Hon. Darlington Orji is the caretaker committee chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area (LGA). In this interview he speaks about the crisis in Rivers State, why the 25 former lawmakers cannot impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara, among other issues. JOY ANIGBOGU brings the excerpts:

I hope I’m correct if I refer to you as Fubara’s man. What is happening in Rivers State is confusing, five days ago the Court of Appeal three man panel led by Justice Bada, ruled that the exparte order issued by the High Court of Rivers State in the light of section 272 of the 1999 constitution is null and void because the Rivers State High Court lacked jurisdiction in the matter and on the basis of that ruling that three man panel court of Appeal said that the matter of whether an Amaewhule faction were no longer members of the House of Assembly doesn’t stand. There’s also another High Court Abuja, in the court of Justice Okorowo.  Justice Donatus Okorowo issued an order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from taking any consequential step over the matter involving Amaewhuleand others and that matter hadn’t yet been determined. In the face of the pronouncement of the Court of Appeal. We now have a state High Court in Rivers, the court of Justice Jombo saying he gave an order on July 5th and that the Chief Judge of Rivers shouldn’t recognise Amaewhuleand others. A few days ago another State High Court granted another exparte judgment. This looks like pure confusion, what is going on in Rivers State between the lawmakers, the Governor and the courts?

You may be correct when you say that I’m aFubara man but let me draw your attention to the fact that in the last administration led by the Federation Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, I was the spokesman of the PDP in Rivers State. At atime I spoke through his campaign. I led the campaign and by the special grace of God we had success. I’m a full-fledged Rivers man who believes in the cause of Rivers State and believes that the soul of Rivers State should be for the benefit of everybody in Rivers State. One thing that is at stake here is the soul of Rivers State, to control Rivers State. Like I’ll say that people should realise that there’s time for everything. Talking about the court judgment, there are too many legs to the issues in Rivers State. So it depends on your understanding. The judgment that was given yesterday (Monday) by the state High Court was reaffirming their position earlier which said that the chief judge of Rivers State shouldn’t see this committee if young men who are parading themselves as members of Rivers State House of Assembly until such matters are being determined.  In the issue of the Appeal Court that says that the lower court has no jurisdiction to hear that matter, that is why I said that there are several issues that are on board. What is happening in Rivers State is that a group of young men that we campaigned for, like I told you I was the PRO of PDP during the campaign period of the election that brought Martins Amaewhuleand others. They were elected under PDP and of course I know that you’re aware of their defections. These are people who said that they’re honourable members and I begin to wonder when people refer to them as honourable members and they’re doing dishonourable things. They read on the floor of the house about their defections, MartinsAmaewhule read for himself and on behalf of his colleagues. Section 109 (1g) is very clear that when you defect when there are no issues in your party, of course you automatically lose your seat. They made reference that there were issues with the National Secretary of the party as at then and PDP came out to say that correspondences were still coming out from the national secretariat and we never had two correspondences as regards the office of the secretary. So, the position of the Court of Appeal didn’t reinstate them as members of Rivers State House of Assembly. Don’t forget that there’s a judgment that barred them from parading themselves as members of the Rivers State House ofAssembly. That is why I said that there are several legs to this matter but by the grace of God it’ll be sorted out at appellate court. The speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Honourable Oko Jombo has appealed on that and by the special grace of God, we believe that the Supreme Court is apolicy court and understands the law and whatever thing it says. It’s meticulous in making sure that what it dishes out to the public everybody will accept it. For us there’s no confusion in Rivers State. We’re still moving under the leadership of Rt. Honourable Jombo.

Rivers State High Court granted an order restraining the chief Judge of the state and the Clark of the House of Assemblyfrom receiving an impeachment article from the 27 lawmakers. How long do you think that the Fubara administration can fend off this letter, it seems to be the ultimate goal at the end of the day?

The Martins ledadministration lacks the locus to serve impeachment notice on the Governor. As of today they are not members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, for the trouble they caused themselves. So, they cannot serve impeachment notice to the governor and again Rivers people are waiting for that to happen and we’re going to resist it. For us what is important is that the governor is concentrating in developing Rivers State and giving the people the dividend of democracy. I have the right to go to court to tell the Chief Judge of Rivers State, don’t recognise these people, and as far as we’re concerned they’re not known to law until their status is pronounced by the Supreme Court then we will know whether they’re members of the Rivers State House of Assembly or not. What is happening there is that a group of people can come together and issue any statement. They’re not members until their status is cleared. The Appeal Court didn’t say that they’re members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. The Appeal Court said that the lower court that had that order lacked jurisdiction to do that. Remember the constitution is very clear about who has the mandatory power to declare their seats vacant. At that time the speaker was Rt. Hon Ehie Ogerenye Edison who declared their seats vacant and wrote to INEC. If not for the politics that we’re playing by now we would have had a by-election in Rivers State and not talking about whether they’re members or not. They caused this by themselves. It was apolitical mistake. Their leader accepted that it was a political mistake. If they feel that they’re popular and that Rivers people love them, let them present themselves so that we’ll test their popularity.  For us they’re not known to law, they’re not known to Rivers people. Which party do they belong to? They swore an affidavit that they’re members of the APC. Today they say they’re no longer members of the APC. How can we believe people that are speaking from the two sides of their mouths? If they want to present themselves for election, which party will they do that? That is where the problem lies. They were elected under the platform of the PDP, today they’re in APC. They’ve vacated their seats because of their defection to APC. 

You are the caretaker chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area (LGA), when did you last go to the local government or have you been working from your house?

