Gov. Rotimi Amaechi Reacts To Presidential Statement, Warns Reuben Abati

 Governor of Rivers state Rotimi Amaechi, has reacted to yesterday's statement from the presidency where he was told to stop political rascality and blackmail.

 Speaking through the state's Commissioner for Information, Ibim Semenitari, Governor Amaechi said there was never a time he discussed the First lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.

 He also described Presidential Spokesman, Reuben Abati as the rascality within the Presidency. In his word:

"I would want to say that the Presidential Spokesman should be careful for the kind of threats he issues to an elected Governor. He should remember that the President is not a prefect of the governor. He was elected as President just as the Governor was elected as a governor, and Nigeria is a federation. And please, Abati should know his limits and need not attempt to cross his boundaries.

"It is a bit strange to hear the kind of comments coming out of the Presidency and this shows that the statement was already prepared before governor Amaechi spoke. At no point in his speech did Governor Amaechi make any references. His wife was not even discussed because she is not an official of government. I do not understand where or how Mr. Abati got his story, so we just take it that this is one of those clear indications of rascality within the Presidency trying to call a dog a bad name and hang it”.

Read More...

"I Fell Out With First Lady Patience Jonathan Because I Refused To Share Rivers State's Money With Her" - Gov. Amaechi Says

 The governor of Rivers state, Rotimi Amaechi says the major reason he and the first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan her at loggerheads is because he refused to share the state money with her.

 The ever outspoken governor Amaechi said this yesterday October 24th at the graduation ceremony of the Pioneer graduands of the Ignatus Ajuru University of Education held at Rumuolumeni in Rivers state. He said:

 "Remember, when I became governor, I fought militancy. Right there where you built a new house used to be a hole where they pass into the river nd escape. The security report reached me and I came here and chased the militants away. I asked them to fence the school premises and block the hole. I have to protect you because it is my responsibility. Some of the militants went to Lagos, Ivory Coast, Ghana etc. Today, they are back because the wife of the President bought them back to protest against me." 

 I refused to give them money in Abuja because if I do that, I won't be able to carry out any developmental projects or finish the road from Rumuolumeni to Rumuepirikom. The quarel between me and the wife of the Preseident is because she said I should bring your money, Rivers peoples money and share with her" Governor Amaechi alleges

Governor Amaechi is also quoted to have told the graduands that should they vote for President Jonathan back into power in next year's general elections, rivers state's economy would crumble.

 "Now that you are graduates, you are eligible voters that can use your voters card to change society. Ask yourself this question that I have always asked Rivers people. What have we (Rivers people) done to President Jonathan that he has refused to bring any project to Rivers state. We had to fight them before they could do the East-West road.

 I had to abuse the federal government and they abused me back before they could do the work you now see on that road. Our President, from the South-South, has taken oil wells from Soku in Rivers state to Bayelsa state. What about the 41 oil wells in Etche that was given to Abia state? Is the President or his wife from Abia? Why do they want us to suffer? If President Jonathan comes back to power in 2015, Rivers state economy will crash" he concluded.

Read More...

How We Were Arrested, Our Plane Grounded In Kano State - Governor Amaechi

Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers state, on Monday reacted to the Federal Government grounding his chartered plane in Kano state on Sunday, June 8 after former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Lamido Sanusi, emerged the new emir of Kano, yesterday.

Governor Amaechi who was reported to have mounted pressure on Kano state Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso in making Lamido Sanusi the new Emir of Kano state recounted his ordeal of how he and other dignitaries after visiting Governor Kwankwaso while about to board the chartered aircraft plane back to Abuja were held hostage by authorities who locked all the doors to the complex.

He said: The plane was also impounded. “The Kano governor called the airport commandant that we should at least be allowed to leave the building but the commandant refused saying he had an order from above not to let us out” “We had to force one of the doors open to get away.”

Scared for their lives he said: “So we quickly got a car, bought fuel and started driving towards Abuja. We sold a dummy to the airport people and a few others that we were returning to the Kano Government House. The governor was also expecting us. But we were far gone. I personally drove the car and all of us had to switch off our phones so no one would know our whereabouts.

“I drove for five hours and we arrived Abuja at 2 a.m. We were not afraid of armed robbers or anyone attacking us on the road. We were only afraid that the authorities could plant people on the road to waylay and attack us. But thank God we arrived safe.

“I have been shouting that we are in a dictatorship, people thought I’m joking or exaggerating,” Mr. Amaechi said. “At least we can all see what is playing out.”

Other dignitaries alongside Governor Amaechi in the plane who ended up travelling by road were: the former governor of Gombe State, Senator Danjuma Goje, and a former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, a former governor of Kwara state, Senator Shaaba Lafiagi.

culled

Read More...

Jonathan, Amaechi Share Chopper on Their Way to Patience Mum's Burial

Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers state was at the Port Harcourt International Airport to welcome President Goodluck Jonathan and later flew in the same chopper to Okrika town for the burial of the adopted mother of Mrs. Patience Jonathan.

