By Emeka Amaefula
MUSLIM COMMUNITY IN RIVERS STATE SET TO EMBARK ON FASTING AND PRAYERS FOR PEACE IN RIVERS STATE
The Muslim community in Rivers state under the leadership of Chief Imam Babatunde Omotayo, the Chief Imam of Rumuekini Central mosque in Obio/Akpor Local government Area of Rivers state on Eid El Fitri celebration day declared that the group will embark on Fasting and Prayers for Peace to return to Rivers state. He declared this while the group paid courtesy visit at APC State Secretariat Aba road where they met with Chief Tony Okocha Acting Chairman of All Progressives Congress APC in Rivers state cum Rivers state Representative on the Board of Niger delta Development Commission, NDDC as they conferred him with the title of ‘Gbobaniyi of Yoruba land’. The Chief Imam Omotayo said that the Fasting and Prayer sessions will be done once every month which will be concluded once a year and terminates with a Hajj, for supplication to the Almighty Allah while in the Holyland. To this end the Chief Imam said that Hajj is a Pilgrimage for acceptance of prayer which he described as “Special Conduct” in Islam being one of the Pillars of Islam as every prayer made during the Hajj must be answered by the Almighty Allah.
The Chief Imam of the Muslim Community in Rivers state Babatunde Omotayo expressed gratitude for the detribalized roles APC Rivers state Acting Chairman Chief Tony Okocha has been playing as his leadership style has unified the people of the state. The group also congratulated Chief Okocha for f=his double appointment as APC Caretaker Committee Chairman and Rivers state representative in the Management Board of NDDC which Chief imam Omotayo described as having come as result of hard work and penchant for dedication to duty. Also the Minister for Federal Capital Territory Abuja Chief Barrister Nyesom Wike was commended by the group for his well laid foundation for unity for those living and doing business in Rivers state while he was executive Governor of Rivers state. They prayed to Almighty Allah to continue to protect and guide the Leader cum Acting Chairman of APC in Rivers state as they assured him of their support for the leadership of APC and that of Minister for FCT Abuja Nyesom Wike.
In his response Chief Okocha after the conferment of the title Gbobaniyi of Yorubaland on him said that he doubled at the occasion as having stood in for Nyesom Wike the FCT Minister while he appreciated the organic support of the Muslim community in their large turn out during the Sallah visited that took place on Thursday 11th of April 2024.
Meanwhile the Rivers state All Progressives Congress APC recently sent out an alert for the plan of the current Government in Rivers state of planning to overturn all the laws passed by the Rivers state House of Assembly under the Speakership of Martin Chike Amaewhule, describing such action as disrespect to Mr President. In the Press Conference hosted by Chief Tony Okocha on Thursday 4th of April2024 he said “I want to use this opportunity to inform Rivers people and Nigerians of the move by Governor of Rivers state, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, to procure interim Orders from Judges that I may not name here, but I will put in my Petition today to the National Judicial Council.”
“He wants to procure an interim Order stopping the implementation of the Laws which he was vetoed over. He wants to procure an Order to announce as illegal the Rivers state House of Assembly as constituted and as led by Rt. Honourable Martin Chike Amaewhule. The Governor is in the business as we speak and I speak with authority because the walls have ears. These are the plans that are on and he is doing that so that he will now leverage on that Order to go ahead to appoint Caretaker Committees in the Local government against the warning of the man he says he respects, the President.
“But let me put it clearly here that we will stoutly, vehemently oppose such negative subterranean moves by a man who ought to protect the dignity and integrity of a state called Rivers. Rivers state cannot be turned to a Pariah because of the cluelessness of one person respected and regarded. But see how dangerously we have fallen because we have a Governor that does not understand his left from his right. So, we put this clearly to Nigerians and to Rivers people that we will stoutly disobey that. The gift according to Frantz Fanon that I like so much, the gift to an intransigence government is civil disobedience”
“If the Government of Siminialayi Fubara tends towards intransigence, then he will meet with Civil disobedience. It is just natural.”
Reportedly, the Rivers state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Joe Johnson in his reaction to the allegations said “There is nothing like that we are not given to backyard business. My governor does not do anything that is illegal and he is not interested in any illegality. Whatever will come from the Courts will not come from the back door. We are not like them and the governor has said that he will surprise them so he will surprise them.”
The Rivers state Acting caretaker Committee chairman Chief Tony Okocha will on Sunday 28th of April engage in Special thanksgiving service at his hometown in Rumuigbo in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers state.
————–Emeka Amaefula————–+234(0)8111813069—————-
