Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi joined yesterday the
raging controversy sparked by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter to
President Goodluck Jonathan.
The former President accused Dr.
Jonathan of training snipers and putting 1,000 Nigerians on a watch list ahead
of the 2015 elections. Jonathan denied it all, saying Obasanjo should prove the
allegations.
“I’m number one on the list. They
want to kill me,” Amaechi told a huge crowd at the Liberation Stadium in Port
Harcourt, the state capital.
It was at an exciting rally
organised by the Save Rivers Movement – a political group backing Amaechi’s
stand on the state’s political future.
Amaechi dumped the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Listening to Amaechi were many APC
leaders, interim National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande; former House of
Representatives Speaker Aminu Bello Masari, who is the party’s interim Deputy
National Chairman; interim National Vice Chairman (Southsouth) Chief Tom Ikimi
and Dr. Sam Sam-Jaja.
Edo State Governor Comrade Adams
Oshiomhole was represented by his deputy, Dr. Pius Egberanmwen Odubu. Also
there were the interim National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed; two senators from Rivers State – Magnus Abe (Rivers Southeast) and
Wilson Ake (Rivers West)- as well as a member of the House of Representatives
from Rivers state, Dakuku Peterside (Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro constituency). There
were many other eminent personalities.
One of the leaders, Gen. Muhammadu
Buhari described the Jonathan’s administration as “lawless” vowing that the
main opposition party will deliver Nigeria democratically in 2015.
Gen. Buhari, a former Head of State,
also promised that he and other stakeholders, especially of the APC, would do
everything constitutional, to ensure the 2015 elections were credible.
Another national leader of the APC,
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, said the party would sweep away evil, corruption and abuse
of power from Rivers State and other parts of Nigeria.
Amaechi, who is also the Nigeria
Governors’ Forum (NGF) chairman, said: “Today (yesterday), I am not declaring.
I said I would declare at the new stadium. The reason for gathering today is to
remind Nigerians that the current Federal Government is carrying on with
impunity. There is no rule of law in Nigeria. They are using police to molest
us. Where police fail to molest us, they are using thugs to shoot dynamites and
guns against innocent people.
“I read the President’s (Jonathan’s)
letter and he said ex-President Obasanjo should prove the 1,000 names on the
watch list. I am number one on the list. They want to kill me, but they have no
God. The God we worship will protect me. Before the end of the year, I will
address the state.
“They will shoot you. They have no
fear for your blood. They want the position at all costs. Whether you all die,
they do not mind governing just the land. You must know that if you read the
story of revolution, you must sacrifice. Somebody said my son should come to
the front. If you want my son tomorrow, I will produce him.
“If I have surrendered myself and I
am ready to be in front, let them shoot. Anytime you start a street march and
you do not see me in the front, you must know something must be wrong and you
must know that they have arrested me. I am not a big man governor. I am a
governor that is on the streets with his people.
“One other thing that is bothering
me is that all those who are on the other side, saying they want Southsouth
President, I agree with them, they want Southsouth President. In politics, you
are not here today (yesterday) because you like Amaechi; you are here because
of your own political interest. If a Southsouth President refused to give you
water, you will push him out.
“We gave the President (Jonathan in
2011) nearly two million votes, let him tell us one project he has done for us.
I have challenged the President that I belong to the APC. If he wants Rivers
people to vote for him, let him give Kalabari people back their oil wells and I
will come back (to the PDP). He cannot. The President cannot. Instead, he will
take more.”
Amaechi also admonished the people,
especially his teeming supporters, to be prepared for the struggle ahead,
stating that on elections’ days, the “oppressors” would come with tanks and
policemen, but urged them to stand and watch their votes.
The Rivers governor said: “They said
Buhari is not a Christian. Buhari is a Muslim. We are not preaching religious
politics. Everybody in Nigeria has the right to worship where he wants to
worship. I am a Catholic and I will worship Christ. I will die a Christian, but
do not bring politics into good governance.
“It is only when there is bad
governance that they begin to look for who is an Ikwerre man, who is an Ijaw
man, who is an Hausa man, who is a Yoruba man. If there is good governance, you
will be talking about schools. Have I told you I am an Ikwerre man? I told you
I have done schools, health centres and roads. I am facing power. They should
tell us what they are doing. We are prepared for a debate with them.
“In Etche, they have taken our 41
oil wells across (to Abia State). They are denying us our rights. We have
suffered enough. I was a students’ leader. I learnt in the University of Port
Harcourt (UNIPORT) that nobody should trample on your rights. If I did not
fight for my rights, I would not have been governor. I suffered and my children
suffered, but today we are in government.
“If you listen to them closely, our
brothers, who are on the other side, they are hungry. They have been out of
power for nearly eight years. If you vote them into power, what will happen?
They will steal all the money. They are broke. The ones that are not broke,
that are in government, they are busy stealing and building mansions
everywhere. They have no fear. I have never seen corruption like this in Nigeria
before.
