A prominent figure in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has unequivocally dismissed the proposal for the imposition of a state of emergency in Rivers State as fundamentally flawed from its inception.
In a communication relayed to LEADERSHIP Weekend in Port Harcourt yesterday, Eze pointed an accusing finger at the Federal Capital Territory minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, as the mastermind behind the aforementioned proposal.
He characterized the remarks attributed to the APC caretaker committee chairman in the state, Chief Tony Okocha, regarding the federal government’s utilization of loans from China for rail projects during the tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari, as a strategic maneuver to manipulate unsuspecting members of the public into an endless cycle of baseless attacks against the former Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi.
The APC leader reiterated that the loan conditions adhere to the stipulations outlined in Section 41 (1a) of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007, emphasizing that the nominal interest rate of 2.5 percent annually minimizes the financial burden on the government, while the extended repayment period facilitates the settlement of the principal amount over an extended timeframe.
Eze maintained that Okocha lacks the mandate from the APC in Rivers State to articulate the party’s position in any capacity, noting that each statement made by the caretaker committee chairman is reflective of his personal standpoint.
He appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian populace to disregard the advocacy for the imposition of emergency rule in the state, highlighting that the underlying motives of the proponents of this proposal stand in stark contrast to the governing principles of President Tinubu and Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
