*To refund N600m monetary entitlements and 96.5m in pension up to September 2022, within Seven days.
Ibrahim Bakare/Port Harcourt.
The bile of political acrimony between Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party PDP and Governor Nyesom Wike has landed former Governor Celestine Omehia in trouble for aligning with Atiku.
Rivers state house of Assembly has directed Governor Nyesom Wike to de-recognise Sir. Celestine Omehia as former governor of Rivers State.
By the resolution by House of Assembly, Omehia ceases to be addressed as “His Excellency” and to refund the sum of N600m Monetary entitlements and N96.5m in pension paid to him up to September 2022. All monies to be refunded within Seven days.
It follows a motion sponsored by the Leader of the House and Member representing Obio-Akpor Constituency 1, Martin Amaewhule.
Mr Amaewhule said the House does not have a copy of the ruling of the Supreme Court as at the time it called for his recognition.
He presented four prayers in the motion, including that Mr. Omehia should refund all money received from the state government.
Celestine Omehia is given seven days to refund 600million naira in benefit and another 96.5million naira pension received so far.
He is also asked to stop using the tittle, “HIS EXCELLENCY” and GSSRS, which is a tittle from the state honour that is due an incumbent or a Former Governor.
Our Correspondent reports that Sir. Celestine Omehia a cousin of former Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi was Governor of Rivers State for about six months until Supreme Court declared Amaechi as the Governor and sacked Omehia.
However, when Wike took over as Governor in a ceremony organised by Governor Wike and the leaders of PDP, Omehia official photograph was hung in Government House Executive chambers symbolically recognizing as former Governor despite the fact that he was sacked by the Apex Court.
All the rights and privileges attached to the office of a former Governor was restored to Omehia with his full pensions and other privileges attached to the other. As part of Wike’s administration to immortalize Omehia as former Governor, Wike renamed a very popular road, “SARS Road in Rukpowu” in Obio-Akpor local government area, road was named “Sir Celestine Omehia Road”.
Until recently the state government started doing a remedial work on the road, the Sir Celestine Omehia road had been in deplorable state for about two years, despite the outcry of inhabitants and motorists.
It would be recalled also another supporter of Atiku Abubakar, Dr Chinyere Igwe, Federal lawmaker representing Port Harcourt Constituency 2, has had Petrol Station, Mega Tools Petrol located in Diobu Port Harcourt for alleged involvement in illegal oil bunkering.