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Tag: Amaechi

  • Amaechi’s aide cautions against cultism

    The Special Adviser on National Economic Affairs to Governor Chibuike Amaechi, Hon. Alex Wele, has advised students and former student union leaders in the state to shun violence and cultism if they desire to excel in life.

    Wele who is also the President of Rivers Leadership Advancement Foundation (RIVLEAF) stated this in Port Harcourt, while inaugurating members of RIVLEAF Aluu community chapter in Ikwerre Local Government of Rivers State.

    RIVLEAF is a registered organisation made up of vibrant students and ex-student leaders in Rivers State.

    Speaking after the inauguration, Wele, who was a union leader in his school days, like Amaechi, said the group will not allow vibrant youths to ruin their lives through cultism and violent activities.

    Wele said: “We didn’t establish RIVLEAF for political thuggery. Our members are students and ex-student leaders. You know Governor Amaechi was also a student leader and our objective is that if these people will contribute to the service of humanity while in school why not create a forum where they could come together for the good of all.

    “I am advising them to shun violence and cultism if they wish to excel in their various discipline in life, why I was a student leader, including Governor Chibuike Amaechi we were not involve in cultism and that is the major reason of our sources and achievement today.”

    He charged the newly inaugurated members of RIVLEAF Aluu not to allow desperate politician to use them negatively. He urged them to be role models.

    Responding on behalf of the new members, Comrade Owhorkire Rhino, coordinator of RIVLEAF Aluu said, “As vibrant youths we will ensure that we live good lives as future leaders. The Governor’s life as ex student leader is a testimony to us. We are ready to work with him as an Aluta conscious and Aluta tested being.”

     

  • Chaos at Rivers Assembly

    Chaos at Rivers Assembly

    -Five lawmakers ‘impeach’ speaker

    -Amaechi moves in to restore order

    -Thugs attack Dep. Governor’s car

     

    Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi moved fast yesterday to stop a major constitutional crisis at the House of Assembly.

    Five lawmakers loyal to the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, claimed to have impeached the Speaker. It was all part of the crisis rocking the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    There was a rain of blows at the main chambers of the House of Assembly in Port Harcourt, between the pro and anti-Amaechi lawmakers.

    The five lawmakers loyal to Wike – Michael Okechukwu Chinda (Obio/Akpor II constituency), Kelechi Godspower Nwogu (Omuma), Evans Bapakaye Bipi (Ogu/Bolo), Martins Amaewhule (Obio/Akpor I) and Victor Ihunwo (Port Harcourt III) – attempted to impeach the Speaker, Otelemaba Dan Amachree.

    Bipi was humidly elected speaker, amid tight security provided by the police. He announced the suspension of 15 unnamed lawmakers – in a 32-member Assembly.

    As Bipi mounted the speaker’s seat to give his acceptance/maiden speech, Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), stormed the main chambers with Amachree, other lawmakers and security men. Then the fisticuffs began.

    The Speaker and the Leader of the House, Chidi Lloyd, a lawyer, who represents Emohua Constituency and loyal to Amaechi, were attacked. As at press time yesterday, Lloyd was still in the hospital.

    Also seriously injured were two anti-Amaechi lawmakers: Amaewhule and Chinda. They were also hospitalised.

    Amaechi ordered the arrest of Bipi, but the policemen and operatives of the State Security Service (SSS), who were with the Rivers governor, were resisted by the security personnel guarding the “new speaker”.

    A policeman cautioned another for bringing tear gas canister into the main chambers. The policemen were obviously divided in their support for Amaechi and Wike.

    When the punching subsided, the House sat amid very tight security, with 23 pro-Amaechi lawmakers in attendance. Amachree presided. Amaechi left immediately.

    Rivers Deputy Governor Tele Ikuru, an engineer, was ushered into the Assembly chambers at 11:42 pm to present amendments to the 2013 budget, on behalf of Amaechi. This lasted from 11:44 pm till 11:48 pm when it was laid on the table. Ikuru left the main chambers at 11:51 pm.

