•Says, enogh is enough …He’s a victim of injustice, says David-West
Rather than abate, the seeming face-off between the Presidency and
Rivers State Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi may have worsened going by
the frustrations being expressed by the latter.
Governor Amaechi spoke his mind in Port Harcourt Tuesday night when
he hosted virologist-turned social critic, Prof. Tam David-West, who
paid a solidarity visit to the embattled chairman of the Nigeria
Governors’ Forum (NGF). The Professor had earlier sympathised with the
governor over his current travails.
The governor said as a result of compromised security, crimes such as
kidnapping and armed robery had returned to the state. He accused
Police Commissioner, Mbu Joseph Mbu of not assisting him to secure the
state.
Thanking Prof. David-West and his delegation for the solidarity
visit, he expressed his desire for sustained peace and progress but
expressed reservation on the commitment of Commisioner Mbu, to security
in the state.
Amaechi said, “Prof., let me thank you for this solidarity visit.
This visit is very important to me because everyone knows that nobody
can bring you to this Government House no matter the amount of money,
not even if you bring out the entire Rivers State Government budget,
Prof. would not come. So, it is important that you have added this your
great voice to the numerous Rivers people and Nigerians who are
supporting us for standing firm for democracy and for standing firm for
the truth.
“Yesterday, my friend and brother, the Governor of Plateau State,
convened a meeting of some governors. To prove that we won the
election, only 16 governors went and he has never held a meeting where
they are more than 16 governors. We shall very soon call our own meeting
because we have been trying hard to talk to them and talk to everybody
for them to see reason why we need to be together and respect democracy.
Their non-acceptance of the will of the governors is undemocratic. They
should not have put themselves forward for election because if you
don’t accept results when you don’t win, then you are not democratic.
Anybody who recognises my brother Jang (as NGF chairman) is also
undemocratic because even that person may not accept any election result
that does not favour him. Let the will of the people be expressed and
let us respect the sanctity of their decision.
“Prof., let me mention to you some of the challenges we are facing in
Rivers State now. I will give you snippets of the letter I am trying
to send to the President. Somebody at the top changed our Commissioner
of Police and brought a man that when we finish Security Council
meeting, he goes to report who said what and we are unable to hold any
Security Council meeting anymore because of that. Prof., insecurity is
threatening to come back, kidnapping is on the rise; armed robbery is on
the rise because they have hijacked the security of the state.
“The commissioner of police reports to them in Abuja directly. He
doesn’t report to the governor, he has nothing to do with the
government, he takes away securitymen from commissioners and posts
securitymen to the chairman of Port Harcourt Club. Port Harcourt Club is
a social gathering, it is somewhere behind us here. So, we have that
problem and we believe that we should begin to address it. Prof., if we
need to march on the streets, we will call you to come and join us. We
are preparing to march on the streets, if this anomaly continues.
“There are other people who have agreed to join us from outside
Nigeria and from outside Rivers State but we want to give peace a chance
to let the Federal Government know that we are tired of tyranny and
impunity. We want the Federal Government to remember that the reason for
which the Federal Government did not support state police is because
they say the governors will mismanage state police. Then the federal
police should not be mismanaged against us because the federal police is
an institution for all Nigerians. I don’t want to go into details
because we are still hoping that they will see reason,” he said.
Earlier, Prof David-West noted that the governor was going through difficult times now, but said he would prevail in the end.
David-West recalled that he started writing about Amaechi ever before
he personally met him, stressing that his strong support for him was
not for any personal gains.
“I started to write about Governor Amaechi before I ever met him
personally. I am not a member of any political party. I am supporting a
cause that is very dear to me and that cause is justice. I have been a
victim of injustice in my life, so, when I see people suffering
injustice or victims, I naturally support them. I took personal
interest in the governor’s (Amaechi) case ever before I met him in
person as I said before. I support a cause not for personal gain.
“We are going through very strange times in Nigeria, stranger still
that 16 is now greater than 19 (referring to NGF election outcome). Our
governor is going through very difficult times. Fortunately, he has the
stamina and the strength, the fortitude to bear.”
According to him, Amaechi had outperformed every other governor the
state ever had and commended him for his unparalleled achievements. He
also called for support for him, saying anyone who disputed Amaechi’s
performance in the state was blinder than the bat.
“I have followed the history of all governors to Governor Amaechi and
from Diette-Spiff to him, I make bold to say, without any apologies or
regrets, that no governor has focused himself to elevating Rivers State,
Port Harcourt than Governor Amaechi. It was, I think, in Buguma I said,
when the governor was visiting Buguma to campaign for election, they
honoured me to speak and I said, ‘anyone who says Governor Amaechi has
done nothing for Rivers State or Port Harcourt is blinder than the
bat’,” he said.
He lamented Amaechi’s suspension from the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) and warned against letting everything go in the country. He also
lamented the lies and political propaganda going on in the polity
against Amaechi but urged the governor not to be distracted.
He pledged his unflinching support for Amaechi and appealed to him to
always rely on God for strength. He also prayed God to give victory to
the governor and urged the people of the state to support him and not
sit on the fence.
He said, “I support Governor Amaechi and his government. I think he
has done well and doing well, so we should encourage him to do so.”
According to him, Amaechi has made enemies for fighting for a just
cause in the state and described him as a hero with decorum in relating
with others.
culled from sunnewsonline.com
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