“President Jonathan said in his
letter that former President Obasanjo should apologise on the issue of $49.8
billion. Right on television, a debate between the Minister of Finance (Dr.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala) and the CBN (Central Bank of Nigeria) Governor (Sanusi
Lamido Sanusi). The CBN Governor said they had reconciled, but they had not
found $12 billion, but the Minister for Finance said it was $10.8 billion. Even
if it is $1 billion, it is stealing. $1 billion is N170 billion. There are some
states that their budget (annually) is N130 billion. Bring our money. I have
never seen corruption like this.
“They are busy pursuing us with the
EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission), they have never pursed any
federal agency with EFCC. I will quote the Governor of Edo State (Comrade Adams
Oshiomhole); he said if you write examination and you score 26 per cent, have
you passed? If you score 52 per cent, have you not passed? The Federal
Government is holding 52 per cent of our money. EFCC should pursue the 52 per
cent and leave 26 per cent. If EFCC succeeds in doing that, have we not
succeeded?”
Amaechi also stated that President
Jonathan, in his reply of ex-President Obasanjo’s letter said the African
Development Bank (AFDB) was carrying out the process of giving Rivers peoples
water.
The NGF chairman said: “Tell Mr.
President that World Bank, not AFDB. Two banks are involved. One is AfDB’ the
other is World Bank. We were told by the staff of the World Bank that they are
ready. Tell the President (Jonathan) to give us our water.
“If it is the President, I can
understand, because the President has not served in any international
organisation, but what about the woman (Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala), whose job it is to sign off, to give the water project.
“The Minister of Finance has refused
to sign off, despite the fact that she served in the World Bank. She wants you
(Rivers people) to die of water-borne diseases, in the name of politics. Holy
Ghost fire.
“They are quarrelling with Amaechi
and they want you (Rivers people) to die the death of Amaechi. I will not die.
I drink bottled water. You do not drink bottled water. So, the best I can do
for you and the best that the President can do for you, because he is your
President, is to ask the World Bank, we hereby sign this document, that in 40
years, Rivers State will pay you your money, but they have refused to sign,
just because of politics.
“If they tell us that it is AFDB,
tell them I said it is both AFDB and the World Bank and we have completed
everything we need to complete. All parties are ready, including the AFDB and
the World Bank. They do not want to sign. They want you to die of water-borne
diseases.”
The Rivers governor spoke also of
the metaphor of the broom – Amaechi studied Literature at the University of
Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) – stressing that the broom would sweep out dirt, but
while sweeping, the sweeper must bend down.
He noted that the sweeper must
suffer a bit and in suffering, the broom would be sweeping, but at the end, the
house would be clean. He urged his teeming supporters to prepare to suffer
under the current government, but assured them that come 2015, things would get
better.
Amaechi said: “One of our sons, a
Kalabari son, said that the oil wells were taken under Rufus Ada-George (former
Rivers governor, from Okrika). Tell him I said he is lying. He has never been
in government.
“I served in Rufus Ada-George’s
government. There was no oil well taken from Rivers State. I served in Dr.
Peter Odili’s government. The oil wells were taken in 2006. They put the money
in an escrow account.
“By 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, they
took all the money from the escrow account and gave to our brothers (in Bayelsa
State) and they converted Soku to Bayelsa. My friend and brother in Bayelsa
(Governor) said we do not want Soku, we just want the oil wells.”
The Rivers governor also stated that
he was determined to continue to develop the state, adding that truth would
prevail at the end.
The Chief Felix Obuah-led Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, through the Special Adviser to the
Chairman on Media, Jerry Needam, however, alleged that Amaechi was no longer
relevant in the Niger Delta state’s political calculation.
Gen. Buhari said: “I congratulate
the people of Rivers State for moving to the APC. The fundamental thing is one
Nigeria. In spite of our differences, we have found ourselves as one people.
Nigeria is a country with tremendous resources and talented people, but we are
unable to organise ourselves to raise this country.
“The efforts we are making is for
Nigeria. We have to put the party firmly on the ground. We will do everything
constitutional to make sure that 2015 elections are credible.
“We are in an extremely difficult
position, where a government is lawless. Courageous Amaechi has done well. Let
us support him. We are behind his government. We are going to deliver our
country democratically come 2015. Nigeria will survive.”
The interim National Chairman of the
APC (Akande) also stated that the last time the leaders of the opposition party
were at the Government House, Port Harcourt, they came to persuade Amaechi to
join the APC, while describing Rivers as an APC state.
Akande also presented the opposition
party’s flag to the interim Rivers Chairman of the party, Chief Davies Ibiamu
Ikanya, a former Rivers Commissioner for Special Duties, while asking him to
ensure that the PDP became totally dead in the state.
While also speaking, Tinubu, a
former Governor of Lagos State, described the Rivers governor as a “wonderboy,”
while disclosing that it was only on Sunday that Buhari was communicated about
yesterday’s journey to Port Harcourt, while he (Buhari) was in Lagos, but rushed
back to Kaduna to have a change of clothes and was in the Rivers State capital
yesterday morning, ahead of most leaders of the party.
