Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has acknowledged the role played by the former governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili, in ensuring that the Ikwerre ethnicity produced Governor of Rivers State, and the appointment of Justice Amadi as the Judge of the State High Court.
Governor Wike said it is not out of place for the Ikwerres to stand always with the Odilis because of their love for them and consider what affects them to affect the Ikwerres too since one good turn deserves another.
The Governor made the assertion while speaking at the Special Thanksgiving Service organised to celebrate the appointment of Hon. Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi as the Chief Judge of Rivers State, held at St. Philip’s Anglican Church, Elibrada Parish, in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State on Sunday.
The Governor also disclosed that all those who engaged in one clandestine activity or the other to pull down his administration, have experienced utter disappointment.
Wike expressed that the part of the recent crises that rocked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was spearheaded by people who, in secret meetings, plotted to bring him down.
According to him, no one of such persons has survived achieving their plots as he maintained that nobody can tamper with who God has ordained, because but for God, he would not have become the governor of the State.
“Recently, you heard there were some crises in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Everybody who was involved, that plotted everything for my downfall, all are out. Everyone, that slept, that went to a meeting, planning how they’re going to bring me down, not one survived.”
He alluded that a similar plot was contrived when the former Chief Judge of the State, Justice Adama Iyayi-Lamikanra was to be appointed, but they also failed no matter how hard they tried.
Wike wondered why somebody would render services for the interest of the State and when it is time for an appointment, people started to conspire and even tried plotting against his government.
“When your predecessor, (Justice Iyayi-Lamikanra) was appointed, you have said here that people came to you to say she’s not from Rivers State. Such people are enemies of the State. That is why this country cannot move forward.
“Somebody who has put his or her life serving the State all through her career, making sure that the State moves forward, and at the time of benefits, you now say the person is not from your State. But all the services rendered was for the interest of your State.
“When your predecessor was appointed, people started to conspire, people started to plot against my government. Your colleagues, some of them started conspiring. I said, well, what will be will be. I do know that it is God that made me become governor. Nobody will survive to plot the downfall of my government. Nobody will survive it,” he stated.
Speaking further, the governor explained that when Justice Iche Ndu retired as the Chief Judge of the State, the judiciary was plunged into crisis, resulting in the shutting down of the court for some years. According to him, even when the State did not have a substantive Chief Judge, billions of Naira were signed off steadily in the State judiciary.
He revealed that reports of the committee that was set up by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) indicted some principal judicial staff, some of who were eventually promised to be shielded by somebody who had hoped to become a Chief Judge.
“And so the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has to set up a committee to investigate it because there was no Chief Judge, but look at the record, billions are being spent. Who is responsible for this expenditure?
“You can’t believe it, some registrars were using that opportunity to make money. You can’t believe the kind of houses people at that level could will build within that period, and they were found guilty.
“Someone who believes that he or she will be the next Chief Judge had to interfere with that investigation, and security picked it up. And simply because some of them are from the same community and she said, when I become Chief Judge I will set aside that indictment by the Judicial Service Commission, security picked it up. That was how you(Justice Amadi) became the Chief Judge.”
Wike enjoined the Chief Judge to be diligent in his duties, assertive in achieving results, utilise money meant for the judiciary judiciously and desist being vindictive.
In his speech, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi acknowledged that only God deserves all the thanks for his benevolence over his life and his appointment as Chief Judge.
He noted that God uses men to accomplish His will and Governor Wike was God’s instrument to make that appointment possible.
In his sermon at the service, Archbishop of the Province of Niger Delta and Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Ikwerre, Most Rev. Blessing Enyindah said it is only God who can raise any person from obscurity to prominence.
He stressed that God expects those who have so enjoyed His grace and mercies in areas of good health, business successes and promotion to gladly acknowledge it by returning to thank him.
The Archbishop enjoined the Justice Amadi who God has raised among other judges to become the Chief Judge of Rivers State, to not only thank God in the church as he has returned to do but be determined to continually discharge his duties conscientiously and give justice to the people.
