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Tag: Amaechi

  • Why Amaechi is still suspended – Akpabio

    Why Amaechi is still suspended – Akpabio

    The National Caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party has explained that the suspension of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers was not lifted because of a pending case challenging the action.

    The party organ gave the explanation late on Tuesday after a meeting, presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    In a chat with State House correspondents after the closed-door meeting which ended at about 11 p.m., the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Mr. Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, said the body was briefed on Amaechi’s suspension.

    Akpabio explained that reversing Amaechi’s suspension from the party would amount to over-reaching the decision of a competent court, sitting on the case challenging the action.

    He said that it was easy for the National Working Committee (NWC) to lift the suspension of Sokoto governor Aliyu Wamakko because the matter was not in court.

    “The PDP National Caucus was fully briefed on all issues pertaining to the party.

    “We made an appeal to the NWC to look at the suspension but the Rivers State governor’s case is sub-judice because he has gone to court.

    “The one of Sokoto did not go to court and so the suspension was lifted,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted Akpabio as saying to journalists.

    Amaechi was suspended on May 27, over his refusal to heed the party’s instruction to reinstate the elected council chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council in Rivers.

    Wamakko, who was suspended on June 5 for alleged serial disobedience to PDP authority, had been recalled by the party.

    Akpabio said that the meeting also deliberated on the lingering crisis within the party and agreed that a high-powered team headed by the president should immediately embark on reconciliation.

     

  • Don’t give Amaechi my dad’s treatment, says Marshall Harry’s son

    Politicians fighting the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), Rotimi Amaechi, have been warned not to give him the Marshall Harry treatment.

    The first son of the late politician, Sonny Marshall-Harry, gave the warning yesterday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    Marshall Harry, who was killed in his Abuja residence on March 5, 2003, was the National Vice-Chairman (Southsouth) of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

    The younger Harry praised the 2011 presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Gen Muhammadu Buhari and Amaechi for standing by the family in the last 10 years.

    “Rivers people are jolted by the misunderstanding between President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Amaechi.

    “The situation is worrisome, because the personalities involved are sons of the Niger Delta.

    “It is indeed uncalled for and should be resolved before it gets out of hand.

    “I urge well-meaning Niger Deltans and notable Nigerians to rise and resolve whatever misunderstanding that exists between the President and the governor.

    “My advice is that elders should intervene quickly, to avoid a repeat of what happened to my father.

    “It is very important to note that before my father was killed, a similar scenario played out.

    “My father complained, severally, to the police and all stakeholders, especially the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) about threats to his life.

    “He was ignored by the police. Instead, he was locked up at the State Investigation Bureau (SIB), taken to court the next day and was remanded in Port Harcourt prison.

    “He was suspended from the PDP. Irked by the situation, he went to court to challenge the suspension.

    “He left the PDP and joined the ANPP; he became the Southsouth National Vice Chairman. He was eventually assassinated and the memories still linger till today.

    “My father’s Campaign for the Realisation of Southsouth President (CRESSOP 2003) was a complete departure from the then clamour for resource control.

    “Dr. Marshall Harry reasoned that with the emergence of a Southsouth president, the much-talked about injustice and marginalisation would be redressed.

    “We are worried that since the CRESSOP dream became a reality, nobody has mentioned my father or give recognition to the family.

    “We are pleading with President Jonathan to give us a sense of belonging, as people from his zone whose son paid the supreme price, while fighting to make a difference in the nation’s polity.”

  • NGF crisis: ‘Don’t give Amaechi Marshall Harry’s treatment’

    Those fighting the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Rotimi Amaechi, have been warned not to give him Dr. Marshall Harry’s treatment, since the situations are similar.

    The first son of the frontline politician, Sonny Marshall-Harry, gave the warning on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, in an interactive session with reporters.

