Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and Member representing Ideato North and South federal constituency of Imo State, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, has called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to withdraw the criminal charges filed against Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, the Chief of Staff to Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, saying the charge was politically motivated and it amounted to a sabotage of the Rivers’ Presidential Peace Accord signed in Abuja.
The lawmaker made the call at the Private Jet Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on his way to Lome, Togo, for a two-day International Conference on the need for political peace and stability as key to sustainable development in Africa.
He recounted that in line with the said Peace Accord midwifed by President Bola Tinubu, all cases that were instituted in the courts were directed to be withdrawn by the President.
The lawmaker wondered why even the elected Governor of Rivers state would obey the President’s politically difficult decisions but an appointee of the President would be taking actions, which seem to sabotage the entire agenda.
“The Governor of Rivers State reappointed Commissioners who had resigned from his cabinet, he allowed the State House of Assembly to be sitting and he has paid them their allowances, among others. These are politically difficult decisions to take even when it looked like the governor then had all the advantages yet were obeyed. So it is strange that it is an appointee of the President that is taking steps that seem to sabotage the entire process,” he said.
Hon. Ugochinyere called on the Inspector General of Police to align with President Tinubu in bringing about lasting peace in Rivers State and withdraw the charges which were hurriedly filed without thorough investigation as thorough investigation would have revealed that Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie had no hand in the unfortunate burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex in October 2023.
“Like the Rivers Governor has always preached, no price is too much to pay for peace in Rivers State. The Inspector General more than any other person should be interested in peace in Rivers State and should withdraw the charges as they were contemplated when political emotions were high and now that peace is returning and government running smoothly, the charges can only disrupt the peace and not build it,” Ugochinyere concluded.