Tinubu also stated that Akande
planned to travel, but because of yesterday’s rally of the APC, he decided to
postpone the journey, while lauding the leaders of the party, particularly the
members of the House of Representatives, whom he said at the threat of the
fraudulent declaration of their seats vacant, pulled the courage together and
were strongly determined and got into the progressives camp, for the progress
and good of Rivers State and Nigeria.
The former Lagos governor assured
the people that members of the House of Representatives who defected to the
opposition party that they would “never” regret joining the APC.
Tinubu said: “The great quality of
leadership is the ability to convince his followers and admirers that courage
and determination are omnipotent. Amaechi, thank you. Few weeks ago, we came
and we said we wanted you in our party, because of your courage, achievements
and strong determination to liberate humans from the shackles of oppression,
mismanagement and misgovernance.
“Thank you, for overcoming the
primordial blackmail, all the plans and punishment available in the rank of the
oppressors. We salute Rotimi Amaechi, because without your courage,
determination, perseverance, degree of honesty and the prominent level you are,
we will not witness today (yesterday) in Rivers State. You are no chicken; you
are an eagle.
“The great people of Rivers State, the
Save Rivers Movement and many other movements, today is the launch of the broom
revolution. We want to sweep the evil away from Rivers State. We are here to
sweep corruption away from Rivers State. We are here to sweep the abuse of
power away from Rivers State.
“We are here to be with you, to help
you clean the cobweb of lies, the cockroach of destruction, the termites of
democracy, the enemies of progress and usurpation of power. Your courage is the
answer.”
The APC leader (Tinubu) also urged
members of the opposition party in the state not to submit to intimidation,
stressing that he had experienced it before, but he is a very proud man today.
The ex-Lagos governor reiterated
that the APC now has 16 governors. More will join the camp of the progressives
and the challenge would be for the leaders to liberate the people, he said.
Ikimi, who is also a patron of the
Save Rivers Movement, in his remarks, noted that Amaechi was fully in charge of
Rivers State and had taken a giant step forward, while embracing change.
The national vice chairman,
Southsouth, of the APC, stated that the NGF chairman had given Nigerians the
opportunity of having an idea of what would happen in the country in the next
few months, declaring that there would be fundamental change in Nigeria,
describing the APC as a true national party.
He assured the people that more
states in the Southsouth would soon be taken over by the APC, to bring about
the desired change in Nigeria, thereby putting an end to misgovernance in the
country.
Ikimi declared that persons parading
themselves as leaders of the Southsouth were hangers-on and impostors, who were
deceiving and taking money from President Jonathan, while asking him (the
President) to chase them away.
The APC’s national vice chairman,
Southsouth, later inaugurated the 37-member interim executive of the opposition
party in Rivers State, with Chief Davies Ibiamu Ikanya as the chairman, while
urging them to ensure that the opposition party was firmly rooted in the state.
Ikanya, earlier in his welcome
address, stated that Amaechi’s entrance into the APC had brought the entire
Rivers State into the opposition party, while declaring that the PDP no longer
existed in the state.
The chairmen of the 23 local
government areas of Rivers State, led by the Chairman of the Association of
Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Rivers chapter, Chimbiko Iche Akarolo,
came with thousands of their supporters to the stadium, and were singing,
drumming and dancing.
Akarolo, who is also the Chairman of
Port Harcourt Local Government Council, described Amaechi as the symbol and
pillar of democracy in Nigeria, assuring them that the people would continue to
support him.
The Chairman of the Steering
Committee of the Save Rivers Movement, Igo Aguma, stressed that the Non-Governmental
Organisation (NGO) was to secure the future of Rivers people, while insisting
that Soku is in Rivers State.
Aguma noted that he and other
leaders of the PDP decided to move to the APC to get the Soku oil wells back to
Rivers State, while lamenting that the Amaechi’s administration had so far
spent N130 billion on Federal Government’s roads in Rivers State, without
refund, while similar funds were being refunded to other state governments,
describing it as double standard and injustice.
The Save Rivers Movement boss also
lamented the refusal of the Federal Government to release the $1 billion for
Ogoniland’s development, recommended by the United Nations’ Environment
Programme (UNEP), in view of the four LGAs’ (Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme’s) years
of pollution and marginalisation.
Aguma described the list of
injustice done to Rivers State and its people as very long, while assuring that
they would continue to support Amaechi and fight with him.
Tags
Politics
Look, this our leaders you are really playing with our sense, we can't understand which is which. I think this your allegations should be taking to court for a judge to clarify if really you mean what you are saying. Let everyone of you produce his evidence. Failure to do that means you are all not serious, for that you should keep your mouth mute, we don't want to hear anything. But remember God will judge everyone of you.
ReplyDeleteThank u my brother they are all birds of d same feather, thieve calling another one thieve. They are high with drugs.
ReplyDeleteThey are the same. Amaechi go to court. Allow us to hear word. 2015 is still far. PDP. Or APC who cares. Good governace is all that we want
ReplyDelete