The hostilities that existed between Chibuike Ameachi, governor of River State, and the immediate past Commissioner of Police in the state may have become a thing of the past but recent media reports seem to suggest fresh hostilities with the new Police boss in the state, Dan Bature. In the wake of media reports that tend to suggest that there is a new wave of conflict between the state governor and the new Commissioner of Police in the state, Ibim Semenitari, the state Commissioner of Information and Communications, states the position of the state government on the media reports, dismissing allegations of an emerging frosty relationship. Below is her statement:
This Fresh Attack on Governor Amaechi – Our Position
We are constrained to respond to the latest, no doubt, deliberate attacks launched against the Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi CON, in order to pitch an innocent man against his guest. In recent publications and broadcasts, it was widely reported that Governor Amaechi launched a verbal attack against the new Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Dan Bature. In reaction, as was later reported too, in the media, CP Bature claimed Gov. Amaechi made the alleged remark to provoke him. But what are the facts?
The PUNCH and THE NATION, two newspapers not owned by the Rivers State Government, reported what were supposed to be their stories. Neither Governor Amaechi nor the Rivers State Government had any link with the source or particulars of the said story. In the reports, the newspapers said the new Rivers Police Commissioner had been instructed by the Presidency (both papers fingered the First Lady) to use draconian style and tactics in causing crisis in Rivers State. Additionally, The PUNCH and THE NATION reported that Mr. Bature was to tackle Governor Amaechi, his supporters and Rivers people and then install a preferred governor for the state. THE NATION fingered the Presidency (again, the First Lady) in Bature’s deployment to Rivers State for the purpose of executing the said script. In no section of the story was Governor Amaechi named as source, or, alluded to as accessory to source either by direct or third person link.
Despite the obvious gospel of hate against the governor, the Rivers State Government reassured the CP that he was welcomed to Rivers State. In addition the Commissioner of Information and Communications and a state government delegation paid an official courtesy to CP Bature and even held a one-to-one meeting with the leadership of the Rivers State Police Command as a fallout of the original story that had made the news round.
Assurances of mutual respect were shared at the meeting held at the Command’s headquarters. The Rivers State Government secured a binding commitment from the police that the new CP was going to work as a professional, not a politician, or, partisan. The Rivers State Government representatives left with that commitment, and true to the spirit of the dialogue, CP Bature mobilised his officers and men to provide security at the just concluded Port Harcourt International Fashion Week. We thank CP Bature and the entire Rivers state Police Command.
It was therefore, with shock that we read comments attributed to the CP against the Governor. Well, we may take it that CP Bature must have been quoted out of context.
We made bold to put it on record that at no time did Governor Amaechi speak ill of CP Bature. Except on the day AIG Tunde Ogunshakin, out-gone CP, and Mr. Bature visited the Governor at the Government House, at no other time had the governor met the CP or made any remark about or to him. So, we were shocked over the CP’s recent remarks that Governor Amaechi’s reported comments were meant to provoke him.
The Rivers State Government again for the avoidance of doubt wishes to reassure the new Commissioner of Police that the Rivers State Government stands by its pledge to work with the CP and a non-partisan Police Command.
Ibim Semenitari
Commissioner of Information and Communications,
Rivers State
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