”The same people (militants) we chased away with the military are back
to our state, fuelled by a man called Mbu and his cohorts in Abuja,he said.
“They do not mind that your lives are important. They want to sacrifice
your lives just to earn the office of presidency and the office governorship,”
Amaechi told his supporters at Saints’ Anglican Church premises.
He berated an ex-militant who was said to have masterminded last week’s
shooting.
”In 2007, this territory (Ogoni) belonged to one man called Solomon. I
learnt he came to shoot here (Bori). Nobody could gather. Police could not even
gather here. They were being shot at. I bought for the police 7 APCs (Armoured
Personnel Carriers). They were afraid,” he said.
This time, the rally organised by Save Rivers Movement (SRM)
was peaceful with armed policemen providing security in and around the
area.
He wondered why the federal government was reluctant to release the
$1billion recommended for the cleaning up of Ogoniland by the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP).
He said the release of the funds would have transformed the four
local government areas of Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme.
“UNEP finished all it needed to go and recommended that spend at least
$1 billion in the cleanup of Ogoni and the development of Ogoni people,”
Amaechi said.
He added: “Have you seen the $1 billion (from the federal government)
and they want you to vote for them? It will be a foolish man that will vote for
the person, who denies you your rights.
“ÜNEP asked Federal government to spend $1billion in Ogoni to change
things, they said no. $49.8 billion is missing. If they say $49.8 billion is
not missing, let them tell us where the money is. Let them publish. It is in
their pocket.”
“Without the UNEP report, the federal government cannot develop Ogoni.
You are all suffering. You cannot fish. You cannot farm because your land is
polluted.”
He charged the Ogoni and the people of the state to stand up to whoever
might want to harass or intimidate them for political gains.
He said that by resisting oppression, the people would be forcing their
oppressors to initiate peace.
The governor went on: “I do not want to come back to Ogoni to hear that
you were shattered. I do not want you to take the law into your own hands but I
want you to make sure that nobody shoots at you.
“They (gun-wielding militants) are all human beings. They are not
ghosts. They are neither angels nor devil. They are human beings like you. If a
man slaps you and gets away with it, tomorrow, he will come back.
“The history of Ogoni is replete with struggle. They killed Ken
Saro-Wiwa (during the regime of the late Gen. Sani Abacha on November 10,
1995).Is the struggle over?
“The man said you might take away my life but you would not take away
the idea. You can kill the messenger, not the message. The idea of the
liberation of the Ogoni people, is it not still on? I have been part of
that idea.”
He dismissed politicians fighting him, especially leaders of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) as hungry people, saying that his new party the All
Progressives Congress (APC), is the fastest-growing political party in the
country today and is prepared to transform Nigeria forever.
He said: “PDP claims to be the biggest party in Nigeria. APC is the
fastest -growing party in Nigeria. Then, there was no ACN, no CPC, only PDP in
Rivers State. Now, they have seen another party, why are they afraid?
“Why are they fighting? Why are they shooting? Why are they using
policemen? They should allow voting to take place.”
In a solidarity message from his sick bed abroad, Senator Magnus Abe,
who was shot by the police at an earlier rally described the massive
turnout at yesterday’s rally, as a proof that violence cannot subdue the spirit
of a free people.
Abe, an Ogoni, who monitored the inauguration and rally from London,
noted that the successful hosting of the event in the face of threats and
intimidation was a confirmation that the principle of non-violence with which
Ogoni heroes fought the then federal military government and multinational
corporations was still the best weapon.
He praised Amaechi for his courage and exemplary commitment to Ogoni
course, saying: “the governor was ready to take the first bullet for Ogoni. His
courage, doggedness and commitment to truth continue to justify the decision of
true Rivers people to stand with him in the defence of our state.”
Tags
Politics
Boss we will stand by you through all this, and prove that our generation will not allow cowardise which is a common thrait in the state to be seen or heard amongs us
ReplyDeleteSo without UNEP money u ameachi cannot develop d ogoni land dat gives good sum revenue to rivers state wat a shame. u even have d gods to tell ogoni people who u are dere governor and hv done anytin good for to dere face dat dey are suffering. u have not brought any good tin to our land so stop shifting and putting blames on federal government, u have not develop we d ogonie and ur government have berated d oginies. If I may asked what have ur so called banana plantation done for d ogonies.
ReplyDeleteWhy is dis guy called amechi is so desperate to clinch to power? Ur end is near.
ReplyDeleteYour the one organizing the militancy Mr Govonor. What did you do with trillions of naira you collected as revenue
ReplyDeleteThe problem with u Amechi is dt u talk too much, u talk like a woman
ReplyDeleteAmeachi is a sinking man..The same ameachi bought guns for the militancy..Only time will tell.
ReplyDeleteCarry on my leader,Gej n his foolish suppoetrs are siking
ReplyDeleteAmechi,ao long wil Ɣõu̶̲̥̅̊ continue decivin d gud pple of Rivers State? Aren't Ɣõu̶̲̥̅̊ ashame of Ɣõu̶̲̥̅̊r leadership? Can't Ɣõu̶̲̥̅̊ 4 once av consciece 4 Ɣõu̶̲̥̅̊r ppl
ReplyDeleteAll these anonymous commentators against Ameachi are those that are rule by ethnic and religious sentiments . Ameachi ,so far is the best governor from south south, go to River state and see . PDP is dead and buried. We need the type of Ameachi in Delta state to emancipate us from PDP 15 years of financial oppression.
ReplyDeleteOfuchi I tot u re objective but looking at ur analogies & comaprison, I can't help but tnink otherwise. Hw can say dat Amechi is better dan Akpabio, Oshomole etc, I wouldn't have bet to disagree with u if u had mentioned Abia goverrnor. Rivers State receives 17.5 billion every month as allocation, now tell me why would a governor dat have 15months to d expiration of his tenure be asking for billions of naira loan to provide watter for d people of rivers whereas he had spent almost 7 yrs as governor of d richest oil state in Africa. Or is water nolonger a basic amenity dat ought to be provided at d first instance? Hw many times hv u seen Sulllivan Chime of Enugu dancing infront of ccmera to reminiscise his achievement yet the huge & unprecedented achievements are there for all to see. Its time people reflect on their life & ask themselves questions or rather evaluate their life vis-a-vis their conscience.
ReplyDeleteI love ur analysis
DeleteNice one dude
DeleteThis are people we need here not just any guy. Amaechi has seen his mistakes so far and he is very much afraid for his freedom after his tenure. He Amaechi has stollen his ppls money and went to hide under APC cause those men there are d catterpilars eating up this nation for so long and they hv seen that wit d way GEJ is moving this here, that they will hv no space in future to steal. Amaechi is a disgrace to his pple and us for tryin to take power back to d north only for his selfish interest alone not us. D same thing that happened to Ibori will come bk to u soon
Deletethank you my dear. please tell them
ReplyDeleteThe best president so far GEJ
ReplyDeleteAmechi y do u chose 2 decieve ur. Own very people of river rich state? U r just busy using river state money to suport apc to fight ur own brother n d people of river state, u r such a failure, I pray. Gej should pls step down by 2015 n gv northner d set den we shall see where u amechi will be by den, u r fighting an angel 4 devil, u will surely regreat ur action, I trust where I come from, we do stone people like u out of our way, but river boyz r just gving u dat grace period 2 change but since u dnt want it, time shall tell, keep on bringing. Boko harram to river state n be calling dem niger delta militant n. Other to disqualified d gud work of a well train n inteligient officer like mbu. Marvelous
ReplyDelete