By Akanimo Sampson
The Niger Delta, Nigeria’s main oil and gas region might not be a very safe area at the moment.
Two oil governors: Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and his Imo State counterpart, Hope Uzodinma, are locked in a seeming nasty partisan fight over the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole.
Uzodinma of the APC appears to be drawing the ire of Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He is alleging that Wike’s party is responsible for the attempted removal of the embattled Oshiomhole.
Apparently piqued, the combative Governor Wike charged at the Imo governor, dismissing his allegation as baseless and untrue.
“APC is out to destroy the Judiciary,’’ Wike says as he urges the Judiciary to protect itself from the alleged destructive tendencies of the APC.
Wike who was speaking at the Government House Port Harcourt on Tuesday, says the comments credited to Uzodinma are unfortunate.
According to Wike, “I read that Uzodinma said the PDP conspired to plot the attempted removal of APC National Chairman. That is an unfortunate lie.
“It is unfortunate that Uzodinma will have the temerity to make that false allegation. Uzodinma was an APC agent while he was in PDP. That was why APC used him as an agent to support Ali Modu Sheriff, but they failed.
“It is unfortunate that people of questionable character are in government. Uzodinma cannot talk about the attempted removal of APC National Chairman and mention the PDP. What is our business in the attempted removal of Oshiomhole? ”
Continuing, the Rivers governor says APC is not a political party that means well for the country.
“APC does not mean well for Nigeria. It is a party of strange bedfellows merely formed to take over power.
“If Uzodinma dares to make such false comments again about the PDP, we will tell the world about him.
“That he fraudulently took the mandate of PDP does not mean that PDP is weak. Uzodinma lacks the capacity to discuss the PDP,’’ he adds.
He, however, decried the situation where the Court of Appeal granted a stay of execution on the suspension of the APC National Chairman, and the FCT High Court went ahead to declare another person the acting National Chairman.
“It’s only the National Executive Committee of political parties that have such powers’’, Wike said, adding, “the Judiciary should be very careful.
“The Judiciary should be alert. It should not allow itself to be used. It should not allow itself to be destroyed.
“APC should not be allowed to destroy the Judiciary. Judiciary was there before APC. It was there before any political party. I cannot see the Judiciary being destroyed and keep quiet.
“I am not interested in what happens in the APC. But I am concerned with the Judiciary and its survival.
“Nigerians must be vigilant and work towards protecting the Judiciary.
“We must protect the Judiciary to do its work. But the Judiciary should protect itself. APC has destroyed the Judiciary.’’
While wondering why the Judiciary should allow APC leaders to toss it around as witnessed during the party’s internal crisis, he urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria to caution judges.
“With what the APC is doing today, we may not have the Judiciary and everyone will pay the price. The party is trying to destroy the hope of the common man,’’ he said.
