Rivers crisis: Ugochinyere has thrown caution and decorum to the wind

The Rivers State House of Representatives Caucus has urged the leadership of the Green Chamber to pacify Ikenga Ugochinyere, the lawmaker representing Idiato North/Idiato South federal constituency in Imo State, following his intervention in the ongoing political crisis in the state.

This is just as the caucus has accused Ugochinyere of knowing nothing about the crisis that has pitted 27 legislators of the Rivers Assembly and 23 former local government chairmen against the state governor, Siminayi Fubara.

Recall that on June 18, 2024, Ugochinyere had at a press conference in Abuja demanded the governor to charge 23 former council chiefs with treason for not reporting to their offices despite the expiration of their three-year tenure.

In a statement issued on Friday, caucus leader Dummanmene Decore accused Ugonchinyere of offering himself up to be used as a “de facto tool” by a group he has little or no knowledge about.

Decore, who represents Gokanna/Khana Federal Constituency in Rivers State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, also accused Ugochinyere of peddling half-truths and outright lies, adding that his statements on the crisis were an attack on the ongoing legal processes aimed at resolving the crisis.

The statement said, “The attention of the Rivers Caucus in the House of Representatives has been drawn to yet another unfortunate and misleading press briefing made by Ikenga Ugochinyere on Tuesday 18th, discussing the ongoing rift between the Rivers State Governor and the House of Assembly and later the Local Government Chairmen.

“We publicly urge the leadership of the House of Representatives to take immediate steps to discipline and restrain this misbehaving member who is gradually bringing the House into disrepute and garnering the support of some gullible members without fully disclosing his financial interests.

“Since the disagreement, Ugochinyere has thrown caution, courtesy and responsible conduct to the wind – which is what is now expected of him in high office. Instead, he has offered himself as a veritable tool and an agent provocateur for a cause he knows nothing about and for no other reason than to fill his own nest.

“Their latest sponsored intervention is replete with all the elements that have characterised all their previous actions: blackmail, half-truths, misinformation and disinformation, and malicious propaganda.

“In every case, their partisan media statements are a thoughtless attack on due process and the ongoing judicial processes aimed at resolving disagreements in Rivers. As our colleagues who are sitting in the House of Representatives today courtesy of the Court’s decision, this is beyond shameful.

“As a caucus, we regard Ugochinyere as an insignificant fool in the social sphere and more specifically, in the grand scheme of Rivers politics. First of all, he is not from Rivers State. His political value is therefore undoubtedly non-existent, except to those who are so gullible as to fall for his cheap ploys.”

The caucus described the MP’s foray into reverse politics as a result of “extreme infantilism” and said that with time, he would focus on important things.

It added: “We regarded Ugochinyere’s reprehensible behaviour as extreme childishness that sometimes affects some new members, and hoped that his lack of understanding of his duties as a federal lawmaker would diminish as he assumes his new position.

“We were wrong. Hon Ugochinyere has doubled down on the defamation, insults and disrespectful behaviour he has committed as an MP in his one-year tenure, of which we have detailed information.

“The current situation in Rivers State does not concern Ugochinyere in any way because he is from Imo State, a state grappling with its own myriad political and social issues on which Ugochinyere cannot voice his opinion. Disagreements in Rivers have never been brought to the floor of the House of Representatives so as to require the intervention of other members in the debate.

“Undoubtedly, Ugochinyere’s actions outside the House (under the guise of representation) impinged upon the privileges of members of this caucus, the integrity of the House, and amounted to a reckless violation of the Constitution under Sections 49 and 72.”