The Vanguard for Transparent Leadership and Democracy VATLAD has expressed reservation over alleged recognition of Sir Celestine Omehia as a former Governor by the Rivers State Government.
This is contained in a statement by VATLAD National President, Comrade Igbini Odafe Emmanuel to the press on Tuesday in Warri, Delta state.
Igbini said, though we have received response from the Government of Rivers State vehemently denying such News and describing it as False News being spread on Social Media Platforms, we still find it very pertinent to make the following very important points in order to reinforce the unconstitutionality of any such attempt:
The group insists on a subsisting Judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria which in October 2007 threw out Sir Celestine Omehia from the Office of Governor of Rivers State as not being the rightful person elected as Governor of the State in 2007 Governorship Election and that he was never a Governor of Rivers State. The Supreme Court went ahead to pronounce that Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi was the rightful candidate of PDP and the elected Governor of Rivers State, not Sir Celestine Omehia.
Igbini also indicated on a T subsisting Resolution of River State House of Assembly, constitutionally convened in year 2022 which in strict obedience with the Judgment of Supreme Court of Nigeria of October 2007 and respect for Rule of Law, nullified in its entirely, its own earlier Decision of June 2015 to recognise Sir Celestine Omehia as former Governor of Rivers State.
“The members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, some of whom are top political Appointees of Governor Fubara, overwhelmingly voted to de-recognise Sir Celestine Omehia as a former Governor of Rivers State and further directed the Governor of Rivers State under the leadership of then Governor Nyesom Wike, to comply fully with its Resolution and also directed Sir Celestine Omehia to within seven days, refund all monies paid him by Rivers State Government and all Privileges he enjoyed when he erroneously assumed the Office of governor of Rivers State (May 29, 2007 to October 2007) and from June 2015 to 2022 that the River State House of Assembly unconstitutionally and erroneously assumed power to recognize him as a former Governor of Rivers State
“Provisions of Sections 178 and 179 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN), as amended, states that no Governor of Rivers State has the constitutional power to recognize or make Sir Celestine Omehia or any person, Governor of Rivers State, except through the process defined by the above sections of the Nigerian Constitution. This is just the same way nobody or group of persons can remove any lawfully elected Governor of Rivers State from Office except only through the process aptly stated in section 188 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN), as amended, which is the reason we strongly opposed and condemned the October 30, 2023 unconstitutional attempt by majority of members of the 10th Session of the Rivers State House of Assembly to remove Governor Fubara from Office,Igbini said.
The group however urged the Attorney General of Rivers State to give the right Legal Advice on this matter to the Governor of Rivers State to resist and reject any pressure on him to contemplate such move. The Attorney General of River State must also take other appropriate legal actions to halt any such contemplation.
“We also call on Sir Celestine Omehia to save himself from another Public Embarrassment and Humiliation that this will surely cause him again the same way it caused him two years ago.
VATLAD insists that the Resolution of Rivers State House of Assembly on this matter is still fully in force and its Directive to him to make full refunds of all monies paid him in error as a former Governor of Rivers State has not been rescinded.
