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Tag: Amaechi

  • APC, PDP disagree over activist’s revelations on Wike, Amaechi

    APC, PDP disagree over activist’s revelations on Wike, Amaechi

    The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday said it had been vindicated by the revelations of an activist, Livingstone Wechie, that he caused to be published forged documents against Minister of Transportation rotimi Amaechi.

    The party, through its Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone,  said it was always the party’s position that every lie had an expiry date. It noted that all the lies and falsehood perpetrated against Amaechi and the APC by Wike and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) eventually expired with ignominy.

    But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faulted Wechie’s claim that the Rivers State government gave him the forged documents.

    The main opposition APC in Rivers said: “No better vessel would have conveyed the Wike and PDP confessional statement of shame than Livingstone Wechie himself. Having been one of the arrowheads of Wike and PDP on their self-appointed mission to destroy the impeccable image and records of Rt. Hon. Amaechi, but to God be all the glory and adoration that the chicken came home to roost much earlier than later.

    “What unveiled on Monday could only be an act of God. It should serve as a great lesson to those who preoccupy themselves with plotting evil against someone like Rt. Hon. Amaechi who conducts his private and public life devoid of corruption and opulence. Of course, such plots will always come to an inglorious ruin.”

    The Inter-ethnic Network for Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (INCRA), noted that the confessions of Wechie and his integrity group were not new, but surprised that it took the group two years to discern the  mischief and viciousness of Wike.

    INCRA, through a member of its Interim Management Team, Samuel Amadi, maintained that members of the group had always known the transportation minister to be an honest man with proven integrity.

    The pro-Amaechi group said: “We strongly  commend Wechie and his group for finally realising themselves and mustering the boldness to speak out, in the face of obvious threat to their lives.

    “We call on other people who were used by Wike in the past to discredit former Governor Amaechi and other illustrious sons and daughters of Rivers State and who may have become prisoners of their own consciences, to step forward in the footsteps of Wechie.

    “We call on the security agencies to investigate the allegations of forgery and abuse of office levelled against Justice Omereji and officials of the Rivers state government.

    “We call on the security agencies, especially the Nigeria Police, to ensure the safety of Wechie and his family. Nothing must happen to them.”

    INCRA thanked Rivers people and other Nigerians for having faith in the unblemished integrity of Amaechi, while calling on them to continue to disregard the tissue of lies sponsored by the government.

    The Rivers Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Samuel Nwanosike, however, urged Nigerians not to take Wechie serious, describing him as a man without integrity, honour and character.

    Nwanosike reiterated that the executive director of integrity group swore to an oath on October 12, 2015, before a Senate Committee, led by Senator Samuel Anyanwu, that he was not being sponsored by anybody, claiming that everything he said was based on his investigation, while urging the Senate to summon him for lying on oath.

    A stalwart of the APC in Rivers State, Charles Jaja, raised the alarm that the life of the Executive Director of Integrity Group is in danger over his Monday’s bombshell.

    He called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, to beef up security around Wechie, to prevent his being eliminated for revealing the truth about how Wike and his allies lied against the Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, in their desperation to paint the former Rivers governor black.

    Jaja, in a telephone interview yesterday, declared that he was aware that the life of the executive director of integrity group was under very serious threat.

    The APC stalwart said: “They are after the life of Livingstone Wechie. Police must ensure his adequate protection. The IGP must not take the security of the lawyer (Wechie) and members of his family for granted.

    “Everybody has now known the truth about the Justice George Omereji’s Judicial Panel of Inquiry, set up by Wike to humiliate and embarrass his benefactor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who made him Chief of Staff in 2007 and recommended him in 2011 to the then President Goodluck Jonathan for ministerial appointment.

    “The National Judicial Council (NJC) must investigate the ignoble roles played by Justice Omereji of the Rivers State Judiciary, especially for allowing himself to be used by Wike in the Rivers governor’s desperation to destroy his former boss.”

    Jaja also stated that the revelations by Wechie confirmed that the allegations levelled against the transportation minister were all fabricated.

    Wechie’s MTN line was not answered yesterday.