    Marshall Harry, the pioneer Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State and until his assassination in his Abuja residence on March 5, 2003, was the National Vice Chairman, South-south of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

    Amaechi, who is also the Governor of Rivers State, defeated his Plateau State counterpart, Jonah Jang at the NGF election, which has not gone down well with people in some quarters, especially those backing Jang.

    Sonny also lauded the 2011 presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), General Mohammadu Buhari (rtd.), now a leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Amaechi, for standing by the family in the last 10 years.

     

  • Amaechi won’t drop NGF mandate, says Kwankwaso

    Amaechi won’t drop NGF mandate, says Kwankwaso

    Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso yesterday joined the bitter row over the Nigerian Governors Forum(NGF) leadership saying, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi will not surrender his mandate.

    He also said the PDP leadership has refused to convene the party’s National Executive Committee to look into members’ complaints.

    Kwankwaso, who spoke with a group of reporters at the Kano Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, said the G-19 voted for Amaechi after obtaining a commitment from him that he would not give up under any circumstance.

    “This party belongs to all of us, it does not belong to the governors; it doesn’t belong to president or it doesn’t belong to the party chairman; it doesn’t belong to anybody.

    “We have invested so much in this party, I don’t think any governor is thinking of leaving this party but if you are suspended, dismissed or expelled, of course there are no options.

    “That is why we are saying, and I can assure you, all the governors who voted for Amaechi consider this suspension as suspension to all of us; not to Amaechi, not to Governor of Sokoto. We are even surprised it started from there. I think there are bigger fish than Amaechi and Governor of Sokoto. Many of us are disappointed that it started from there.

    Kwankwaso went on: “On this issue, we entrusted Amaechi with only two tasks. One is campaign, talk to the opposition because it is Nigeria Governors’ Forum; it is not PDP Governors Forum. Talk to them because you are the candidate; talk to them, probably it may suit them to vote for you. The second option is, hang up to the contest; can you hold it? He said ‘yes’. “Now, I can tell you, Amaechi cannot withdraw without our approval. Anybody who is saying Amaechi should withdraw is wasting his time because that is not in the agreement between us and Amaechi. We gave only two tasks to Amaechi and he did well.

    “The problem we have in the party now is that we don’t have anywhere to go and say our minds and that was why our founding fathers of this party say in the constitution that at least, every three months we should meet. These are the issues. We should communicate among ourselves and that is the only way but the time we start washing our linens outside, then it becomes a disaster.”

    In his view, Amaechi’s election showed that the 16 governors backing Jang do not know the art of politics, contrary to their posturing, adding that the NGF crisis might lead to the emergence of two big parties.

    Kwankwaso warned the PDP leadership against reckless recourse to suspension or dismissal of governors.

    He said with the suspension of Amaechi and Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State (Wamakko suspension was lifted yesterday), all the PDP governors backing the Rivers State governor had been technically suspended by the party.

    Kwankwaso said: “Let me say that we are Northerners and I think we should be consulted on what we need. Some people have decided that we should take chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum. That is not our choice; we know what we want from the politics of this country and even if that is what we want, we are not expecting anybody to choose for us. We should choose for ourselves. I think that point should be clarified.

    “Along the line, some people suggested that PDP should have a leadership. Many people thought that there is a linkage between the NGF election and the appointment of the PDP Governors Forum and, of course, we had Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum and we met as the PDP Governors Forum immediately after the appointment of the chairman.

    “Let me say that at that meeting, we made it clear that we were determined to ensure democracy in this country.

    “If there is no democracy in the Governors Forum, I begin to wonder where we can have democracy in this country and many people don’t understand how angry many people are. Many people here in Abuja don’t understand how committed we are to ensure democracy in this country.

    “So, we decided to stick to our gun – that many of us have got grandchildren now. I have two grandchildren in primary school now and no grandfather can go and choose a friend for his children. You only see your children’s friends and when you do, you ask: who is your father? They will tell you and he may be your enemy or friend. It is very difficult to tell your child that the father of your friend is my enemy. And it is better for a good father or grandfather to keep quiet because the more you tell them – that your grandfather or your father is their enemy – the more they stick to their friends because they would not understand what you mean by that.

