Chairman of Khana Local Government Area in Rivers state,Dr. Bariere Thomas has posited that his administration will not fall to any amount of campaign of calumny by detractors as his return to the local government council is divine.
Thomas who was reacting to a barrage of media attacks by some groups against him in the area in an interview with the Port Harcourt spectator insisted that their ploy to plunge his administration into chaos will fail as he is not new to grassroots politics.
He said, having served as a counselor, opened his eyes to political brouhaha and he is matured enough to nip it in the bud.
“ I am not new to all these political antics of using groups under whatever guise to make insinuations. Whoever is aggrieved with any of the policies of council is free to walk into the council to air their views.
“ Leadership of the CDC forum in the local government area did not approve of the program considering the position of the council regarding public gathering without due approval.
“There is a process to follow. Things must be done decently and according to laid down procedures and that is the way to go not mud-slinging
On the state of insecurity in the area, the chairman thanked the security agencies for their collaboration to fight crime to a standstill and promised that there would be no hiding place for perpetrators of criminal activities.
When contacted, Nuadum Etukere, co-ordinator of CDC forum in Khana, corroborated Bariere Thomas, that no event of any kind took place in the area, rather, Secretary of the group, Alex Nwinanee , was only trying to justify the gratification he allegedly received from his sponsors by initiating an event that was never approved by the forum nor the council.
Etukere went further to say that due to the untoward behavior by the duo of, Elder Mbara Nwidobie, deputy coordinator and Secretary, Alex Nwinaanee, congress resolved to suspend them, directing that they tender an unreserved apology to the council chairman, Bariere Thomas, as well as retract the stories sent to the media.
Meanwhile, the forum has set up a 5-member committee to investigate the incident and report back to congress in two weeks time.
He commended the chairman on his efforts at fighting crime and pledged an unalloyed support of the forum to the council.