    Wechie, while speaking on a live programme in a national television on Monday, said: “We (members of Integrity Group) acted in 2015, believing that the documents used in fighting Rotimi Amaechi were true, being documents emanating from the Rivers State government. Time has played out, we have just realised that those documents were only politically fabricated just to fight and stop Rotimi Amaechi’s appointment.

    “I was the architect of Justice Omereji’s panel report that indicted Rotimi Amaechi in 2015. I drew the script, the report etc.

    “The only intention of Nyesom Wike’s government was to let the world know how bad this man, Rotimi Amaechi, was and leave it at that, without prosecution, because they have nothing really indicting him. They have continued to ride on those wings to exhibit fiscal irresponsibility in Government.

    “No commissioner in Wike’s government can award a contract, not even for the supply of ordinary pencil. Everything, contracts, projects etc. is being done by Wike himself.

    “In the eight years of Amaechi’s tenure, the budget was a public document, but in this Wike’s government, no one government official, not even commissioners, have access to the budget for these two years. Only a criminal hides budget. My joy is that I now have the opportunity to explain what actually played out in 2015 and still going on.”

  • Saraki vs. Amaechi: Friends or foes?

    Saraki vs. Amaechi: Friends or foes?

    The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, have a lot in common. They were two-time governors of their respective states (Kwara and Rivers) and also served as chairmen of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. They were also at the forefront of the revolt within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which culminated in the party’s loss of influence and former President Goodluck Jonathan’s loss at the March 28, 2015 presidential election.

    For a while, it looked like their alliance was made in heaven. But most times, success has a way of putting asunder what adversity had joined together. With speculations that Saraki worked against the emergence of Amaechi as the running mate to President Muhammadu Buhari in the build-up to the 2015 presidential election, their friendship began to wane. The schism turned into chasm with Saraki’s seeming rebellion against the All Progressives Party (APC) power bloc to which Amaechi allegedly belong, in order to emerge President of Nigeria’s Eighth National Assembly.

    While the cold war is on, the two remain in charge of powerful blocs within the party. And there is no shortage of ammunition should either of them try to escalate the feud to open warfare. Observers are watching to see if both men will sheath their swords for the sake of party unity.

  • Amaechi’s ex-aide Tony Okocha disowns statement

    A former Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Chief Tony Okocha, has said the Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, remains his boss.

    Okocha, chief of staff when Amaechi was Rivers governor, warned mischief makers against causing confusion in the state’s All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The ex-chief of staff yesterday in Port Harcourt condemned those mentioning his name on social media platforms and the traditional media, ascribing to him comments he never made.

    “The uncouth statements ascribed to me against Amaechi, my boss, who is now the Transportation minister, are not true. I, unequivocally, disown them. I will not repay good with evil.

    “If I need to make a statement on developments in our party (APC), I will do so at the appropriate time. I do not need anyone to speak for me. However, I am of the view that all stakeholders should focus to reinvent the party and place it on a formidable pedestal to make an impressive impact in the 2019 general election, which must be devoid of intimidation, harassment and manipulation.”

    The former chief of staff also stated that he remained a loyal member of the APC.

  • Lagos-Ibadan rail ready next year

    Lagos-Ibadan rail ready next year

    THE Federal Government is committed to providing standard gauge rail service to Lagosians by the fourth quarter of 2018, Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has said.

    He spoke after assessing the project at Ijoko, in Ado Odo/Ota Local Government area of Ogun State.

    “We have said 2018 and that is a presidential directive. By December 2018, we want to see locomotives running from Lagos to Ibadan. We are committed to achieving this and the fund obtained from China Exim Bank is already on ground to ensure that nothing obstructs this timeline.”

    He said: “Primary constraint the contractor identified are the height of two pedestrian bridges in Lagos (at Oshodi and Ikeja), and an ongoing flyover bridge at Ijoko. The second problem was the multiplicity of level crossing on the rail’s right of way. The contractor said they could not proceed on laying the rail tracks until those impediments are sorted out.”