    The Speaker said the amendments would not affect the earlier figure of N490 billion. Shortly after Ikuru left, the House was adjourned sine die (indefinitely) at 12:01 pm.

    The deputy governor was attacked by thugs around 12:26 pm as he was leaving the Assembly complex on Moscow Road. His car was badly damaged.

    On his way out, after making the presentation, thugs who flooded the complex, chanting war songs and in support of the “new speaker”, descended on Ikuru, in spite of the heavy security presence.

    Other cars in his convoy were also damaged.

    Bipi assaulted a Channels Television cameraman, snatching his camera from him. The camera was released, following the intervention of top politicians.

    As Speaker Amachree was leaving the main chamber, after the sitting, Bipi also punched the representative of Abua/Odual Constituency in the Assembly, Augustine Ngo, near the parking lot. He fell and immediately got up.

    The representative of Rivers Southeast Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, described the attack on the speaker, the leader and other members of the Assembly loyal to Amaechi, “under the watchful eyes of the police”, as a shame and a slap on democracy.

    He urged lovers of democracy and Nigerians to not only condemn the dastardly and barbaric act, but to resist moves being orchestrated by those under democratic oath to make Rivers State ungovernable.

    Abe, who is also the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), wondered the kind of democracy being practised in Nigeria, if democratic institutions and those elected to make laws could not be protected.

    The senator, who is a former Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), declared that plans to throw the state into anarchy would not succeed. He admonished well-meaning Rivers people to stand by Amaechi, whom he said was being persecuted for defending the state.

    Chief Victor Tombari Giadom, the Commissioner for Works, described the action of the anti-Amaechi lawmakers as “pure rascality”.

    Speaker Amachree said: “As far as this House is concerned, the leadership of the House has not changed. I am the speaker of Rivers House of Assembly and all the other officers and the clerk are here with me. The leadership of the House is intact and what Evans Bipi told you is pure fallacy, lie.

    “For the House to impeach the speaker, two-thirds of the members must agree. Now, count how many members that are with me here. We are 23 members here; you can count us. No mace was brought into the House.

    “When we get to the bridge, we will know how to cross it. But every member knows that we have rules and regulations that guide us in our conduct. I will not say anything yet on attempt to impeach me, but the leadership and members of the House will meet and decide on that.

    “I do not know where the rumour of attempt to impeach Governor Amaechi is coming from. We have just finished our sitting. There was no attempt as far as we are concerned to impeach me or anybody. We are even shocked to hear that. It is not true. Look at us. Can five members sit to impeach the speaker?

    “We are about 27 members here. We do not know what their aims were, but today, in fact, we did not know there would be chaos in the House. So, we went to the House as usual and we were exchanging pleasantries before Evans Bipi attacked me and the leader of the House. Then Hon. Chinda joined him. But we quickly arrested the situation and started our deliberations.

    “It is not compulsory that every member must be present at our sitting everyday. Some obtained permission like the former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Tonye Harry, who is in Paris, France for a conference. Three others did not attend today’s sitting, but they also obtained permission. There was a kind of chaos before we sat today.”

    On the role of the police, Amachree said: “I am so surprised and shocked because yesterday, I officially directed the Clerk of the House to write the Commissioner of Police for security, because of what happened on May 6, when some hoodlums invaded the Assembly.

    “We did not want a repeat of that. So, I directed the Clerk to write to the commissioner of police and also the Brigade Commander, but to my greatest surprise, I did not see one single soldier in the Assembly.

    “The policemen I saw were acting funny. One of my colleagues was even beaten by the police. The computers in the hallowed chambers were all destroyed by the five honourable members (lawmakers).

    “In that hallowed chambers, honourable members can do anything there. It happens in every parliament. What we are concerned about is for a member to bring in hoodlums to attack his fellow members. As colleagues, we can fight in the chambers, but outside the chambers, it is unfortunate that the police will also be there and watch hoodlums attack members.

    “As a House, we will look into it, but we do not have right over the police. What we will do is that we will write to the National Assembly. We will do a presentation or we will send a formal complaint to the National Assembly. The House will continue to sit, but for now, we have adjourned sine die, but we can reconvene anytime.

