Omiete Joseph
The immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike alongside his allies have shunned invitation to appear before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry investigating the arson, killings and wanton destruction of property in some local government headquarters of the state.
The seven-man panel led by Justice Ibiwengi Minakiri had summoned Wike, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) through courier service and newspaper advertorial signed by its chairman to appear before it on Tuesday, November 19, 2024.
The panel also summoned former local government chairmen of Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor, Ahoada West and Eleme, but they were conspicuously absent and did not send any representation.
In her remarks at the end of the commission sittings on November 19, 2024, Justice Minakiri disclosed that the FCT did not honour the invitation, saying the day was solely reserved for him to appear to clarify some grey areas.
In her words, Minakiri stated “Today’s sitting was actually for the Governor of Rivers State to appear before this commission to straighten some points that we needed to know.
“That is just the only reason we are sitting today, otherwise our sitting would have ended yesterday. But we had waited hoping that he would be here. We have given some.
“So today will mark the last day we are sitting. As we rise today that brings us to the end of the sitting of this commission except there is a direction from His Excellency to do otherwise as permitted by the law under which we are operating.”
Justice Minakiri who expressed dismay on their absence at the panel said “You can see from the way the hall is looking there is actually no strange face here. There is nobody here. So in the absence of all that, we made publications inviting people we want to hear from alongside His Excellency (Nyesom Wike) but I have noticed that there’s nobody here. So that brings us to the end of the sitting”.
She however said the panel will go ahead to submit its report to the Governor, Siminalayi Fubara despite the refusal of some of the invitees to appear before it, including the FCT Minister.
She however, thanked everyone who responded to the investigation, saying “we have those that just came in today and to tell you that you have made our job easy for us.
“Your presence encouraged us all through our sittings. We do hope that at the end of the day whatever comes up after this sitting will be indeed to the benefit of Rivers State, the entirety of Rivers State and the people of Rivers State. So I want to say thank you so much for your presence.”