    Kwankwaso condemned interference in NGF affairs by some forces in Abuja, especially the PDP leadership.

    He predicted that the NGF crisis may lead to emergence of two big parties in the country.

    He said: “I want to say that those living in glass houses should not be throwing stones, especially when it comes to suspension, dismissal, impeachment, these are words that people should be cautious about.

    “We want peace, we want stability and we want development in this country. All these things that are happening, I think you should not worry too much because in developed democracies around the world, in America, Germany, Britain, everywhere, developed world, you have two major parties.

    “Nigeria, we have one party now and other small, small parties. Who knows, maybe we are having transition in this country of two parties and before we have two parties, some people must make mistakes, big, big mistakes.”

    He said the pro-Jang governors became desperate about removing Amaechi and forced the NGF to postpone the election twice.

    Kwankwaso explained how he nominated Jang as a strategy to show that some of the G-16 governors are novices in politics.

    “Because we realised that they were very desperate and that even when we did the election and they were defeated they will not accept, we decided to deny them of their first choice, second choice and any choice at all. We gave them who will feel should be the minority leader of G-16.

    “They refused to take us seriously that Ameachi should continue. They thought they could play games and, you see, when we left the place, they went and had a meeting and accepted our nomination and at the end of the day, they brought him to the general meeting of the Nigerian Governors Forum and at that Forum, we told them that Amaechi should continue as our chairman. They made all efforts to frustrate voting, saying that there should not be voting. We said: ‘Why should there not be voting? This is a democracy’.

    “They were hell-bent in removing Amaechi and we were also determined to ensure that our friend, whoever, he is among the 36 governors, is the chairman of our Forum. That was how we brought all the ballot papers and the box (the one we are familiar with from INEC) and there was an election; 35 of us who were there voted, and it was counted 35. Only the governor of Yobe was absent. All of us were present. At the end of the day we counted 35 ballot papers and when they were separated, Amaechi had 19 and the other 16.”

    Kwankwaso said he warned Governors Ibrahim Shema and Isa Yuguda that they could not win the NGF poll.

    He added: “During the meeting of the PDP Governors Forum, we decided to call the Northern Governors Forum, we all sat down at the Governor’s Lodge.

    “At that meeting, the issue of Shema came up and I told Shema that ‘look, my brother, I was terribly disappointed in you that you are my neighbour, my friend and you are my brother, you never came to tell me that you are contesting election and you are parading yourself, looking like somebody who was being sent to us.

    “I told him clearly that I would never vote for him and I will never ask anybody to vote for him and I would make sure that he lost that election and I even told him to go and withdraw. Other governors supported me. Sule Lamido was there; he supported me. Isa Yuguda was there; the Governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, supported. Those who supported me asked Shema to go and withdraw.

    “ Unfortunately, some people took that opportunity to go and say that Shema did not have the North to support him. Later, Shema was dropped and they brought Isa Yuguda. Isa came to me and I told him that ‘look, I am still a villager and I behave in many ways as a villager and in my village, Kwankwaso in Kano, if a councillor goes to a family and says I am contesting to be a councillor and they accept it, when somebody comes in the afternoon, they will tell him that you are too late. I told him that you are late.

    “Let me also correct the impression that many people thought that I did not really like Shema; it is not so. in that particular instance, we did not want Shema because we wanted to choose our own chairman.

    “With Yuguda, they came through the same route and I advised him, ‘you must not do that; if you do that , you will fail’. When he insisted, of course, he was in my house, I did not want to go as hard as I did with Shema. I told him ‘we will see; let us see how it will go. “Now, you see on Friday, on the day of the election we went to the Chairman of Northern Governors Forum, it was all politics all through.

    “Some people were determined to ensure that Ameachi did not win the election and we were determined to prove to them that nobody can shave our heads in our absence.