We were sworn in to take over the council, when I got to the local government gate I met with police. They said they had a tip that there was going to be abreakdown of law and order and therefore everybody should steer clear. The power of the chairman is not in the office. The power of the chairman is where he stays. Even as I’m seated now, I have the responsibility of signing documents and carrying out my duties. 

You’re signing documents from your house. So your house is now the Ikwerre local government?

We have an outlet there and we’re operating from there. For now there’s no point confronting the police but we believe that by the ruling of the Appeal Court and by the special grace of God before the end of the week, the police will vacate the council headquarters. They said that they’re maintaining law and order to avoid breakdown of peace. For me I won’t be alocal government chairman that will supervise the bloodletting of my people, that is why I’m following it according to law.

Where is the liaison office? 

It is at Isiokpo. Isiokpo is where our council is located and there’s an outlet built by the council there.

People have raised eyebrows about the remote work of the council men. You said that you have been signing documents, what kind of document have you been signing?

At the time I was chief of staff of Samuel Nwanosike before I left him. I said no to the injustice meted on the governor. On the documents that I was referring to, for example, there was aproject that Samuel Nwanosike was working on called government recognised traditional rulers in Ikwerre LGA, the building of a structure for them and for reasons I don’t know the construction was abandoned about seven months before the expiration of his tenure. The council has released money and that project has continued. As I speak to you by tomorrow we will flag off 14 classroom blocks on behalf of Ikwerre LGA. All the principal officers and political appointees will be there. So, when I say that I’m signing documents, I’m carrying out my functions as regards to the Local Government council. 

Ogbako Ikwerre paid a courtesy visit to Fubara a few days ago. What are your thoughts about that? 

People from other areas have been governors until God used our dear former governor, His Excellency, Peter Odili and we had that opportunity for 16 years, and human nature demands that other people be supported again. Now we have a governor from the Riverine extraction, so Ikwerre people went to give him our support. Against the perception that there is ethnic separation in Rivers State or that there is ethnic war. We want to say, no. Individuals can do whatever they want to do but as Ikwerre people, the four Ikwerre speaking LGAs that have over 60 communities are saying no to the harassment being meted out to the governor. The position of Ikwerre people is that other parts of Rivers State have supported us to be governor for 16 years, so we are going to support them. That is why in that gathering you saw the president general of Ogbako Ikwerre, the chairman of government recognised traditional rulers and president of government recognised traditional rulers of Ikwerre ethnic extraction. It showed that it was all encompassing and as far as I can remember every person that you can name in Ikwerre was there to show that it was not a partisan issue. It was just to show solidarity and tell him that we are in support of his government, the developmental projects he has brought to Ikwerre ethnic nationality. We used that opportunity to appeal to him to help us so that our Obiri Ikwerre will be rebuilt. There is a flyover that defaced the former Obiri Ikwerre. Where we used to gather and it was abandoned. Even though we had two governors from Ikwerre extraction. He graciously gave us the opportunity and approval that he would rebuild it. It was a good one for us. So we went there to give him support to tell him there was no ethnic war in Rivers. What people were doing was at their individual levels. As for us we are to support him as an ethnic nationality and we will continue to support him. We are running an all inclusive government in Ikwerre LGA and in Rivers State and by the special grace of God the coast will be clearer and we will take full possession of the council premises.

You people benefitted from Nyesom Wike, so what has changed now, is he no more the shining light?

I have told you in clear terms that as at the time he was campaigning to be the governor of Rivers State in second tenure, I was the spokesman of PDP Rivers State and I joined the campaign in all the local governments. I anchored all the programmes. No one person can win an election. All of us contributed to the success of any person emerging. Let me also tell you very straight so that you can understand, if you are talking about the owner of the structure in Rivers State, the structure was owned, organised and built by Sir Peter Odili. Every politician that you can think of in the state today no matter the divide he or she belongs to is a product of HE Peter Odili, the former governor of Rivers State. So what happens to him? When you build, we are like afamily. People will graduate from one step to another. That you built a structure does it mean that you are going to own the people? Can you own my life? Are you the giver of life? The poor must breathe. Rivers people must have a choice.

So you people have disowned Wike?

We are not disowning Wike. He is still the son of Rivers State. He is still our brother, father and all of that but what we are saying is that Fubara must have full control of Rivers State to take decisions on behalf of the people because if the government fails the person they will blame is Fubara and not any other person. Don’t forget that His Excellency the former Governor of Rivers State called for the killing of godfatherism in Rivers State. I joined him in Edo State to go and fight Adams Oshiomhole over godfatherism. So godfatherism is dead and nobody can be godfather in Rivers State

If you say you are not sure if Wike is ashining light, how do you think all of these problems in Rivers State can be resolved?

The way forward is what the former Governor, Nyesom Wike told Rivers people. He told Rivers people that Abuja politicians should allow Rivers people to govern themselves, and anybody who influences Rivers people from Abuja is going to suffer the wrath of God. I believe in that. So we are saying that the way forward is that Fubara has been elected, and for the first time a man won the 23 local governments in Rivers State. It has never happened. It shows acceptability by the people. So, he must have the time to deliver the dividend of democracy to the people of Rivers State. So, if the government succeeds or fails, he will be held accountable. He must be allowed to run his tenure because in the last administration nobody influenced the government. This one nobody will influence the government. We are one in Rivers State but we don’t support intimidation and harassment in Rivers State. I believe in Wike’ statement that anybody who influences Rivers people from Abuja will face the wrath of God