The reported plan by the Rochas
Okorocha administration to
register northerners in the state
has raised a fuss between the
regime in Owerri and the
Senate. Was it really misdirected
fire or what?
BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU
Governor Rochas Okorocha of
Imo State has been famed for
some weird policies since he
came to power nearly three
years ago. His latest policy of
registering northerners in the
state has, however, received
blistering criticisms from several
quarters including the Senate.
The proposed policy was
reported to be part of the
administration’s attempt to
protect life and property in the
state following the upsurge in
the Boko Haram insurgency.
The scheme it was learnt was
originally designed by members
of the Hausa community in the
state to keep away people with
strange ideologies from their
midst. The scheme it was learnt
was bought over by an aide of
the governor who is himself a
non-indigene, a development
that seemed to give it
government approval.
The government was as such
quick to deny any role in it.
Despite the denial, this
purported policy has attracted
the wrath of the Senate and
especially, the governor’s most
formidable opponents in the
legislative chamber.
The first to express disgust over
the purported policy was the
Deputy Senate Leader, Senator
Abdul Ningi from Bauchi Central
who brought a motion to that
effect last Wednesday to
condemn the policy.
In his motion titled: “The
Issuance of Identification Card to
Northerners residing in Imo
State – Urgent call for policy
reversal”, he argued that the
policy contravenes the
provisions of section 41(1) and
42(1) of the 1999 constitution of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria
as amended which guarantee
amongst others, free movement
of Nigerians from any part of the
country to the other and right of
residence without any inhibition
or condition whatsoever.
Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-
Egba in support, described the
policy as wrongheaded,
unconstitutional and
discriminatory and lampooned
the governor for even
contemplating such a policy at
this level of our nationhood.
He said: “ Yes, right away,
Nigeria is passing through the
most difficult period of our
history even worse than the civil
war going by the kind of anxiety
enveloping the country presently
as a result of the Boko Haram
insurgency but that should not
be used as a licence by any
governor or anybody to go out of
our constitutional provisions in
coming up with a policy to tackle
the problem.
Also condemning the policy,
Senator James Manager, PDP
Delta South stated that the
policy was evil and dangerous
for the survival of Nigeria as a
Nation.
Senator Ahmed Lawan, APC,
Yobe North while threatening
retaliation by the North said:
“The policy is abominable,
unacceptable and certainly
driven to cause disunity in the
country. We Northerners will not
accept this. If you do this to us
in Imo, we shall definitely
retaliate.”
His threat drew the quick
interjection of the Deputy
Senate President, Senator Ike
EKweremadu who presided over
the session as he called on the
Senators to debate the motion
as patriotic Nigerians and not as
senators from the South or
North.
What appeared to be the worst
salvo on Okorocha came from
Senator Chris Anyanwu, a one
time political ally of the
governor, both of whom were
elected in 2011 on the platform
of the All Progressive Grand
Alliance, APGA, in Imo State
before they separately dumped
the party.
Senator Anyanwu, Imo East, who
is aiming to take over
Okorocha’s job in 2015 made
good use of the opportunity as
she descended on the governor
to the chagrin of some other
senators especially those of the
APC.
She described the governor as a
stranger who has brought shame
to the people of the state and
one who lacked the knowledge
of the country’s constitution,
stressing that the governor’s
action was part of the arrogance
and disrespect she claimed he is
known for.
She said:“Today, the governor of
Imo State has drawn an unusual
attention to himself because he
failed to respect the
constitutional provision of free
movement, free association,
free worship which are well
cherished by our people.
“Our people are the best
travelled and most liberal
minded in the World. We are
highly accommodating. We are a
people that are very friendly to
the extent that we have a
settlement for the Hausa people
in Owerri who have been living
there for generations.
“We have somebody who has
brought insult to the people of
Imo State. This is somebody who
does not believe in the
constitution. Our people are well
travelled, liberal and friendly.
Peaceful coexistence is in the
marrow of the people of Imo
State.
“We have lived with Hausa
people for many generations
some of them speak better Igbo
than I do. I even sponsor some
of them to Mecca. But suddenly,
you have someone from
somewhere, who is not from us,
who is not for us and does not
believe in or respect the
constitution.
“He does not believe in advice.
He is alone and all alone, there
are many court decisions that he
has refused to obey.
“We cannot plead on his behalf
because we did not believe in
his policy and he is a governor
that doesn’t listen to the advice
of his people.”
Her tirade forced Senator Chris
Ngige, APC, Anambra Central to
raise a Point of Order against
perceived use of offensive and
insulting language on the
governor.
Tying up the proceedings,
Senator Ekeremadu while
thanking senators for being
patriotic in their contributions
lamented that ethnicity still
remains one of the problems
affecting Nigeria’s drive for
nationhood.
Upon the motion as amended,
the Senate called on President
Goodluck Jonathan to direct
security agencies not to partner
with Imo state government in
the implementation of the policy
and also urged the Imo state
government to rescind the
policy.
Following the Senate resolution,
the Senior Special Assistant on
Media to the governor, Mr. Sam
Onwuemeodo denied the
existence of the policy.
He stated, “Governor Okorocha’s
government has not begun to
register northerners in the state
and does not have any plan to
do that.” He accused the
governor’s political opponents of
being behind the report as he
stated, especially where those
behind the malicious claim could
not mention where the claimed
registration involving human
beings could not be done in
vacuum.”
He stated, “We know those
behind this blackmail. The same
people who deceived Charley
Boy into action of absurdity
were also behind the blackmail
in the Senate. They used the
senators because the three
senators in the senate are all of
the PDP and all governorship
aspirants who want to replace
governor Okorocha. Source www.vanguardngr.com/2014/07/boko-haram-okorochas-registration-rumpus-senate/

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