue that life does not begin and end with violence. We expect a legacy of peace and honour and not shame from our elders. This is because, in all situations, constructive engagement and dialogue remains the best option in resolving problems. Genuine elders over the world seek unity and reconciliation and not anarchy.
�The Government of Rivers State hereby restates its irreducible commitment to continue to pursue her policies to rehabilitate and reform the derailed youths, deliver good governance, enthrone economic prosperity, reduce poverty incidence, develop the state and put smiles on the faces of the people of Rivers State to the glory of God.
�For the avoidance of doubts, we call on these elders to leave Rivers State and Dr Peter Odili alone as we believe that they can live normal lives without the disrespect they have been inflicting on him.
�Finally, let us use this opportunity to say that no amount of intimidation by persons who are no longer of this age and whose stock in trade is the pursuit of �pull him down� syndrome will reduce the focus of His Excellency Sir Celestine Omehia to lift Rivers State to the next level of development.�
Aug212007