    “A situation where our colleagues were going round Abuja, they were abusing us, telling us all sorts of things, I don’t think that is acceptable and that was why we proved to them that they were at the elementary level of politics.

    “By the time we went to the Niger State Governor’s Lodge for the meeting of the Northern States Governors Forum, the question was: was anyone of them ready to step down for the other? Neither of them was ready to step down for the other.

    “When the issue of electing somebody to replace the two(Shema and Yuguda) of them that was when the politics came in. It was very clear to the two of them and our position was very clear to all governors either in the North or in the South – that we were determined to elect the NGF chairman of our choice but everybody was playing games and politics and what we did in the Niger State Governor’s Lodge in selecting Jang as a consensus candidate was to show them that they know very little about politics.

    “One, we decided to say they cannot get Shema as the chairman of the minority group of the G16. We also said you cannot even get your second choice (the Bauchi State governor elected) and our group decided, under my leadership, to give them Jang as their leader. I nominated Jang. I gave them Jang and I asked the Governor of Benue, Gabriel Suswam, to support me and many people supported me.”

    On the withdrawal of Yuguda and Governor Gabriel Suswam from Northern States Governors Forum he said: “Maybe they are not Northerners, the interest of the North is bigger than the NGF. When people are angry, they should know what to say; they should not allow anger to lead them to say what may count against them tomorrow.”

    Kwankwaso faulted the endorsement signatures being bandied about by the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Governor Godswill Akpabio.

     

     

     

     

    He said: “I was really shocked when the Governor of Akwa Ibom brought a paper that was signed in April. Initially, I was laughing, but when I thought of it deeply, it was very disheartening for a governor, especially somebody who is supposed to be our leader, someone who is supposed to be the chairman of PDP Governors Forum. He brought an old paper. Even that paper; many of them who signed were calling us to say they called them to sign. They have 19. They thought they defeated us.

    “What is important, I believe, in democracy is to appreciate the sanctity of ballot papers. I am the governor of Kano today by the grace of God. I got only 46 percent of the votes. The three major parties in Kano State (ANPP, ACN and CPC) shared 54 per cent. They went to court; they went everywhere. Now I am the governor.

    “You see it is very disheartening that all our governors will sit down in a hall, get ballot papers, vote, count the votes and somebody will say an old paper that was signed was an evidence of voting.

    “The chairman of PDP Governors Forum; they way he brought that paper; the way he spoke, I think he should learn to talk. When you see him, you tell him to be talking like the chairman of the PDP because I am beginning to be ashamed if our chairman is behaving like that.

    “Like I said, we (Northern PDP governors) should decide on what we want. We are few in number; 15 governors. If there is anything, we should be given the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum.

    “Now that we have chairman of the PDP Governors Forum just saying his own, I think he should better keep quiet.

    Kwankwaso added: “Quote me, tell him that we can also Janglize the PDP Governors Forum; we can also form a separate PDP Governors Forum.”

     

  • NGF: Amaechi dares Jang over govs’ meeting

    NGF: Amaechi dares Jang over govs’ meeting

    •Plateau wants discussion on revenue allocation

    •Ameachi and co to boycott

    •Jonathan may host Jang group

     

    Governors Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and his Plateau State counterpart Jonah Jang, are poised for a fresh test of their claim to the leadership of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) after Jang summoned a meeting of the governors.

    He wants them to discuss the stalemate over the monthly Federation Account Allocation.

    State Commissioners for Finance had walked out of the FAAC meeting on Thursday in Abuja.

    Jang is disputing last month’s election of Amaechi for a second term as chairman of the NGF. The Rivers governor defeated Jang by 19 to 16 votes.

    Jang, however, insists that he emerged by consensus having been endorsed by the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF).

    Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the pro-Jang forces in the presidency are taking advantage of the governors’ desire for cash flow to encourage the Jang faction to summon a meeting of the NGF.