    “The governor does not have the right to spend money or take money from one sub-head to another. He has to ask for approval and that was what he did today.”

    The five anti-Amaechi lawmakers started arriving the Assembly complex from 8 am and were complete around 9 am, with eight of the 27 pro-Amaechi legislators, led by the House Leader, arriving around 9:40 am.

    The 13 lawmakers were waiting for the speaker to arrive. They started sitting around 10 am. That angered Lloyd and seven other pro-Amaechi lawmakers, who staged a walkout. The anti-Amaechi lawmakers took over the main chambers.

    The representative of Port Harcourt III Constituency, Victor Ihunwo, sat on the speaker’s seat and conducted the affairs, with the members calling for the impeachment of the speaker (Amachree) and the entire leadership, after passing a vote of no confidence in them, with the impeachment immediately effected.

    The Obio/Akpor Constituency I representative, Martins Amaewhule, moved a motion on the election of a new speaker, which was seconded by Kelechi Godspower Nwogu (Omuma Constituency), Bipi was “elected” as the speaker.

    As soon as Bipi moved to the speaker’s seat, Ihunwo stepped out and the new speaker began the business of the day. Then, Amaechi, the legislators loyal to him, his supporters and security personnel stormed the main chambers, forcing the pro-Wike lawmakers to leave. They stayed around the premises with their supporters.

  • Brigands in the temple of law

    Brigands in the temple of law

    What did the five errant lawmakers in Rivers State want Tuesday morning? Not to enforce the rule of law, or to dignify the ethos of democracy. They wanted to enshrine brigandage in the temple of law.

    So, they had painted a scenario of morbid potential before Tuesday morning. First, they wanted to lop off the head of the state House of Assembly, that is the speaker. They did not have the number. They amounted to five, and the mainstream had 27 men. Following the law portended suicide. So they took the law in their own hands, and they made a dawn arrival in the chambers and decided to effect the unlawful.

    According to the scenario, they would cut off the leader, who was the speaker. That completed, they would proceed to the main agenda: bully the governor out of his position with a hurried impeachment proceeding. It would not have mattered what the law demanded before an impeachment proceeding. Once they enacted a fait accompli, and Governor Rotimi Amaechi ousted from the throne, Abuja would move in with the armed forces and the spartan temerity of power and the new imposed speaker would take over as governor.

    Where would that have left Governor Amaechi? He would resort to the court, battling from outside, from the position of weakness. The court would fall under the spell of dalliance, the court sessions postponed indefinitely just like the battle over the leadership of the PDP in Rivers State today.

    The intervention of Governor Amaechi’s forces routed the renegades in what looked like a civilian equivalent of a military counterattack. The renegades lost out ignominiously as the 27-man House not only convoked a meeting but passed into a law the budget proposals of the governor.

    Since the state crisis unfurls as a President Jonathan versus Governor Amaechi war, the Presidency suffered a severe and unmitigated disaster, just like Hitler’s misadventure in the Second World War in the operation Barbarossa in Russia. Not only the president, but also the long line of “democratic coup plotters” and in the lead was Nyesom Wike.

    We have seen this before. During the Obasanjo era, we witnessed the impeachment of Governor Joshua Dariye by a comic set of six turncoats who represented a fraction of the quorum. That reckless move enjoyed official anointing, and Dariye fought a fruitless battle of restoration till the end. Also, with irony, the other one occurred in Bayelsa State, and the travesty was not just numbers but geography. The Governor, Dieprye Alamieyesiegha, lost his reign to impeachment – and President Jonathan was deputy governor – not in the environ of Bayelsa State but in far-flung Lagos. President Goodluck Jonathan benefited from the travesty and that began his storied rise to a presidency of bumbling. Also for irony, President Jonathan has ensconced him in his inner circle. Before all these, Governor Ngige fell out of power when President Obasanjo cradled the nation’s top office and we all watched as the governor was spirited out of sight in a gangster-like kidnap and impeached.

