-By Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja
There is a popular saying: “there is honour amongst theives”.
This is an English idiom implies that there is an unwritten code of ethics or “professional courtesy” that theives extend to one another.
it also “means that even corrupt or bad people sometimes have a sense of honor or integrity, or justice.”
However, going by the recent acts of sabotage of the Supreme Court of Nigeria judgment by Amaewhule and the 26 law-makers of the Rivers State House of Assembly, there is certainly: “no honour amongst theives” in their dictionary!!!
It is beyond shocking that these acts of disobedience and sabotage to the judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria delivered on 28th February 2025 is being perpetuated by the same Amaewhule and the 26 law-makers in whose favour the judgment was delivered!!!
Specifically, the judgment directed Governor Fubara to re-submit the 2025 Appropriation Bill (budget) of Rivers State to the Amaewhule led Rivers State House of Assembly as a pre-condition before the monthly federal government allocations would be released to the Government of Rivers State.
However, in shocking irony, the said Rivers State House of Assembly has repeatedly refused and rebuffed the Governor’s efforts to submit the said 2025 Budget several times.
The highest act of sabotage being the recent adjournment of the said Rivers State House of Assembly for an indefinite period of time beginning on 14th March 2025!!!
As if the acts of sabotage to the said judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria was not enough, the same Rivers State House of Assembly issued a bench warrant of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
On the face of it, the alleged crime of the said Chairman of RSIEC is that in compliance with the judgment of the Supreme Court,(which nullified the previous election and directed the conduct of fresh elections) he has drawn up a timetable for conduct of elections for the 23 Local Government Area (LGAs) due to hold in August 2025.
Even the Hon. Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim, JSC that delivered the “absurd” judgment of 28th February 2025, would be in shock and awe at the new levels of absurdity that Amaewhule and the 26 law-makers have subjected his absurd judgment to!!!
In his wildest imagination and in all his years of service as a judge on the bench of the Supreme Courts of The Gambia, Swaziland and now Nigeria since the year 2019, he has never witnessed this level of absurdity!!!
A situation where the “winners” of a judgment in their own favour, deliberately undertake to be the same persons that turn around to disobey and sabotage the enforcement of the said judgment!!!
Instead of dwelling on this negative turn of events, it actually presents an opportunity for the “losers” of the Supreme Court of Nigeria of 28th February 2025!!!
Since the “losers” were unable to outbid the “winners”, the highest bidders, they should channel their energies to another institution namely the National Assembly which does not necessarily operate by the principle of”highest bidder”!!!
This alternative institution, the National Assembly is capable of delivering similar results, although not in the form of “judgments” but by enactment of laws and legislation including alterations to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.
In this instance, the contingent of the Governor of Rivers State needs to approach the National Assembly of Nigeria with the proposal to create an Ijaw State for all indigenes of Rivers State who are of the Ijaw Ethnic Nationality!!!
This would involve both an Alteration to the Nigerian Constitution as well as compliance with the
CREATION OF STATES AND BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENTS
(PROCEDURE) ACT, 1982.
For the avoidance of any doubts, the Ijaws constitute a significant population of 17 of the 23 LGAs of Rivers State as shown in the report below:
“1. Abua/Odual
2. AHOADA EAST
3. AHOADA WEST
4. AKUKU TORU (Ijaws)
5. ANDONI
6. ASARI TORU (Ijaws)
7. BONNY
8. DEGEMA (Ijaws)
9. ELEME
10. EMOHUA (Ikwerres)
11. ETCHE
12. GOKANA
13. IKWERRE (Ikwerres)
14. KHANA
15. OBIO/AKPOR (Ikwerres)
16. OGBA/EGBEMA/NDONI
17. OGU BOLO
(Ijaws)
18. OKRIKA (Ijaws)
19. OMUMA
20.
OPOBO/NKORO (Ijaws)
21. OYIGBO
22. PORT HARCOURT (small part are Ijaws)
23. TAI
From the above the Ijaws have the largest numbers of LGAs in Rivers State but the reason the Ijaws are not dominating is because we were divided and we have many other ethnic groups making up 17 LGAs. Note Ijaws are in many of the other 17 LGAs but we can force ourselves on them e.g. Andoni, Bonny LGAs etc
The kalabaris 3 LGAs, the okrikas 2 LGAs then Opobo/Nkoro and part of Port Harcourt. So Ijaws 6 LGAs.
The ogonis 3 LGAs.
The Ikwerres 3 LGAs but they will only rise if they accept to be Igbos because many other parts of Rivers State don’t claim they are Igbos like the Ikwerres e.g. the Eche people made up of 2 LGAs. The Bonny 1 LGA and some other LGAs in Rivers State. So the majority will only arise when they change their ethnic group.
While no doubt the Ikwerres are landlords to the majority of visitors from other tribes and nations but we are not Ikwerres just living in Ikwerre land.
So it depends on if the ikwerres accept to be under another ethnic group they are clearly a minority compare to the Ijaws. But if the Ijaws unite and get support from other ethnic groups then they will dominate Rivers State. 6 is too small compared to the total of 23 LGA. 17 LGAs are available for every group to lobby but other groups need more LGAs to stand a chance.”
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