• No plan by commissioners to resign, says Rivers
SECURITY has been beefed up in Okrika, Rivers State, ahead of this weekend’s burial of Mrs. Charity Tamunowaritoku Francis Oba, the foster mother of President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife, Patience.
Meanwhile, Rivers State government has described as baseless claim by the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that six commissioners in Governor Chibuike Amaechi’s executive council will by next month defect and resign.
A Joint Task Force (JTF) gunboat has been deployed to the Okrika jetty as part of security measures put in place to ensure a hitch-free burial ceremony.
Mrs. Oba died in a ghastly motor accident on July 22, 2013, along Isiokpo-Elele Road in Rivers State on her way to Bayelsa State. Several other security posts manned by men of the Nigerian Army have been set up around the town.
In Port Harcourt, scores of policemen, including men from the Rivers State Police Command anti-bomb unit, have been deployed to the President wife’s residence off Obagana Street in old Government Reserved Area.
A boat driver, who conveyed The Guardian to Okrika through the Abuloma jetty, explained that they have been cautioned by the military to reduce their speed when approaching Okrika shores.
According to him, the speed reduction is expected to commence at about 500 meters away from where the gunboat is situated.
When The Guardian visited Okrika, an exceedingly large air-conditioned tent has been erected at the Okrika National Secondary School football pitch for guests attending the burial ceremony.
The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said in Port Harcourt yesterday that rumours of a crack in the State Executive Council was false and a sheer figment of the PDP chairman, Felix Obuah’s, imagination.
“Its obvious that the achievements of Governor Amaechi far exceed what the grassroots initiative can bring against the administration. The cabinet of Amaechi remains intact. No commissioner has any plan to resign and no commissioner is joining GDI. The commissioners in this cabinet had a commitment to deliver to Rivers people based on the vision of our leader, Governor Chibuike Amaechi”, she said.
Obuah had last Sunday during the inauguration of the Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike-led GDI Wards Leadership in Port Harcourt Local Council Area, alleged that six serving commissioners have contacted him that they want to defect from Governor Amaechi’s cabinet to join GDI.
Source: Guardian