    Yesterday lifts the Jonathan era to the ignoble height of democratic torpedoes of the Obasanjo era. The difference: the Obsanjo men succeeded in quite a few: Plateau, Ekiti, Anambra and Bayelsa states. President Jonathan won in Bayelsa by rallying all the armed forces to oust a governor in a fear of the lofty rules of democracy. He wants to replicate in Rivers State the pill he administered in the primitive ouster of former Governor Timipre Sylva. Now again, they failed. They have done many things in infamy. They have devised methods like sending a militant to organise a rally, stopped his plane from flying, implanted a toady as commissioner of police, barred traditional rulers from visiting the governor, barred him from saying hello to the President, tried to oust him as chairman of the Governors’ Forum, and so on. The question is, what is next?

     

  • Amaechi’s suspension: Judge withdraws from suit

    Amaechi’s suspension: Judge withdraws from suit

    THERE was a twist yesterday in the suit by the Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State in which he is challenging his suspension by the ruling peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).

    The suit could not go on.

    Reason: Justice Emmanuel Ogbuji of the State High Court, who was billed to hear the matter in Port Harcourt, the state capital, had withdrawn from it and returned the case file to the Chief Judge of the State for reassignment.

    Amaechi’s suspension was announced early last month by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP for alleged anti-party activities – a development that prompted the governor approach the court for redress.

    He is asking the court to vacate the action.

    PDP’s counsel Donald DENwigwe (SAN) filed a counter motion challenging the jurisdiction of the state court in dealing with the matter.

    The lawyer insisted that the aspect of jurisdiction in the matter should be decided before any other issue.

    At the last sitting, Justice Ogbuji assumed jurisdiction to determine whether or not he has full jurisdiction on the matter and fixed yesterday to hear the motion on jurisdiction.

    But when the court resumed sitting yesterday, the matter was neither listed on the court’s cause list nor discussed in the open court.

    None of the lawyers representing the parties was sighted in the court. The court premises were also devoid of the crowd of supporters that usually grace such sessions.

    The Nation learnt that the case had already been reassigned to Justice Adolphus Enebeli and that the parties are now waiting for hearing notices.

    Shortly after the court assumed jurisdiction in the case last month, one of the appellant counsels, Emenike Ebete said the judge acted in accordance with the law.

    He said: “The court assumed temporary jurisdiction to hear the motion challenging its powers to deal with the entire application”.

     

     

     

    “If a judge is faced with a case in which his jurisdiction is being challenged, the law says that the Judge should first assume jurisdiction to determine whether or not he has jurisdiction. If it is discovered at the end that he has no jurisdiction he should back out of the matter.”

    DENwigwe told reporters after the last sitting: “Amaechi is saying that the party suspended him, and he is saying that the party should be restrained.

    “At this stage, we cannot decide whether or not the party will be restrained. We are saying that the court has no jurisdiction to deal with the matter on the grounds we stated out in our motion papers and I told the court that until that is decided we cannot deal any other matter, so the matter is adjourned to deal with those matters.

    “So, the court has not decided anything one way or the other, but he is saying that nothing should be done to affect his rights pending the hearing of the processes before the court which will now see whether the court has jurisdiction to hear the mater in the first instance or not.”

    Adebayo Adelodun (SAN) and lead counsel to Amaechi said: “By the ruling, the suspension that had been handed over to our client should not be given any effect until the court decides the legality or otherwise of such suspension in the first instance.

    “That means no further steps should be taken and he should not be denied any of his rights as member of PDP in consequence of that purported suspension.”

     

  •  2015: Amaechi’s supporters vow to frustrate Wike’s structure

    The Special Adviser on National Economic Affair to Governor Chibuike Amaechi, Hon. Alex Wele, yesterday vowed to crush Wike’s Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), which he described as a group grown by betrayal.

    Alex, who is also the President of Rivers Leadership Advancement Foundation (RIVLEAF), spoke in Port Harcourt, while inaugurating members of RIVLEAF Aluu community chapter in Ikwerre Local Government of Rivers State.

