by Rachel Ogbu

Rivers State Governor and embattled Chairman of the Nigerian Governor’s Forum (NGF), Rotimi Amaechi, has dared the State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mbu, to shoot him whenever he decides to protest against him (CP) and the Federal Government.

Reacting to Mbu’s new directive on a ban on any form of demonstration, procession or rally by any person or group in the state, Amaechi on Tuesday told a delegation of Orashi people from ONELGA, Abua/odual, Ahoada West and East who had paid him a solidarity visit in the government house Port Harcourt that traditional leaders in the state should get ready for the demonstration against Mbu over the police commissioner’s position on rallies and demonstrations.

“Another thing I will tell you is that we are looking for a date we will demonstrate against what the Federal Government and what the Commissioner of Police are doing in Rivers State,” he said.

“We have told our chiefs to get ready. Once we get a date, once we get people from overseas; they are Nigerians; they will join us and we will give you the date.”

“I have told the CP (Mbu) to be ready to shoot me, I will be in front. I will not seat here and wait for you to match here and give me letter. Instead, I will keep SSG here and then I will match down with you people.”

“Then I will give the SSG letter to give to the FG so that if they want to shoot, they can shoot me because we have a right to express our views. You have the right to criticise me. I am not particularly a good man. There is nobody that is a perfect man in the world. Is there any?”

[READ: NGF crisis: “My life is in danger, these people are desperate” – Amaechi speaks out ]

Channels TV reports;

Police Infringements

A member representing Ahoada-West and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas in the House of Representatives, Asita Honourable told Mr Amaechi that he is disappointed with the attempt by the police to prevent his constituency to pay their solidarity to him.

The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Ibim Semenitari had informed journalists that the Orashi people were prevented by the police from coming to pay solidarity visit to the governor.

She said the action taken by the command was an infringement on the rights of the people.

Ms. Semenitari said despite the action of the police, the people refused to be provoked and remained law abiding.

“We have tried as a government to be restrained regardless of the provocation that we have received at different times from the commissioner.

“We will continue to exercise restraint. We take exception to it, but we want it on record to Nigerians that we are being provoked.

“We will try not to allow the provocation reduce us to gutter levels that certain people have fallen to, but we want to put it on record,’’ she said.

Ms. Semenitari said government was mindful of its obligations to the people and would take appropriate administrative steps to handle the matter.
The Rivers Police Command however said it did not stop people from meeting Mr Amaechi.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, Angela Agabe, said this in an interview in Port Harcourt.

Ms Agabe said the Commissioner of Police did not give any order stopping people from visiting the governor.

She dismissed the allegations by the state government and some council chairmen that policemen stopped indigenes of four local government areas from paying solidarity visit to Mr. Amaechi, saying it was untrue.

“No, it is not true. The commissioner did not stop people from paying solidarity visit to the governor of Rivers.

“I am not aware of such instructions because the commissioner did not say so,’’ she said.