They were joined on the trip by Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson.

This fuelled excitement within the political circles, with speculations that President Jonathan and Ameachi, both politically estranged duo will use the joint flight to have a heart to heart talk.

Governor Amaechi and members of the state executive council had arrived Port Harcourt Airport and waited for the arrival of the President.

Supporters of Seriake Dickson, Nyesom Wike, the supervising Minister of Education, with his political group; Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDI), as well as members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, all jostled for space and attention while also awaiting the president’s aircraft as it touched down at the airport at about 1.40 p.m.

Okrika town and its environs were choked with soldiers, policemen, men of the Department of the Secret Service, Civil Defence Corps and Federal Road Safety Commission, all strategically positioned.

There were several naval war boats patrolling the Okrika waterways.

There were also military fighter helicopters on air surveillance, just as there was an aerial camera bearing balloon, overlooking the perimeters of the area where the event took place in Okrika.

Mrs. Jonathan, was accompanied to the Port Harcourt Polo Club, venue of the service of songs, by the wife of the vice president, Hajia Amina Namadi Sambo.

Football and Nollywood stars were also at the service of songs to show solidarity with the First Lady.

Most of the women clad in specially designed apparels for the occasion went into a frenzy when Patience Ozokwu, made her appearance on the ground of the Port Harcourt Polo Club.

Nollywood stars present were Zachee Orji and Kanayo Kanayo, the Akin and Paw-paw fame.

The people of Wakrike, (that is the Okrika people) used the opportunity of the burial rites of Madam Charity Oba, the adopted mother of the First Lady in Okrika to confer Chieftaincy titles on the President and his Wife.

Source:najj

Read More...

They Are After My Life ––Amaechi Cries Out

 Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has revealed that their is a plot to "take him out" since he is now seen as an enemy of President Jonathan administration.

 He has also sent out a strong message to Jonathan to ensure nothing happens to him.

Speaking in an interview with Sahara TV, Amaechi also narrated his ordeal in hands of the Nigeria police and other agencies under the control of the Presidency.

“I don’t have an aide de camp. I don’t have a chief security officer. They’ve withdrawn so many policemen. They’ve withdrawn all policemen from the commissioners. I feel unsafe. I just know that they want to kill me. Beg Mr. President to ensure that I’m not killed because I’m sure they are planning towards that.”

Amaechi also accused his political forces, including Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, and the President’s wife, Patience Jonathan, of using the police to intimidate the people of the state.

“It is not just Wike that is controlling Mbu [state Police Commissioner]. It is not just Mrs. Patience Jonathan that is controlling Mbu. There are some people on the street controlling him.

“They are doing two things under the watch of Mr. President and the Inspector-General of Police. They are trying to intimidate the Rivers society so that they can rig elections. And they are trying to intimidate me and expose me to danger.”

Amaechi described the level of impunity under Jonathan as worse than what Nigeria experienced under late General Sani Abacha. He said there would have been peace in Nigeria had the President not interfered in the Nigerian Governors Forum’s election, where he emerged winner.

He said Jonathan confessed during one of their meetings in Aso Rock.

“While Akpabio was denying it, I reminded him that the President confirmed to me that he participated. Jonathan said he canvassed support for Governor Shema and that he called governors and showed them a video recording of my speech on the oil well that was taken from Soku [in Rivers State] to Balyesa, and he therefore told them that if I won, he would never work with me,” Amaechi revealed.

Read More...

Why Amaechi Was Blocked From Entering Government House

Governor Rotimi Amaechi was on Thursday evening returning from an inspection tour of projects in the state barred by gun-totting policemen who barricaded the entrance.

The Rivers state police command has explained the reason for barring the governor of the state from using the main entrance(Forces Avenue) to the Government House.

According to the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Angela Agabe (DSP), the entrance was blocked as a measure to prevent a breakdown of law and order after a splinter group of the Peoples’ Democratic Party in the state opened a secretariat on the same road. All roads leading to Forces Avenue were immediately closed.

The governor’s Chief of Staff, Tony Okocha had earlier led members of a faction of the PDP to open the secretariat at 38, Forces Avenue, Old GRA, Port Harcourt. The ‘secretariat’ was, however, later closed down by the police who were said to be acting on superior orders.

“You can’t do this. Not here. We will not allow it,” ordered the police deputy commissioner, Sam Ogaora, who reportedly led the police team.

“We will go all out to ensure that we maintain law and order in this state. Anybody that takes the law into his hands will be dealt with accordingly. That is exactly what we have done here. We don’t have any secretariat here and anybody who has come here to hoist any flag will be dealt with. Nothing more than that,” he said.

While explaining the closure, the state police PPRO says the governor could have made use of other entrances to the Government House seeing no reason for the ruckus being generated. “The governor has other routes to get to the Government House. So I don’t see how this should be an issue,” Agabe said.

Read More...