    GDI is a political organisation made up of PDP members loyal to Minister of State for Education Mr. Nyesom Wike, while RIVLEAF is one of the Amaechi’s political structures comprising students and ex-students leaders.

    Both groups have been at logger heads following the face- off between Wike and Amaechi.

    Addressing RIVLEAF members, Alex vowed the group will never allow GDI to succeed.

    According to him: “Any day you hear that GDI is coming to this community to hold their meeting, make sure that you also hold your meeting the same day.

    “Don’t allow them to blackmail us with their false preaching, and let them know that we are the rightful structure.

    “They are traitors. We gave them the opportunity to serve, we gave them the opportunity to become who they are today but they stabbed us at our backs.”

  • Amaechi approves N15M for OJB kidney transplant

    Amaechi approves N15M for OJB kidney transplant

    The Rivers state governor, Rotimi Amaechi has come to the aid of ailing music producer, Okungbowa Jezreel Babatunde aka OJB who is currently battling with kidney problem.

    The governor has promised to support OJB with fifteen million naira (N15M) needed for the kidney transplant.

    This was disclosed by the head of the OJB fund raising, NoMoreloss via his twitter handle. “Officials of the government reached out to us this evening, (Wednesday, June 3) promising to donate a $100,000. The presentation, they say, will be made on Friday (June 5). We are indeed grateful to the Governor and the people of Rivers State. Now we can finally have that surgical procedure.”

    An extremely excited NoMoreloss said, “We also appreciate the kind hearts of Nigerians who have made donations and those that supported us with prayers. We had a place in mind initially, but recently, there have been several suggestions from other people. We would be having a meeting by this weekend with all the concerned parties to decide which of the options is best. The donor is a family member, but for some reason, we do not wish to disclose the identity. All that matters is for him to have a successful operation.”

    He also added that “I guess it is no longer SaveOJB abi? So now I think it should be celebrateOJB hmmm?”

     

  • Amaechi threatens to stop funding police

    Amaechi threatens to stop funding police

    •’Police chief must go’

    To stem the gradual return to insecurity in Rivers State, Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi yesterday restated his demand for Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Abubakar to redeploy Commissioner of Police Mbu Joseph Mbu.

    Amaechi spoke when he received a delegation of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Governing Board, led by its chair, Chief Gordon Bozimo, at the Government House in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

    He also threatened to stop funding the police, should the IG fail to remove the commissioner.

    Bozimo was worried about last week’s kidnap of three Youth Corps members in the state.

    He said: “Three days ago, three of our ‘corpers’ were kidnapped. I feel very worried because, if Port Harcourt is not safe, I don’t know where people will run to. So, we are imploring Your Excellency to look at the problems critically and fashion out what we can do to nip the problem in the bud. If not, ‘corpers’ may begin to avoid Rivers State the way they did to Borno, Yobe and other trouble-ridden states in the North. I have the intention of discussing it with the Inspector General of Police when I get to Abuja.”

    Amaechi said the call for Mbu’s transfer became necessary because the commissioner had derailed from his legitimate function of protecting lives and property.

    Said the governor: “We used to have a wonderful security system with commissioners of police who understood their functions and knew what to do.

    “But since the Police in Abuja suddenly posted the person called Mbu Joseph Mbu, nothing has been working again.

    “Mbu has been sitting with politicians for political reasons and the security system is down and out. Since he came, we have never had peace. We have held Security Council meetings two or three times. But before Mbu came, we used to hold security meetings two or three times every month. We knew where our Youth Corps were and we know the level of security arrangement we put in place to protect them. We also sent the SSS to watch over them. We have equipment that monitors what happens there. The only way they will not kidnap youth corps members is to send Joseph Mbu back to where he came from and post us a commissioner of police that will serve the interest of this state.”

    He urged the NYSC Board to unravel the issues surrounding the kidnap of the three Youth Corps members to the Federal Government and the implications it would have on the state, pointing out that his administration would soon stop funding the police for its inability to protect the lives and property of citizens.

