Celestine Omehia
Rivers Assembly strips Omehia of ‘former governor’ status
Rivers House of Assembly, Wednesday, passed a motion to withdraw the recognition of Celestine Omehia as former governor of the state.
The House rescinded its earlier resolution that Omehia be recognised.
According to the Rivers Assembly, Omehia ceases to be addressed as ‘His Excellency.’
The Assembly also moved that Omehia is to refund all monetary entitlements he has, so far, received from the Rivers Government as of September 2022.
These include the sum of N600 million in benefits, and N96.5m in pension within seven days.
Omehia was removed as Governor of Rivers State by a Supreme Court ruling barely weeks after inauguration in 2007, citing poor improper of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary election, as it also ordered the swearing-in Rotimi Amaechi, who had dragged the sitting governor to court.
Amaechi claimed in the suit that he duly won the primary poll conducted by the ruling PDP in the state but was denied the ticket.
Omehia, a former political ally of State Governor Nyesom Wike, ally, has been embroiled in a running battle with the latter for allegedly pitching support with the Rivers Chief Executive’s opponents within the PDP following unfavourable outcome of the recent Presidential primary election of the party.
Wike had in the run-up to the 2019 General Elections, recognised Omehia as former governor and also reinstituted previous honours accorded to such status to the latter.
