-Denies It Imposed a 9-Month Emergency Rule in Okrika
A DAY after First Lady Patience Jonathan spoke about her differences with Rivers State
Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the government in Port Harcourt responded, denying that a nine-month curfew was imposed on Okrika area as alleged by Ms. Jonathan.
The response to the first lady’s charges was issued by the state commissioner for information, Ms. Ibim Semenitari, who said that the Amaechi Administration never effected any such imposition on Okrika.
Ms. Semenitari issued the denial even as she hailed the first lady for saying that she was desirous of peace in Rivers State.
“For us in Rivers State, the wife of the President is a Rivers woman. It’s a thing of pride that a Rivers woman is the wife of the President,” Ms. Semenitari said on Thursday.
“I have read the statement credited to (the first lady). It is important to know she is calling for peace. This shows clearly that some persons were acting without her consent. That is what her statement connotes,” she added.
“On the allegation that the governor imposed a nine month curfew on Okrika, Semenitari said, adding that “there might be quite some error on that,”
“She did say that she was pleased with the governor for restoring peace in Okrika. There had never been any time this government imposed a nine months curfew on Okrika.
“It may have occurred before governor Amaechi came in,” the commissioner said.