Celestine Omehia
Encyclopedia
Sir Celestine Omehia was the fourteenth Executive Governor of Rivers State
in Nigeria
. He is a member of the ruling People's Democratic Party
(PDP).
He is married to Mrs. Anthonia Omehia (née Itakpe) and they have three children (Keturah, Kelechi and Kechikamma).
He served as the Honourable Commissioner for Education in the state between February 1992 and November 1993. He was declared the winner of the Rivers State gubernatorial election of 2007, held on 14 April, 2007, despite wide scale vote rigging and violence. He was sworn in as Governor of the oil producing state on 29 May 2007, taking over from Dr. Peter Odili
(also a member of PDP).
In June 2007, Shell Petroleum Development Company announced a plan to relocate its headquarters from Port Harcourt to Lagos for security reasons. Amehia appealed to the people to help fight against hostage takers, who were harming the state economy.
In September 2007, Celestine Omehia won approval for a supplementary state budget of N53.2 billion in addition to the approved 2007 budget of N179 billion. The supplementary budget was almost entirely earmarked for capital projects. Tell Magazine stated that Omehia may have been under pressure to settle "election liabilities".
On October 25 2007, the Supreme Court annulled Omehia's election, ruling that Rotimi Amaechi
, not Omehia, was the PDP's legitimate candidate. Rotimi Amaechi had won the PDP primaries, but the party had substituted Omehia at the last moment due to allegations of graft.
In October 2009, Omehia asked the supreme court to review their opinion. The court denied the request.
Rivers State
Rivers State is one of the 36 states of Nigeria. Its capital is Port Harcourt. It is bounded on the South by the Atlantic Ocean, to the North by Imo, Abia and Anambra States, to the East by Akwa Ibom State and to the West by Bayelsa and Delta states...
in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. He is a member of the ruling People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP).
He is married to Mrs. Anthonia Omehia (née Itakpe) and they have three children (Keturah, Kelechi and Kechikamma).
He served as the Honourable Commissioner for Education in the state between February 1992 and November 1993. He was declared the winner of the Rivers State gubernatorial election of 2007, held on 14 April, 2007, despite wide scale vote rigging and violence. He was sworn in as Governor of the oil producing state on 29 May 2007, taking over from Dr. Peter Odili
Peter Odili
Peter Otunuya Odili was the thirteenth Governor of Rivers State in Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. He is a member of the ruling People's Democratic Party .-Background:...
(also a member of PDP).
In June 2007, Shell Petroleum Development Company announced a plan to relocate its headquarters from Port Harcourt to Lagos for security reasons. Amehia appealed to the people to help fight against hostage takers, who were harming the state economy.
In September 2007, Celestine Omehia won approval for a supplementary state budget of N53.2 billion in addition to the approved 2007 budget of N179 billion. The supplementary budget was almost entirely earmarked for capital projects. Tell Magazine stated that Omehia may have been under pressure to settle "election liabilities".
On October 25 2007, the Supreme Court annulled Omehia's election, ruling that Rotimi Amaechi
Rotimi Amaechi
Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is a Nigerian politician, who became Governor of Rivers State in June 2007. He was previously Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly from 1999 until 2007....
, not Omehia, was the PDP's legitimate candidate. Rotimi Amaechi had won the PDP primaries, but the party had substituted Omehia at the last moment due to allegations of graft.
In October 2009, Omehia asked the supreme court to review their opinion. The court denied the request.