    It was gathered that the forces in the presidency designed the plot to prove that Jang is actually in control.

    The factional meeting is also meant to finally determine the loyalty of the 23 PDP governors by the presidency and deal with the rebellious ones.

    But pro-Amaechi governors have made up their minds not shun the meeting because Federation Account Allocation Meeting is not within the purview of the NGF.

    Findings have also confirmed that President Goodluck Jonathan may receive the Jang faction in audience on Monday under the pretext of seeking the NGF’s position on the revenue sharing crisis.

    A source said: “The Presidency wants to use Jang faction’s meeting to prove that it is backing this camp. It is obvious that the meeting is at the instance of the forces in the Presidency.

    “They are desperately trying to secure the presence of at least 20 governors at the meeting because they were hurt that only 16 governors attended the inauguration of Jang faction’s secretariat of the NGF in spite of the alleged claim that Jang won the election.

    “They have not been able to get up to 18 governors as at press time to undermine Amaechi. But they are unrelenting in their plot. They said they are out to seal Amaechi’s fate.

    “For PDP governors, especially those from the North, it is a booby trap to test their loyalty and determine who they voted for at the NGF election.

    “This will enable the PDP leadership to deal with them including the hijack of the party structure from the rebellious governors and their godfathers ahead of 2015 poll.”

    A governor, who spoke in confidence, said: “As part of the secret agenda of Jang’s meeting, the factional NGF will later be hosted by Jonathan in order to confer legitimacy on Jang’s leadership.

    “Already, governors in Jang’s camp are aware of the plot to visit the Villa on Monday for legitimacy. The itinerary is known to only a few strategists of Jang.

    But the governors loyal to the authentic chairman have vowed not to attend the session convened by Jang.

    Another source added: “They are joking, they will fail in their bid to give NGF leadership to Jang through the backdoor.

    “Most of us will stand by the mandate we have given to Amaechi because he was duly elected. We will make sure they do not have the number. They want to be defeated the third time.”

  • First Lady blasts Amaechi

    First Lady blasts Amaechi

    •Says Port Harcourt no longer attractive

    •Holds meeting with anti-Amaechi lawmakers

     

    The First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, yesterday took a swipe at Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State when she said Port Harcourt, the state capital, has lost its attraction during the governor’s reign.

    Dame Jonathan who was in the city to attend the wedding of one of the five anti-Amaechi legislators in the State House of Assembly prayed for the return of the lost glory.

    “During the time of Chief Rufus Ada-George and Dr. Peter Odili as governors, everybody wanted to come to Port Harcourt, which was called the Garden City, but I pray that it will return to what it used to be, so that we and our children can be proud of Port Harcourt,” she said at the wedding reception.

    The governor who was scheduled to be the guest of honour was absent at the wedding-of Mr. Evans Bipi and former Miss Rhoda Sika- although he was represented at the church by his deputy, Tele Ikuru .

    Ikuru did not attend the reception having left for another function in his home town.

    However, scores of prominent politicians from the state including ex-Governors Ada-George and Odili were there, as were national and state legislators with the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, playing the chief host.

    The First Lady was full of praise for Wike for bringing together such an array of prominent citizens.

    She said: “I grew up in Rivers State, but I have never seen a gathering of the movers and shakers of this state like this. When I say I love Wike, people do not understand. If not for him, I would not have this opportunity to be here.

    “It is good to be good. Both Rivers and Bayelsa are one, because Bayelsa State was created out of the old Rivers State (on October 1, 1996) and nobody can separate the two states, but the people must come together in peace and speak with one voice. Wike has brought us together.”

    Wike is currently locked in a bitter struggle with Amaechi for the soul of the PDP in the state.

    He is said to be the Presidency’s favoured candidate for the 2015 governorship election in the state.

    He is the chief supporter of the Obuah-led faction of the PDP in the state and enjoys the backing of the five anti-Amaechi assembly men.

    The first lady’s presence in town practically shut down the city.