    Amaechi, who briefed reporters on site with the Ogun Governor Ibikunle Amosun, said as soon as the issues of the flyover height and others associated with the right-of-way are addressed, actual work would begin on the project.

    He said while the project needs a minimum height of 6.5 metres, the identified bridges are about 4.5 metres high.

    The minister added that the height of the bridge would have to be raised higher to accommodate future electrification of the train’s right-of-way.

    Amaechi and Amosun agreed that engineers from the contractor and the Ministry of Work and the Ministry of Transportation should meet on the best way to resolve the logjam.

    The minister said the governor approved the closure of the two roads abutting the bridge to allow unhindered operation around the train’s right-of-way.

    “The engineers are going to meet from today and we will also meet by Wednesday. So, by Friday, I would be meeting with Governor Amosun on the best option identified by the engineers and that’s what we’re going to take,” he said.

    Thanking the Federal Government for coming up finally with the standard gauge project, Amosun said Ogun State is committed to working with the government to resolve all the challenges to achieve the modern train service.

  • Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge will be ready 2018 – Amaechi

    Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge will be ready 2018 – Amaechi

    The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said on Monday that the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail gauge would be delivered by fourth quarter of 2018.

    The minister spoke during an assessment of the project at Ijoko, Ado Odo/Ota local government area of Ogun State.

    “We have said 2018 and that is a presidential directive. By December 2018, we want to see locomotives running from Lagos to Ibadan. We are committed to achieving this and the funds obtained from China Exim bank are already on ground to ensure that nothing obstructs this timeline.

    “Primary constraint the contractor identified are the height of two pedestrian bridges in Lagos (at Oshodi and Ikeja), and an ongoing flyover bridge at Ijoko, while the second problem was the multiplicity of level crossing on the rail’s right of way. The contractor said they could not proceed on laying the rail tracks until those impediments are sorted out.”

    Amaechi, who briefed journalists on site alongside the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, said as soon as the issues of the flyover height and others associated with the right of way are addressed, actual construction work would commence on the standard gauge.

    He said while the project needs a minimum height of 6.5 metres, the identified bridges are about 4.5 metres high.

    The minister disclosed that the height of the bridge would have to be raised higher to accommodate future electrification of the train’s right of way.

    Amaechi and Governor Amosun agreed that engineers from the contractor and the state’s Ministry of Work and the Ministry of Transportation should meet and come up with the best way to resolve the logjam.

    He added: “As a ministry, we agree with the contractor for on-site meeting to ascertain the level of work on the project. Today we came to the conclusion that they have not commenced serious work and the reason why they have not commenced serious work is the problems they are having on the right of way.

    “So what I did today is to address those problems. One of the problems is the height of the flyovers and we are here to see the one which Ogun State is building.

    “We need to increase the current height from 4.8 to 6.5 metres because we may also want to ensure that there is electricity on the right of way because tomorrow we may start using electricity to power the train.

    “The engineers are going to meet from today and we will also meet by Wednesday. So by Friday, I would be meeting with Governor Amosun on the best option identified by the engineers and that’s what we’re going to take.”

     

  • Abe: Amaechi remains Rivers APC leader

    The representative of Rivers Southeast Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe, has declared that nothing will make him to leave the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He described himself as the biggest investment of Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi in the politics of Nigeria.

    Abe, an indigene of Bera-Ogoni in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, described Amaechi, a former Rivers governor, as his bosom friend.  He added that Amaechi remained the leader of the APC in Rivers.

    The senator, who spoke on Sunday evening, after being welcomed by Gokana people, to celebrate his victory at the election petitions tribunal in Abuja, in a petition filed by Olaka Worgu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), also insisted that there was no division or crisis in Rivers APC.

    He said: “Let me say clearly for the records that there is no member of our party (APC), including myself, that is disputing the leadership of my friend, the Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, in Rivers State. We are not disputing with him on who the leader of the party is and he will continue to be the leader of our party here in the state, but there are issues in the party.