    Said Amaechi: “I don’t want a commissioner of police that will work for me. I want a commissioner of police that will work for the interest of the state; that will work for Rivers people. So, it is not only me that you should complain to; talk to Inspector-General of Police and those who transferred the commissioner of Police that was working in the interest of Rivers people.

    “Port Harcourt is becoming unsafe and more NYSC members may be kidnapped, except they remove Joseph Mbu. It will worsen when we (the state government) stop funding the Police, because we will soon stop funding them.”

    Amaechi warned that Mbu’s continued stay in the state would jeopardise the conducive business climate of Port Harcourt and the fast growing economy.

    “The Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu is a politician, because he attends political meetings with those who brought him to our state and there is no way you can stop that. The only way you can stop that is to ask the politicians in Abuja to withdraw their Commissioner of Police and allow us to secure Rivers State. My fear is that his stay in Rivers State is intended to kill the conducive business climate in Port Harcourt and the fast growing economy of our state.”

    Amaechi accused Mbu of disrespect, insubordination to constituted authority, arrogance and gross misconduct to the government and people.

    He said: “The Federal Government should post a new Commissioner of Police. I have no control over the present Commissioner of Police Mbu, even though the constitution says so. He called a press conference, where he said, he does not report to the governor of the state, who is the Chief Security Officer of the State. So, how do I (Amaechi) protect our citizens?”

    Police Spokesperson Angela Agabe, a Deputy Superintendent of Police defended her boss, saying Mbu is not a politician, but a professional police officer.

    She maintained that the CP had been doing everything possible to reduce the crime rate.

    When asked to react to Amaechi’s declaration that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, should as a matter of urgency transfer Mbu out of the state, Mrs Agabe said: “No comment. Rt. Hon. Amaechi is the governor of the state.”

    She reiterated that no society is crime free, noting that officers and men of the command are putting in their best to ensure the protection of life and property.

    The police spokesperson said: “It is not true that since CP Mbu was transferred (from Oyo State in March this year) to Rivers State, there has been an upsurge in insecurity and criminal activities, including kidnapping.”

    Mrs. Agabe urged the public to give information about criminals to the police, promising that their identities would be well protected.

     

  • Amaechi, Oshiomhole, Atiku, Akume mourn senator

    Amaechi, Oshiomhole, Atiku, Akume mourn senator

    Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, his Edo State counterpart, Adams Oshiomhole, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Senate Minority Leader Senator George Akume have described the death of Senator Pius Ewherido as “unfortunate”.

    Amaechi said Ewherido was also a public-spirited man and a community leader.

    Amaechi, who paid the tribute in a statement he personally signed, said Ewherido’s passage was “no doubt a monumental loss to our nation”.

    The statement said: “We hereby condole with the Nigerian Senate, the government and people of Delta State and the entire Ewherido family on the sudden death of Senator Pius Ewherido, who, until his death, represented Delta Central Senatorial District on the platform of the Democratic People’s Party (DPP),

    “It is unfortunate that the hardworking, independent-minded senator, a political icon, and one of the most accomplished politicians in our country passed on at a time our country needed his invaluable service most. His loss is no doubt a monumental loss to our nation.”

    Oshiomhole described the death of the late Ewherido as a “rude shock”.

    The governor said: “The news of the death of Senator Pius Ewherido came as a rude shock. He had served his people with all his resources and energy and his death has robbed Delta State and indeed the nation of a bright young mind.

    “Ewherido truly distinguished himself in the Senate with his incisive contributions to debates and will be sorely missed not only by his Constituents but also by others who have come to love his style.”

    In a condolence message by his media office in Abuja, the former Vice- President said the late Ewherido was a remarkable good, tolerant and patient neighbour.

    He said: “Anyone that lived peacefully and respectfully with his neighbours without a hint of suppressed grudges must be one in a million, especially in a country like ours where some big men spare no efforts to be noticed.”