    Security was heavy and traffic paralysed especially in and around St. Cyprian’s Anglican Church, Hospital Road, venue of the wedding and Alfred Diete-Spiff Civic Centre, Moscow Road, where the reception took place.

    Several Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), soldiers, policemen and State Security Service (SSS) operatives were deployed in strategic places.

    Mrs Jonathan, a native of Rivers State, had once openly clashed with Amaechi when she scolded him for demolishing shanties in parts of the state.

    It was gathered that she met last night with the anti-Amaechi lawmakers.

    The governor is also not in the good books of the Presidency for his acts of ‘insubordination’ toward President Goodluck Jonathan.

    He is perceived as threatening the chances of the president for a second term in office by allegedly agreeing to run as vice presidential candidate to a Northerner in 2015.

    He has denied the allegation.

    He is also blamed for defying the Presidency by running for a second term as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF). He defeated the Presidency’s candidate, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau in the election by 19 votes to 16.

    He is currently on suspension by the party

    Also at yesterday’s wedding were a former Minister of Science and Technology, King Ebitimi Banigo, now the Amanyanabo of Okpoma in Bayelsa State, the Amanyanabo-elect of Ogu, Nicholas Nimenibo, former Governor Celestine Omehia and former Deputy Speakers of the House of Representatives Chibudom Nwuche and Austin Opara.

    Others were Justice Mary Odili of the Supreme Court, a former Minister of Culture and Tourism, Alabo Tonye Graham Douglas; PDP National Women leader, Kema Chikwe; ex-Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Timi Alaibe; Dr. Abiye Sekibo, factional chairman of PDP in Rivers State, Chief Felix Obuah; Senator Lee Maeba, the National President of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), Chief Nkechi Mba; and the wife of the Bayelsa Governor, Rachael Dickson.

     

  • Why they’re after Amaechi, by David-West

    Why they’re after Amaechi, by David-West

    Former Petroleum Minister, Prof. Tam David-West, says the only reason Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State is being assailed by some political forces is his refusal to be anybody’s ‘Yes man’.

    Prof. David-West, speaking on a radio programme in Port Harcourt, also asked President Goodluck Jonathan to be wary of the Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark and leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force (NDPVF). He said neither of them is capable of making him win the 2015 election.

    He showered praises on General Muhammadu Buhari, who he said towers over and above President Jonathan in terms of achievement as Nigeria’s leader.

    Amaechi, according to him, has had to fight alleged injustice of ceding oil wells belonging to Rivers State in the Kalabari axis to President Jonathan’s Bayelsa State.

    This, he said has not gone down well with some people.

    He added: “I am not a politician. No amount of money in the world can make me to change my mind. I support causes, not persons. What has Amaechi done wrong? He has not done anything wrong. Professional praise singers are making millions of naira through the crisis.

    “Those who said Amaechi has received N2.4 trillion since he became Rivers governor, without commensurate projects on the ground, are talking rubbish. The Kalabari people fighting Amaechi are not serious. They are not more Kalabari than me. Amaechi has not disappointed Kalabari people.”

    Asked to assess President Jonathan’s achievements, he said: “I am an unapologetic critic of President Jonathan. I do not support you because you are an Ijaw person, from the South South zone or a Niger Deltan. I support performers. Twenty four per cent of Jonathan’s votes came from the South South.

    “It is completely illogical to say Jonathan must be re-elected in 2015, because he is a South South man. Jonathan is not a South South President, but the President of Nigeria.

    “Clark, Dokubo-Asari and others cannot save Jonathan in 2015. In an interview in a national newspaper on June 15, 2012, Dokubo-Asari declared that Jonathan would not go beyond 2015 as President. Why is he speaking from both sides of his mouth?

    “You cannot compare one hundred Jonathans to one Buhari. I will always give my support to Buhari. He is the finest man I have ever known. Negative things that they say about him are not factual. I will continue to work for Buhari.