    ”People are saying that the ambition of Senator Abe to become governor (in 2019) is the problem in the party, that they have asked Senator Abe to wait, let us build the party and Senator Abe refused to wait, he said he must be the governor and he is scattering the party, I want to stand in front of you my people and say that you all know that I do not tell lies and I am not a liar, that story is not true.

    ”The problem is simple. People have said that we get our tickets to become whatever we have become, because the leader (Amaechi) said so and therefore the leader will continue to say who will be what and everybody should wait until the leader said who will be what and anybody who is saying something different is a bad person and a bad member of the party (APC) and so the person should be removed, the person should be suspended, the person should leave the party and we are saying no.

    ”We agree that it was the leader (Amaechi) who gave us tickets and the leader has always pointed people and they have gone, but we also know that politics is dynamic and that change is what our party (APC) offered. If we do not change within ourselves as a party, how can we convince Rivers people that we can change? So, people said no. It is not that the leader will not have a say. It is not that the leader will not have his place, but that we should allow members of the party to make inputs and they are saying that anybody who said that is against Amaechi, he is fighting Amaechi, he is doing this and that to Amaechi.

    ”I am the biggest investment of Amaechi in the politics of Nigeria. I want to repeat for the records that I am the biggest investment of Amaechi in the politics of Nigeria. I am the only returning Senator in the APC in the Southeast and Southsouth geopolitical zones of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and there is nothing that will make me to leave the party and there is no reason for me to leave the party. We are trying to make the party better by supporting our leader (Amaechi) to do the right thing, so that the party can move forward. If we are to be vilified for that, if we are to be crucified for that, so be it. We will not relent and the right thing, by grace of God Almighty, will be done.

    “In Rivers State, it has been 50 years since this state was created and nobody of Ogoni extraction has been part of the leadership of this state at the topmost level, none of us has been governor, deputy governor or speaker of the state’s House of Assembly and people say that it does not matter. I want to stand here to tell Rivers people and to other Nigerians that it matters and we have no apologies to offer to anybody.”

    Abe declared that he was not bothered about the decision of PDP caucus members in Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme, to endorse Governor Nyesom Wike last week for re-election in 2019.

     

     

  • Rivers: 2019 governorship race divides Amaechi, Abe

    Rivers: 2019 governorship race divides Amaechi, Abe

    The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and one of his allies, Senator Magnus Abe, who represents Rivers South-East Senatorial District, are now at loggerheads over the 2019 governorship race in the state. Our Port Harcourt Bureau Chief, Bisi Olaniyi, writes that if urgent steps are not taken by the national leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the re-election of Governor Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will be without a serious challenger.

    THE main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State is currently a divided house. The cause of the division in Rivers APC is the face-off between the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and the representative of Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe.

    Abe, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), who is a returning senator, having been first elected into the Senate in 2011, was a governorship aspirant of the APC in 2015, but the ticket was won by a former member of the House of Representatives, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, the current Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

    Amaechi, a former Rivers State governor, had told Abe, he did not inform him (Amaechi) of his (Abe’s) governorship ambition early. He therefore urged him (Abe) to return to the Senate. This he did through last year’s December  rerun.

    In order to avoid the mistake of 2015, Abe, a former Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG) when Amaechi was governor, met early this year with the Transportation Minister and informed him of his 2019 governorship ambition, but Amaechi, allegedly told him that he would not support him, without giving any reason.

    The senator an indigene of Bera-Ogoni in Gokana Local Government Area and the Transportation Minister, who hails from Ubima in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, had been very close friends, especially from 1999.

    In 1999, Abe and Amaechi were elected into the Rivers House of Assembly. The lawyer (Abe) emerged as the Minority Leader, then as a member of the now defunct All Peoples Party (APP), which later became All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), while Amaechi was elected as the Speaker of the House.

    Amaechi was re-elected in 2003 and he continued as Speaker till 2007 while Abe could not return to the Rivers State House of Assembly, but he was appointed as Commissioner for Information by the then governor, Dr. Peter Odili.

    Shortly after Amaechi became governor on October 26, 2007, after the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment, he made Abe the Secretary to the State Governor (SSG). He moved to the Senate in 2011.

    For the 2019 governorship race, the transportation minister is, according to some sources, is pushing for the emergence of either the Chief Executive of Sahara Energy, Tonye Cole, or an oil magnate, Dumo Lulu-Briggs, who recently defected to the APC from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the 2019 governorship candidate of the party for undisclosed reasons. However, NIMASA DG Dr. Dakuku Peterside, who ran last time, may still be interested in contesting. A former governorship candidate, Prince Tonye Princewill, who recently defected to the APC from the Labour Party (LP), is yet to publicly declare his governorship ambition.

    On June 15 this year, the Transportation Minister moved to Port Harcourt from Abuja, and held meetings at two locations with APC stakeholders in Rivers State, as part of activities for his 52nd birthday celebration, which climaxed on June 17 with lecture and thanksgiving at an event centre on Ken Saro-Wiwa (formerly Stadium) Road in the Rivers State capital.

    The first meeting on June 15, between 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., took place at the residence of a former Chairman of Rivers State Local Government Service Commission, Chief Nnamdi Wokekoro, at Rumukalagbor, opposite Waterlines Bus Stop, Aba Road, Port Harcourt, while the second meeting in the evening of the same June 15, held at the residence of the Chairman of Etche Local Government Council, Reginald Ukwuoma, a lawyer, at Tombia Extension, near Royal House of Grace Church, Government Reservation Area (GRA), Port Harcourt.

    In attendance at the meetings were a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of APC, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja; Rivers State Chairman of APC, Chief Davies Ikanya; the party’s State Secretary, Emeka Bekee; ex-Chairman of Asari-Toru LG Council, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree; and other leaders of the party in Rivers State.

    On June 16, Amaechi continued the meetings at the Port Harcourt residence of Wokekoro, a former Mayor (Chairman) of Port Harcourt City Local Government Council, with members of APC from Obio/Akpor, Etche, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni and Port Harcourt City LGAs, among others, where it was announced that some APC leaders described as core supporters of Abe, have been removed as leaders of the party in their local government areas.

    A former Rivers State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Worgu Boms, was removed as leader of APC in Port Harcourt City LGA and replaced with Wokekoro, with ex-Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Chief Tony Okocha, who hails from Obio/Akpor LGA, also replaced, while the same fate also befell a former Rivers Commissioner for Education and later Sports, Chief Allwell Onyesoh, of Etche LGA and Senator Wilson Ake of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, among others. The legislator representing Ikwerre/Emohua Constituency in the House of Representatives, Elder Chidi Wihioka, was earlier removed as APC leader in Amaechi’s Ikwerre LGA.

    All Abe’s loyalists who were removed by Amaechi refused to attend the meetings of June 15 and 16, but had some of their supporters in attendance and according to sources, they recorded, through their mobile phones, everything that was said by the speakers, especially Amaechi.

    According to some of the people that recorded the speeches, while addressing the stakeholders in the residence of Wokekoro on June 15, the Transportation Minister allegedly stated that President Muhammadu Buhari and his wife, Hajia Aisha, could not force him to endorse Abe as the 2019 Rivers governorship candidate of the APC.

    Amaechi, who was Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) for two terms, also declared that the senator (Abe) would not be Rivers State governor in 2019.

    He said: “I have foreclosed Abe’s governorship ambition, as far as Rivers APC is concerned. If he likes, let him run to President Buhari that will not change anything. If he likes, let him go to the First Lady, Hajia Aisha Buhari, nothing will change.

    “In my capacity as the leader of the APC in Rivers State, Abe cannot be the governorship candidate of the party in Rivers State in 2019. Abe has no character. I hear APC executives of about 15 LGAs (out of 23 LGAs) of Rivers State are already working for him (Abe). I will see how far they will go.

    “I am the only one that can determine who gets the party’s governorship ticket in 2019. Suddenly, Abe has become something else in the party, because he won his senatorial election. Was I not Rivers State Governor for eight years? Was I not Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly for eight years?”

    The Transportation Minister also allegedly threatened that he would suspend any APC leader/member that was confirmed to be supporting Abe’s candidature for the 2019 governorship race, insisting that he remained the leader of the main opposition party in Rivers State, while stressing that even if the 23 LGA chairmen of the APC in Rivers support the senator (Abe), it would not change anything.

    Amaechi said: “As the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, I submitted his (Abe’s) name to former Governor Peter Odili for appointment as SSG, but Dr. Odili turned down my request. I still submitted his (Abe’s) name to the then Governor Odili for appointment as Finance Commissioner, but the name was rejected. Dr. Odili, during his second tenure, eventually made him (Abe) the Commissioner for Information.

    “I appointed him (Abe) as SSG in my first term as governor, because I wanted to fulfil my promise to him. I recommended that he should move to the Senate in my second tenure.

    “Because I now operate from Abuja, Abe has expanded his tentacles all over the place (Rivers State and other parts of Nigeria). Just imagine people, who are not even politicians, are now telling me that it is only Abe that can win the governorship seat for the APC in 2019.

    “I am waiting to see how they will make him the governorship candidate of the APC in Rivers State in 2019. We have the National Working Committee (NWC). We also have the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party. No one will deny that I have made enormous sacrifices for the party to get to where it is today.”

    While further speaking at Okwuoma’s residence in Port Harcourt in the evening of June 15, Amaechi could not hide his decision not to support the former Rivers SSG (Abe).

    Amaechi said: “Abe is a treacherous politician, who is now fraternising full-time with my political enemies in Rivers and Lagos States, as well as Abuja politicians, who are always willing to flaunt their new-found political titles and connections.

    “I know Abe is a Senator, but I also know that he is fraternising with my political enemies like the Senate President, Bukola Saraki. If Abe likes, let him come to Rivers State with the leadership of the National Assembly or that of the APC. I, Amaechi, will not support him for governor in 2019.”

    While reacting in Port Harcourt, Abe’s Spokesperson, Parry Benson, described the senator as a consistent politician with character who had never been treacherous.

    Benson also maintained that Abe was an adherent to democratic principles, stating that anybody who tried to crucify the senator, as a result of his belief, was on his own.

    Abe’s spokesperson urged APC leaders, especially in Rivers State, to adhere to the dictates of the constitution of the party, before taking decisions.

    Benson said: “APC is a vehicle for the realisation of the Nigerian dream and not a weapon to mete injustice on its members.”

    Rivers APC chairman, later realising that details of the meetings of June 15 and 16 in Port Harcourt with the Transportation Minister, with him (Ikanya) in attendance, had been made public, tried to do damage control, but it was too late.

    Ikanya said: “Our attention has been drawn to all the hullabaloo, fake news and mostly distorted, inaccurate and misleading reports about a non-existent crisis, due to some purported changes in the leadership of the APC in Rivers State. This is not true, entirely false and misleading.

    “All members of the APC leadership in Rivers State are intact. From our ward officers to state party executives, no one has been removed or suspended from office.

    “We are aware that our leader, the leader of the party in Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, is making some changes in his personal political group, team or caucus in the state. It is his right and prerogative to make any leadership change within his own political team, group or caucus.

    “Amaechi created the caucus, team or group, appointed its members and leaders and so can make any change he deems fit with his personal group, team or caucus, but we must emphasise that these changes by the Honourable Minister of Transportation within his personal political team, group or caucus have absolutely nothing to do with the party’s leadership structure and do not affect the party leadership structures at all levels in Rivers State.

    “Contrary to the fake, wild speculations and deliberately misleading insinuations, no member of the party in the state is being stopped or prevented from having ambition or wanting to seek any elective office. We must reinstate that no APC member will be stopped or prevented from seeking any elective office. We know for a fact that as a consummate democrat, our leader, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has not and will not stop, prevent or even attempt to discourage any party member from seeking any political office, elective or otherwise.

    “As a truly democratic party, APC in Rivers State will ensure a level-playing field for all its aspirants to any elective political office. In accordance with our party’s rules, regulations and constitution, we shall be fair to all aspirants and we will always ensure that the process leading to the emergence of our candidates for all elective political offices is free, fair and credible.”

    Rivers APC chairman also stated that since it was just halfway into 2017 and campaigns for the various 2019 elections were yet to commence, he noted that it was the time to join hands, come together and work in harmony to build a stronger and better APC that would defeat the opponents at the polls in 2019.

    Close sources to Amaechi confided to The Nation that most of the statements attributed to the minister in the reported caucus meetings were not true. According to the source, Amaechi has not come out to tell anybody he is not supporting Abe’s governorship quest. All that he said was what he had always maintained, which is that all the aspirants should keep their aspiration until December so that APC in the state will concentrate on building the party ahead the forthcoming governorship race. The source also said claims that some people recorded proceedings in the alleged caucus meetings cannot be true since no member is allowed to attend the meeting with his or her phones. According to him, anybody that claims to have such recording should be bold enough to present it in the open. The truth is that Amaechi never said those things they  claim he said.

    Way forward

    The denial of APC state leadership and that of the immediate stakehol;ders notwithstanding, The Nation learnt that there is fear amongst APC members that the face-off may affect the fortunes of the party negatively. They therefore pleaded with the party top hierarchy to step in and resolve the problem before it will get out of hand. Already, some Ogoni stakeholders have reportedly alleged that the plan to stop Abe is a plot to stop Ogoni, which has never produced either a governor or deputy governor in the state since the state was created.

    Given such reactions, it has become obvious that the members and leaders of the PDP and other opposition political parties will ultimately capitalise on the crack in Rivers APC to make some political gains.

    Concerned members of the party are pleading that the earlier the crisis is resolved, the better, even as they urge APC’s national leaders to ensure that there is a level-playing field for all aspirants.

  • Amaechi completed Omehia’s projects, says Peterside

    Amaechi completed Omehia’s projects, says Peterside

    The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA, Dr Dakuku Peterside, has faulted Governor Nyesom Wike ‘s claim that ex-Governor Celestine Omehia never completed projects initiated by his predecessor.

    He was reacting to interviews granted by Wike on radio and television programmes wherein the governor responded to issues raised by former governor Amaechi at a birthday event organised in his honour in Port Harcourt last weekend.

    Among other things, Wike claimed that Amaechi never continued any project started by his predecessor, that local government chairmen were paying money to Amaechi’s wife on monthly basis, in addition to the former governor not finishing any project while in office and frittering Rivers money to others state in the country.

    Peterside said Wike “is daily giving himself away as somebody who is “manifestly incompetent and a serial liar who has no sense of shame”.

    He went on: “Sometimes, you wonder whether Wike thinks before he speaks or that lying is entrenched in his blood. I have never seen or met any public servant who lies so conveniently like Wike. Rivers state is now a butt of laughter in Nigeria.”

    The NIMASA DG, who was commissioner for works during Amaechi’s first tenure expressed worry over the way and manner the Rivers governor was conducting himself in public domain, especially as it relates to civility, oath of office and reverence required of the office he occupies.

    “Wike has a long list of lies. Just before the last rerun elections in Rivers state, he claimed he had a videotape of where police and INEC had connived to rig the election in favour of APC, till today; he has not presented any tape to Nigerians.

    “Not long ago, Wike claimed he had awarded a road project in Benue state to the tune of N2bn. As I speak today, the lying governor has not been able to show anybody where the road is and which contractor is handling the project.

    “Just recently, Wike shocked even himself when he claimed that the $43m found at a residence in Ikoyi belongs to Rivers state government. The Federal High Court in Lagos gave ample opportunity for anybody to come forward and claim the money. The loquacious governor failed to show up after boasting that he had assembled lawyers to prove his claim.

    “The also governor claimed that his predecessor never finished any project started by the Celetine Omehia led-administration. Nothing can be further from the truth. Ask Wike who awarded the multibillion naira Eleme junction overhead bridge interchange and who finished the project?

    “As one of the cabinet members and close family friend, I can say boldly that at no time did local government chairmen pay Amaechi’s wife monthly. This is a lie from a dubious person. Interestingly, Wike was chief of staff then and he was the one that had the most interactions with council chairmen, I suspect he may have been collecting money from them while using the governor’s wife name,” he said.

  • Amaechi: Lagos-Kano, PH-Lagos rail line to run before Dec

    Amaechi: Lagos-Kano, PH-Lagos rail line to run before Dec

    •Kaduna Inland Dry Port set for inauguration

    THE Lagos-Kano rail line and the Lagos-Port Harcourt standard gauge will start running before December, Minister of Transport Rotimi Amaechi said yesterday.

    Hesaid plans are underway to procure additional 20 locomotive trains for cargo services for the routes.

    Amaechi spoke in Kaduna when he inspected the newly built Kaduna Dry Port.

    The minister said the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is to establish a safe and efficient transport system to boost economic activities across the country.

    Amaechi, who was with Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, explained that the Kaduna Inland Dry Port project was designed to decongest the seaports and bring shipping and port services closer to importers and exporters in the hinterlands.

    The port, which has the capacity to handle 29,000 containers per annum when commissioned, will serve as a port of origin and  final destination – meaning it will have the status of international port, including customs, immigration, port health officials, as well as government security agencies.

    Headded that by the time the rail projects are completed, they will largely help importers and exporters of goods to transport them through the rail lines, thereby saving cost, time and guaranteeing safety of their goods.

    The minister said:  “We are doing everything possible to create jobs and whatever the Federal Government needs to do to get the port running will be done.

    “The rail line will soon start running before the end of the year, which will be used to deliver goods at the port.

    “Everything is set for commissioning because we have the land, warehouse and all. But we want to wait for the completion of the roads. We want to wait for more activities in the dry port before we get the President to commission it.

    “I have visited Jos and they are doing a good job and they promised to be ready by June. I have visited Kaduna and what I have seen is commendable.”

    The ministerhailed the efforts and various contributions of Kaduna State government and solicited the government’s contribution towards ensuring that roads are in perfect shape.

    El-Rufai said the project was inherited from the previous administration and assured that the state government would provide the necessary infrastructure needed for effective take-off of the port upon its inauguration.

    He said the government would fix the roads leading to the port and create more exits to avoid congestion usually experienced at the Apapa port.

     

     

  • Amaechi to Wike: Shut up or I expose your wife

    Amaechi to Wike: Shut up or I expose your wife

    The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Tuesday threatened to expose the wife of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, if he does not shut his mouth.

    The minister also noted that contrary to allegations by Wike that his wife and family are involved in government business, said his wife was just a trader.

    Amaechi spoke after inspecting facilities at the Kaduna Inland Dry Port.

    He said: “They have a governor who is a child. By accident of Goodluck Jonathan because I don’t want to attribute it to God but by whatever, he entered office and starts talking about my wife and family.

    “When I was a governor, nobody had access to government business, not even my wife and siblings. Even as minister, nobody had access to government business because it is not a family business but a government business.

    “The problem with Nyesom Wike and I want to say it clearly that if he does not shut up his mouth and do his work, I will bring his wife into focus.

    “I have been very matured not to bring his wife out but if Wike does not close his mouth and talk about my wife anymore, I would bring out his wife.

    On whether his wife collected any contract or money, Amaechi said: “my wife would never to that. We don’t do family business. All I care about is transparency, my wife is a trader, she buys and sells and Wike knows that.”

    On the accusation that he squandered money, the minister replied: “You believe that? Is it the same man who said I have $50 million in Lagos and could not prove you would believe? Or the man that said I didn’t pay salary until I left office and he later says no, it’s pension I didn’t pay?  You believe such a man?

    “As usual he was given how many hours on television and they cut me off when I came and put disclaimer. The television station gave Wike all the opportunity to say the rubbish he has to say without facts. He has no facts and he was allowed to malign people’s character.”

    On the approval of the Judicial Commission of Enquiry by the court, he said: “How do we know how the court arrived at its decision? We were not given fair hearing. We were not even informed. There is a panel of justices in Rivers State, which is the Court of Appeal and by the time we knew it, they took the matter from them and gave to a panel that came from Adamawa.”