    Akume said: “The late Distinguished Senator Ewherido was no doubt an accomplished businessman, astute politician and a legislator per excellence who brought his wealth of knowledge and experience to bear on the Delta State legislature and the Nigerian Senate. His contributions to the entrenchment of democratic ideals were second to none, therefore, I regard his death as a tragedy which has befallen not just the Senate and people of Delta state but indeed the entire nation. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Senate, the people of Delta state and his family at this difficult time.”

     

  • Amaechi, Wike in battle of wits after Jonathan’s visit

    Amaechi, Wike in battle of wits after Jonathan’s visit

    Barely 48 hours after President Goodluck Jonathan left Rivers State, Governor Rotimi Amaechi and a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders (led by Minister of State for Education Nyesom Wike) are locked in a battle of wits on who won the President’s confidence.

    The Amaechi camp is claiming victory for reuniting with Jonathan. Wike’s group said the President did not shun it as being widely circulated.

    The Wike-led PDP stakeholders alleged that the President exchanged pleasantries with the minister before embracing Amaechi.

    But fresh facts emerged yesterday that President Jonathan told Governor Rotimi Amaechi to ignore members of a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who came to the Port Harcourt International Airport on Saturday to bid him farewell.

    Jonathan, it was learnt also, appeared to have sold a dummy to Amaechi because some members of his kitchen cabinet and the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, have been implicated in the campaign against the governor.

    According to a source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, the President was more at home with Amaechi than Wike who has been bankrolling the PDP faction in Rivers State.

    The source, who was at the airport, said: “When President Jonathan arrived at the Port Harcourt International Airport in a presidential helicopter at about mid-day en route to Abuja from Bayelsa, he embraced Amaechi and members of the Rivers State Exco. He shunned the factional PDP opposition group in the state, led by Wike.

    “This made Wike and his group confused and dumbfounded.

    “When President Jonathan alighted from the chopper, after shaking hands with Amaechi, the MD of NDDC, Dr. Chris Oboh and a couple of others, he ignored the roll of Wike’s loyalists who stood close to the helicopter.

    “When told who they (Wike’s loyalists) were, the President avoided them but moved to the line where Amaechi’s exco members were waiting to greet him.

    “The President and Amaechi could be seen talking to each other with Amaechi pointing in the direction of his state exco. Wike, who was also at the airport, was seen frantically trailing behind them.”

    Asked what the President told Amaechi, the source added: “When President Jonathan was shown the line by Wike supporters, he reportedly told Amaechi not to worry about ‘this thing because it doesn’t really matter’.

    Jonathan added: “Ignore them; I have seen this kind of thing several times. Ignore them, please.”

    “After President Jonathan boarded his presidential Jet, Wike and members of his group looked perplexed, forlorn and dejected. Wike had mobilised people to the airport.

    “One of them was heard saying: “It’s like we have lost out . Why have they been lying to us that Mr. President is with us, that Jonathan will support us to chase Amaechi from the State? This has shown clearly that they have been lying to us. I will have to go back to Amaechi.”

    Responding to a question, the source said: “Now, the rejection by Mr. President has thrown Wike’s camp into disarray. They have been holding meetings to try and calm their people down.”

    But a source in Wike’s camp, who confided in our correspondent, said: “As a matter of fact, when the President arrived at the airport, he exchanged pleasantries with the Minister before moving over to Amaechi and his exco members. The minister was closer to the aircraft than the governor. So, the minister was the first port of pleasantries.

    “Jonathan did not shun Wike who mobilised PDP stakeholders to the airport for a rousing reception for the President. There was no way the President would shun a member of his cabinet for Amaechi.

    “The President also greeted PDP members at the airport; he did not isolate any group for the other. It was evident that they deliberately took the President’s and Amaechi’s photograph for mischief in the media.

    “What they have done was to dish out a tissue of lies to deceive the media. We will release an official statement on Monday to let the public know what really happened.”

    Asked of Wike’s photograph with the President, the top aide added: “We were not keen on any shot because we had no ill-motive.”

    There were indications that Jonathan might have sold a dummy to Amaechi to show Nigerians that he has nothing against the governor.

