by Isi Esene

Governor of Rivers State was yesterday barred from entering his official residence through the Forces Avenue entry point by a deployment of gun-totting police officers.

The governor who was returning from an inspection tour of projects in the state later had to use another entry point into the Government House after trying for almost an hour to negotiate with security men.

According to the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Angela Angela Agabe (DSP), the entrance was blocked as a measure to prevent a breakdown of law and order after a splinter group of the Peoples’ Democratic Party in the state opened a secretariat on the same road. All roads leading to Forces Avenue were immediately closed.

[READ: Governor Amaechi’s convoy blocked by police (PHOTOS)]

While explaining the closure, the state police PPRO says the governor could have made use of other entrances to the Government House seeing no reason for the ruckus being generated. “The governor has other routes to get to the Government House. So I don’t see how this should be an issue,” Agabe said.

While narrating the incident to newsmen yesterday, Ibim Semenitari, the state commissioner for information said, “The governor was coming back with his visitors, former speakers of Houses of Assembly, he was blocked on his way into the government house, leading to his private entrance.

[READ: PDP crisis: Why we blocked Amaechi from entering Government House – Rivers police]

“The police blocked the road, the governor came down and identified himself, but they told him they had orders from the commissioner of police.

“Gov. Amaechi, therefore, had to go through a longer route to get to the Government House,’’ she said.

Semenitari described the action as an insult on the office of the governor of Rivers.

President Goodluck Jonathan had yesterday landed in Port Harcourt on his way to his home state Bayelsa to attend an Anglican Church organised event.

Watch the video below: