Okenyi Kenechi
As reactions continue to trail the decision by the Rivers State Government to terminate the purchase of state-owned power plants and other high-value properties by companies linked to the Rivers State gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Tonye Cole, the State Government has advised Arch Tonye Cole to stop sermonising about the tainted sale of high value-state assets to his companies but rather search his conscience well about the sales of high caliber public assets to companies linked to him by the previous administration headed by his friend and business partner.
Recall that the government, after an Executive Council meeting on Friday, approved the recommendations of the Justice George Omereji’s commission of enquiries’ White Paper report on the sale of the state-owned assets by the immediate past administration.
The white paper report was accepted by the State Executive Council which said it is overdue for implementation.
However, Cole while reacting to the state government’s decision, said his company, Sahara Energy, properly purchased the assets.
But Commissioner for Information and Communications Barr Emma Okah, while faulting Cole’s claims, said the claim was coming late in the day because the State Executive Council which approved the implementation of the white paper is not a court and not equipped or authorised to carry out judicial functions.
“At the level of implementation of the recommendations of the judicial commission of inquiry accepted through the white paper, the duty of the Exco is to obey the law and implement the stipulations as contained in the white paper and nothing more” Okah said, noting that the courts are open to anyone who feels otherwise.
The statement noted that the affected companies linked to Tonye Cole defended themselves during the proceedings of the Commission and urged him to test the findings of the Commission upstairs if he feels shortchanged.
“Rivers State Government is under an obligation to protect the interest of the people of the State and owes no apology to Arch Tonye Cole or his companies if a judicial commission finds that they acted improperly especially where rules were compromised to make one man aquire such highly valued assets of the state like the four power stations, Olympia Hotel in Old GRA and Abonemma Wharf”