    A top source said: “They said they played politics at the Nigeria Governors Forum; the President also engaged in super politics at the airport. And Amaechi is basking in the euphoria of the super politics.

    “The Rivers State project is still on course because PDP stakeholders are yearning for change and they will get it in 2015.

    “About two weeks ago, the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, made it clear that only ex-Governors Rufus Ada George and Peter Odili had done well in the state. So, do you think Jonathan will go to Rivers State and give Amaechi a pat on the back? Read between the lines.”

  • Amaechi threatens to dump PDP

    Amaechi threatens to dump PDP

    •Says: If they suffocate us in PDP and we need to move, we move.

    Hours after embracing President Goodluck Jonathan at Port Harcourt Airport, Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi yesterday evening raised the stakes in the crisis rocking the state branch of the party by threatening to dump the ruling People’s Democratic Party(PDP).

    He vowed to leave for any other party if PDP insists on the reversal of the suspension of Obio/Akpor local council executives as pre-condition for him to remain in the party.

    Amaechi said this while reacting to questions by the Bishop of the Anglican Communion, Niger Delta Diocese, Rev. Ignatius C. Kattey, at the 60th birthday thanksgiving service of the former president of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), O.C.J. Okocha (SAN) in Port Harcourt.

    He said the PDP should not give him conditions over Obio/Akpor, saying that it was only the lawmakers who suspended them, or the court that could lift the suspension.

    The governor explained to the crowd at the service that the law that empowered the lawmakers to suspend council officials also empowered him to dissolve the executive, but said he has not done that.

    “If they reverse it tomorrow, there is one more option left to me, I can dissolve the entire executive. The police can remain there as much as they want, it is Obio/Akpor people’s problem; the money is going nowhere.

    “But we have saved you too, because the reason they suspended the executives is because they said, ‘let us investigate the place because there was corruption.’ If they investigate and the chairman and the councillors are not corrupt, they will call them back. But if they go to court to try to stop them, they will do their function.

    “I want to hear the court say they have no right to do their function. Whatever the court says is what the Rivers State Government will do. We will obey the court, but outside that, nobody, not PDP, can give me condition. Is there only one party in Nigeria? Why would they give me condition? They will not give me condition.

    “I lead the people of Rivers State and I will lead you. If they suffocate us in PDP and we need to move, we move!

    “We will continue to struggle for our rights, and that includes our oil wells. You will hear the truth of this fight in December, January. I will address the state and I will tell you the truth of the fight.

    “Not between me and these people here, they are not a problem to me. But when election comes, the Rivers people will be given the chance to choose who they want,” he said

    The Bishop had at the beginning of his sermon at the church service sought to confirm if Amaechi had been given the re-instatement of the suspended executives of Obio/Akpor council as condition to end the crisis, and what he Ameachi was doing about it.

    Kattey also asked the embattled Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) chairman if there was really an election that returned him as the chairman of the forum, and urged him to tell the truth.

    Responding, Amaechi said: “I don’t lie. If I will go to hell, lie wouldn’t be one of the reasons for my going to hell. Take it from me, those who lie don’t have courage, I have them in quantum; my children have excess of courage.

    “Your Grace, there was an election, your Grace, they are not denying that there was no election. They said before the election some people have signed documents for them, and they were 19, but in contesting the election, those 19 changed their minds and voted for me, and when the battle was on it was clear that it was between the ‘Villa’ and me, and I won.

    “There was an election and they were properly defeated and they saw the consequences of defeat. It is a Governors’ Forum I have led for two years. Even the 16 told me ‘you were wonderful as the chairman, but you know where the pressure is coming from and we can’t avoid the pressure, I won and won well, tomorrow morning (today), I will win again.”

    Twenty-seven members of the Rivers State House of Assembly in April suspended the Executive Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Timothy Nsirim and his councillors for alleged financial recklessness.

    Efforts by the Felix Obuah-led state PDP to force the lawmakers to re-instate the council executives failed. The national body of PDP then suspended Amaechi shortly after his victory of the NGF election – hinging the action on his refusal to recall the council executive.