Newsdiaryonline.com has learnt that officials  Economic and Financial crimes Commission EFCC have once again invaded Rivers State .In this latest incident the Commissioner for Local government and some local government  chairmen were said to have been arrested.

The anti graft agency had some time ago docked the chief of staff to Governor Amaechi  .He has since regained his freedom after some tug of war between the agency and the state government

Sources in Port Har court told newsdiaryonline that this latest spate of arrests was politically motivated and may have been targeted at Governor Amaechi who is suspected of not supporting President Goodluck Jonathan's 2011 presidential bid like some other Niger Delta governors.

In fact the president Wife Dame Patience Jonathan openly embarrassed the governor recently at Okrika as she openly took sides against the controversial waterfronts demolition exercise which the state had argued was meant to facilitate development.After the public tirade by the president's wife against Amaechi , the chairman of Okrika Local Government who reportedly resigned under controversial circumstances was replaced as Amaechi swore in the vice chairman as the new chairman.

A furious resident of the state told newsdiaryonline that this latest arrest is because ''they accuse Amaechi of not supporting Jonathan coupled with the recent brush with his wife''

Though the EFCC's account of what transpired in Rivers state over the latest arrests was not immediately available,newsdiaryonline.com sources said the commissioner for  local government and and some LG chairmen have indeed been picked up.A statement from a PortHarcourt based group Rivers Vanguard for Good Governance ,RIVGGAN said the latest developments are politically motivated.The statement by Ejike Ummuna, its publicity secretary, RIVGGAN accused some people of trying to use the EFCC to settle political scores.The full text of RIVGGAN'S press release says:

''The Rivers Vanguard for Good Governance has condemned plots by those who want to use the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to settle political scores particularly in the Niger Delta States. We want to state that while we support the efforts of the Federal Government under President Goodluck Jonathan to continue the fight against corruption which is also being replicated in the states, we are against acts which may become diversionary to the governors who are truly embarking on people-oriented projects. It therefore beats our imagination why the EFCC would always descend on the Niger Delta states towards the build up to elections.

''This is on the back drop of rumors making rounds that some state governors of the ruling People’s Democratic Party who are suspected of not supporting the presidential bid of President Jonathan may be harassed by the Crime Commission as was the case in the past Administration. For a government that has the rule of law as one of its cardinal points, it would amount to executive recklessness and a mockery of its democratic tenets to arm-twist those who may have their interest elsewhere.

''We as a body set out to ensure that there is judicious utilization of allocations to every tier of government particularly in Rivers State, we urge the EFCC not to be used to fight any so-called perceived political opponents or be used to political scores within the political parties. The President must not allow such unpopular tendencies as that would be resisted by the people who are already happy with the giant developmental strides of the Governor of Rivers State.

''RIVGGAN condemns in totality the recent plot by some powerful cabal to procure the services of the EFCC in their bid to cause confusion in the state. We, therefore advice the Crime Commission to follow due process and the rule of law in the discharge of its duties. The era of commando type of arrests has passed and Nigeria cannot afford to be ridiculed any more before the international community. Let us practice democracy in its true sense while we let peace be in the Niger Delta.''

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