Some members of the Ekpeye ethnic nationality in Rivers State have staged a peaceful protest against the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over alleged harassment, witch-hunt and intimidation of their son – Edison Ehie – the Chief of Staff Government House, Port Harcourt.
The protesters marched through some streets in Port Harcourt demanding an end to what they described as “ugly political witch hunt of their son, Ehie”, while dismissing allegations that he had hand in the burning of Assembly Complex and the murder of SP Bako Angbashim the Divisional Police Officer of the Ahoada Division as lies.
The leader of women of Upata kingdom, Mrs. Rose Ikem, said they decided to embark on the protest because they are convinced that Edison Ehie is being framed with criminal charges to imprison him because he is standing solidly in support of Governor Siminalayi Fubara in his political travails.
“Our son Edison Ehie cannot did not burn the House of Assembly,he didn’t kill the DPO. He cares for widows, orphans and the poor. Wike should leave him alone,” Mrs. Ikem said
Some of the placards reads: “Wike leave Edison Ehie,Others alone”; “Edison Didn’t kill DPO” among others.
Also speaking with journalists on behalf of the Ekpeye people, Apostle Jonathan Solomon, Convener of Ekpeye Movement for Peace and Growth, said they are not oblivious of the fact that this harassment is obviously coming from Wike, ‘having issued several threats in public places that he has a running battle with our son, the Rt. Hon Edison Ehie.’
The protesters said Ekpeye people initially conceived political feud in Rivers State as a usual intraparty imbroglio that would be resolved amicably
But they noted with every passing day, it has become glaring that it is no longer an intra-party affair but a resolve by Nyesom Wike to ridicule their son High Chief Edison Ehie and scuttle his political dreams and vision.