The Tonye Cole Campaign Organisation, TCCO, said it received
with shock the reported public reprimand of traditional rulers by the governor
of Rivers State, Barr. Nyesom Wike at the 108 and 109 general session of Rivers
State Council of Transitional Rulers in Port Harcourt Monday for what the
governor referred to as their involvement in partisan politics.
TCCO in a statement signed by Chief Chidi Lloyd, PhD
the Director-General
of Tonye Cole Campaign Organisation noted that “Ideally, it is imperative that
traditional rulers, as leaders and custodians of the people’s common heritage
and culture, should remain non-partisan. We believe that every traditional
ruler understands and accepts this position. Ordinarily, a constant reminder to
the traditional institution of this age-old norm by a sitting governor should
be seen as either routine or prompted by certain misstep by a member or members
of the revered institution. However, Monday’s warning by the governor was
couched in the harshest and most unconscionable language not deserving, not
respectful of and totally demeaning to the hallowed office of the traditional
rulers.”
The statement reads: “It is unsettling that Gov. Nyesom Wike
decreed that, “If you don’t respect your stool, you will have challenges.
Withdraw yourselves from playing politics. If you don’t withdraw yourselves, I
will withdraw you. If you take sides, I will also take sides.” We find this
style of Hitler-type decree and talking down disgusting, repulsive and
unacceptable to the traditional institution in Rivers State and all decent
minds.
“The exact reality on ground is that Gov. Wike has directed
that no first class traditional ruler should represent Rivers State government
before the federal government or federal agencies without his approval. He has
further warned that before any traditional ruler will lead any delegation to
visit the federal government; such a traditional ruler must have approval from
him. This is the highest insult to the traditional institution in Rivers State.
It appears that the governor has conquered the good people of Rivers State and
their traditional rulers because the people seem to have gone silent in the
face of this 21st century tyranny.
“Even more troubling is the attempt by Gov. Wike to incite
the traditional rulers against the opposition when he stated thus: “We expect
the political parties to play by the rules and embark on peaceful and
issue-based campaigns. But you must be on the watch out to ensure that no
person or entity violates the peace of your communities under the guise of
political campaigns.” This indeed is a move to surreptitiously drag the
traditional institution into partisan politics on the side of the governor and
against the rest of the opposition parties in Rivers State. It is a clear
message of intimidation to beat the traditional rulers into line on the side of
the governor and his party and against the opposition.
“We are convinced that the real reasons for the present
reprimand of the traditional institution by Gov. Wike was occasioned by the
open acceptability of the APC governorship candidate in Rivers State, Pastor
Tonye Cole who has been received with fanfare by the people and showered with
traditional titles during his ongoing ward-to-ward consultative visits across
the State. Therefore, we deeply regret this present attempt by Gov. Wike to
publicly humiliate the traditional institution for partisan political reasons.
“The Tonye Cole Campaign Organisation believes that it is
only respectful and proper to visit and get formal approval from community
leaders before accessing their various communities to interact with the people.
We will continue to respect the sanctity of the traditional institution by not
undermining its authority, neutrality and fairness to all.
“We urge Gov. Wike to accord the traditional institution its
deserved respect and not want to intimidate and incite our traditional rulers
against any group or political party as the governor’s present chastisement
appear to indicate.”
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