Rivers Guber: Wike Slams Odinkalu For Celebrating Tribunal Judgement

BEVERLY HILLS, October 26, (THEWILL) – Embattled Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, whose victory at the April 11 governorship election was recently nullified by the State Governorship Election Tribunal, has slammed the chairman of the National Human Rights Commission ( NHRC), Professor Chidi Odinkalu, for celebrating the judgement, describing him as partisan.

A statement issued Monday by the Special Assistant (Media ) to the Rivers State Governor, Simeon Nwakaudu, said: “Our attention has been drawn to a report in Punch Newspaper of October 26, 2015 wherein the partisan chairman of the National Human Rights Commission ( NHRC, Professor Chidi Odinkalu was reported as celebrating the erroneous judgment of the Justice Ambrosa-led Tribunal on the Rivers State Governorship Election.

“We are not surprised at Professor Odinkalu’s descent into the arena of Rivers State politics as he has always been a willing vessel in the hands of indicted former Governor Rotimi Amaechi. It was Professor Odinkalu who chaired the partisan panel of Inquiry Amaechi set up after his party was roundly defeated during the 2015 general elections. This panel went ahead to sit despite a court order stopping it from doing so.

“Professor Odinkalu has since abandoned his role as a human rights arbiter and has hugged pro-APC social media campaigns, especially in relation to Rivers State. Odinkalu as Chairman of NHRC , led a team to the then Rivers State PDP Governorship Candidate, received video and documentary evidence of human rights abuses against PDP members, only to turn around to accept an appointment from his friend, Rotimi Amaechi.

“Odinkalu is in no position to comment on the politics of Rivers State as he is an active participant who is evidently pro-APC. However, he can continue to humour himself and his APC friends with his worthless tweets.

“The flawed judgment of the Justice Ambrosa-led Tribunal which Odinkalu, the pro-APC chairman of NHRC is celebrating will be challenged at the Court of Appeal. We do not expect Professor Odinkalu to study the flawed judgment and notice its several errors because his position is that of his friend and mentor, Rotimi Amaechi.”