    “Corruption is the bane of Nigeria. Buhari is against corruption. Buhari is not corrupt. He is very clean and disciplined. Election rigging is worse than armed robbery. Buhari wants free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria.”

     

  • Ikwerre: Amaechi must complete his tenure

    Ikwerre: Amaechi must complete his tenure

    The Ikwerre people of Rivers State have declared that Governor Rotimi Amaechi must be allowed to complete his second tenure.

    The umbrella organisation of Ikwerre people, the Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation Worldwide, through the President-General, Prof. Augustine Onyeozu, spoke yesterday at a summit in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    In attendance at the summit were the members of the Ikwerre Development Association, the Ikwerre Youth Movement and the Ikwerre Women Forum, among others.

    The President-General said Ikwerre people would not fold their arms and allow Amaechi to be humiliated and pulled down by the people who were opposed to his style of governance.

    Amaechi, who is from Ubima in Ikwerre LGA of the state, has been having a running battle with President Goodluck Jonathan over 2015 election. The defeat of Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang, during the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) election became another source of conflict.

    Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, who is spearheading the crisis, hails from Rumuepirikom in Obio/Akpor LGA of the state. He is also an Ikwerre man.

    The President-General of Ogbakor Ikwerre cultural organisation said: “If you have any problem with Amaechi, take him to court. There is no problem with that. Today, they are calling Amaechi a bad man. So that they can bring him down.

    “As Ikwerre people, we do not take sides in anything bad, but we will not fold our arms and watch, while an innocent man is humiliated and brought down for nothing. Even if Amaechi is not an Ikwerre man, we will not allow him to be humiliated and killed.

    “We are saying please, whoever he (Amaechi) has offended, should allow him to finish his second tenure.”

    The representative of Ikwerre-Emohua constituency in the House of Representatives, Chief Andrew Uchendu, noted that Ikwerre people were worried over the unwarranted attacks on Amaechi.

    Uchendu, however, pledged the loyalty of Ikwerre people to the administration of President Jonathan, but declared that his people would not support any plot to cede the natural resources in Rivers state to any other state.

    He added that the recent developments had made Amaechi to become the face of democracy in Nigeria.

     

  • Traders hail Amaechi for commissioning market

    TRADERS in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, have commended Governor Chibuike Rotimi Ameachi over the commissioning of Town Market located at Creek Road, Port Harcourt.

    The ultra- modern market commissioned yesterday is first of its kind with facilities like fire service, police station, sick-bay and conference hall.

    While lauding the governor’s gesture, the traders said the new market has brought some reliefs for them, especially the stress of securing their wares during the raining season.

    Mr. Benson Ngele, who represented the traders during the unveilling of the market said: “We thank God for using Governor Chibuike Amaechi to change the status of traders through the facilities provided in the market.

    “For this, we are grateful and will continue to support this administration to provide more for traders as the commissioning of the market has ended our many years of suffering and street trading.”

    Rivers Commissioner for Works, Victor Giadom, who commissioned the market on behalf of Governor Amaechi, said:  We decided to provide a first class market for the people of the state.”

     

  • Suspension: Court insists on Amaechi’s suit

    Suspension: Court insists on Amaechi’s suit

    A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt on Thursday ruled that it has the jurisdiction to entertain the suit filed by Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, challenging his suspension from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The presiding judge, Justice Emmanuel Ogbuji, also adjourned the matter till July 8 for commencement of hearing.

    The party’s National Working Committee had on May 27 suspended Amaechi, who was recently re-elected as chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), over his refusal the reverse the suspension of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council executive council.

    The ruling followed two different motions filed by Mr. Donald Den Wigwe and Mr. Emmanuel Ukala, counsels to the PDP and its state chairman, Hon. Felix Obuah, respectively, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter.

    Both Wigwe and Ukala insisted that whenever an issue of jurisdiction is raised by respondent/applicants, the court must first determine it before entertaining any other issue before it.