Wale Igbintade
The Ekpeye-speaking people of Rivers State have raised the alarm over an alleged plot to kill one of their sons, who is the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Hon. Edison Ehie, using the instruments of government.
In an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, the Ekpeye-speaking people called on the president to prevail on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, and the Inspector General of Police (IG), Kayode Egbetokun, to drop all the “trumped-up charges” filed against Ehie, and others, saying that “the matter is purely a case of victimisation and oppression”.
The letter was signed by 33 sons and daughters of Ekpeye-speaking people of Rivers State, which includes; Dr. Nname Robinson, Vice Chairman, Rivers West Senatorial District PDP and former Deputy Leader, Rivers State House of Assembly; Dr Chigbo Sam, former member, Rivers State House of Assembly, Ahoada West Constituency; Dr. Kennedy Ebeku, former member, Rivers State House of Assembly, Ahoada East Constituency 2; Hon Nwanaka Okpokori, former member, River State House of Assembly Ahoada West Constituency 3; Mrs Beatrice Awala, former member, Rivers State House of Assembly Ahoada East Constituency.
Others are Hon Chibudo Ezu, former member, of Rivers State House of Assembly Aboada East 1 Constituency; Chief Steven Ihua, former Chairman, of Ahoada East LG Council; Dr. Reason Onya, former Commissioner of Ministry of Urban Development and Physical Planning; and Mr. Samuel Eyiba, former Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, among others.
They stated that Ehie played a pivotal role in the formative stage of the Grass Root Development Initiative (GDI), the political pressure group that ushered in Wike as governor of Rivers State in 2015, and also served as its National Youth Leader from inception to date.
The letter added that Ehie was a very close and dependable ally of Wike, which earned him an award of excellence by the former governor, as Distinguished Service Star of Rivers State (DSSRS).
They added that the former governor equally awarded an 11-kilometre road contract worth over N8 billion from Obodi to the Ozochi community, the hometown of Ehie with an over 200-metre bridge.
According to them, Ehie helped mobilise the youths of Rivers State for Wike through the One-Million- Youth -March and also aggressively campaigned for the election of the president.
They stated that Wike was so pleased and elated during the flag-off of the Ozochi road project that he announced to the entire world that he would hand over power to youths like Ehie in Rivers State.
The letter read in part: “The question now is what has changed between Ehie and his former principal, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike that he is today labelled a villain. The answer is not farfetched; Wike has zero tolerance for dissenting views. The same fate Ehie is suffering today is what Hon. Flag Ojukaye Amachree (former Asari Toru LGA Chairman and APC Chairman, Rivers State); Hon. Chinyere Igwe; Hon. Farah Dagogo, and Hon. Ephraim Nwuzi (former members, House of Representatives); Hon. Chidi Lloyd (former Majority Leader, Rivers State House of Assembly), had suffered.
“When Wike put up the proposal to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Ehie disagreed with him. This disagreement marked the beginning of the travail of Ehie. Ehie did not commit any crime, nor were persons arrested, charged, and remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja. Not even the persons declared wanted by the police with him against a subsisting court order in Suit No. PHC/227/FHR/2024 Hon Edison Ogerenye Ehie V. The IGP and Commissioner of Police.
“As to the murder of SP Bako Angbashim, DPO Ahoada Division; Angbashim was murdered in Odiemudie community (Ahoada East Constituency 1. Whereas Ehie represented Ahoada East Constituency 2 in the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“Ehie cannot be held responsible for the murder of the DPO that took place in a completely different constituency being represented by completely different honourable members. The murder of the DPO was carried out
by a group of Icelander cult group but the police authority is yet to apprehend the killers”.
The further stated: “Several arrests have been made, and the Police have concluded investigations, submitted its report, and 75 persons are facing prosecution in Suit No PHC/3208/CR/2023. It is worthy of note that both in the final police report and the charge sheet before the court, Ehie and the persons declared wanted with him was not mentioned in any way, thus, to link Ehie to this murder is a misjudgment and it amounts to trivialising the death of a brilliant police officer that has given all his best to our society.”
“In view of the above, we call on Mr. President, to kindly prevail on the FCT Minister, Wike, and the Inspector General of Police (IG) Kayode Egbetokun to drop all the trumped-up charges against our son, Ehie, Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, and others, as the matter is purely a case of victimisation and oppression.”
They commended the president for his timely intervention in finding a political solution to the political crisis that engulfed the state.
They also commended Governor Fubara for obeying and implementing the peace accord.
